At 10:06 AM 7/11/96 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi everybody!
>
>Just wondering whether anybody has any hands-on information about this
>drug "Clonazepam?"
>
To quote in part of a posting by:
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Medications in PD
"The following is most of the newsletter "Moving Forward" from City of Hope
Parkinson's Center in Duarte, CA."
-------------------- snip -----------------------------------------------
ANTI-ANXIETY AND SLEEPING MEDICATIONS
ANTI-ANXIETY: E.G., VALIUM (DIAZEPAM), ATIVAN (LORAZEPAM), KLONOPIN
(CLONAZEPAM), BUSPAR (BUSPIRONE)
SLEEPING MEDICATIONS: E.G., HALCION (TRIAZOLAM), AMBIEN (ZOLPIDEM)
All of these medications are classified as sedative-hypnotic agents and can
be beneficial in reducing anxiety and promoting sleep. Since some Parkinson's
symptoms can be worsened by anxiety, these medications can help relieve
symptoms such as tremor and dyskinesia. Klonopin appears to have some unique
characteristics and has been used in the treatment of several abnormal
movement types. Buspar has been used to treat dyskinesias with variable
success.
SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTI-ANXIETY AND SLEEPING MEDICATIONS
+ Sedation (excessive sleepiness): This can interfere with one's ability to
operate machinery, such as a motor vehicle and contribute to waling imbalance
and falls.
+ Occasionally, patients can become psychologically, as well as physically,
dependent upon these medications and experience withdrawal symptoms upon
their discontinuation.
+ Patients who depend upon these medications to sleep can have aftereffects
lasting into the next day, which can impair memory and other thinking
functions. Under these conditions, patients may have greater problems with
walking balance and be more susceptible to falls.
+ Buspar (buspirone) appears to have a lower risk of physical and
psychological dependence, but some patients may experience a worsening of
Parkinson's symptoms.
------------------------------- snip -------------------------------------
This complete series is available as a Current Topics message by e-mail from
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