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Subject:      fainting spells

Hello Jackie,

My father Ralph 80, diagnosed (? about January) was hospitalized
February after being non-responsive, with eyes rolled up "staring"
at ceiling.  Hospital measured extremely low sodium, and titrated
it up with IV.  Pronounced it due to infection, and stabalized,
and attempted to release to me after 6 days.  I declined, and
after battle of nerves with outpatient planner, had him transferred
to SNF where the sodium again dropped (increased delusions, difficulty
functioning to walk, self feed, dress etc.).  After 20 days, declared
stable, again declined to take him back into home care. Transferred
to long term care bed in another SNF. Again sodium dropped, lost
walking ability learned in prior physical therapy. Slowly recovered
under controlled fluid intake.

Ralph is on Amantadine, 100 mg twice daily since January.

I'm not sure his symptoms are "usual" for either Parkinson's Disease
or Amantadine side effect.  But his family has history of low sodium
problems; and manic depression diagnoses, as my father has had
for 35 years.  I have even wondered if the depression was early
symptom of Parkinson's Disease, and manic was due to low sodium.
But that is 35 years of water under the bridge.  Now he is 80,
and we are seeing how much of life can be regained at this point.

I have seen Lyme Disease as a possible imposter for Parkinson's Disease,
and have wondered about this, as my father hiked weekly where
ticks are 20% infected with Lymd disease, prior to disabling
of hiking.

 Ja> My Dad is in the latter stages of PD. Today he was
 Ja> hospitalized, having had
 Ja> two fainting spells.  My mother noticed he was " staring"  which
 Ja> lasted for around a minute or so.
 Ja> He has no recollection of the time when he was "out".

My father doesn't remember most of the time his sodium was low.

Don



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