My meds are Sinemet 25/250, Sinemet CR(50/200), Permax 1mg, Amantadine
100mg, Eldepryl 5mg, and Artane 2mg. All of these drugs, as I have read
it, can individually or synergistically cause symptoms of mental
distress, including hallucinations. Please note that these are my
experiences only, nothing more!! I stopped playing Doctor about 43 years
ago!!
Sinemet,(Reg type, not Cr) taken too close to betime has always been a
problem for me. Initially, it keeps my mind spinning things around, to
the point where it's almost impossible to fall asleep. When I finally do
fall asleep, it is a very shallow sleep full of vivid dreams, and I
often wake up having jolted myself as some action scene reached its peak
in my dream. Sinemet CR doesnt efect me this way, so i take a CR at
bedtime, so I have some juice in the system the next AM.
Permax seems to work for me, and is much better than
Parlodel(bromocriptene). However, more than 4-5 mg a day, and I get "out
there" pretty quick!! Out of body sensation, confusion, totally hyper
impatient, cannot concentrate, simple movements requiring fine motor
coordination can't be done because of being too hyper. Hallucinations
became a constant companion. Wood grain patterns where always in
motion, with contorted faces smiling, frowning etc at me. My peripheral
vision was alive with scurring critters - ie ducks, chipmunks, mice,
raccoons etc. Occasionaly when running power tools, I would hear voices,
usually my wife calling me to phone or dinner. Permax at higher doses
also triggered severe double vision. On a few occasions, I had to drive
with the bad eye(right side) closed. Although Permax alone doesn't seem
to bother my sleep, it does, when coupled with Sinemet compound the
Sinemet side effects.
Lastly, Eldepryl, for first year I took it caused smell hallucinations,
always the same, a musty, sweaty, unwashed tee-shirt sort of smell.
Coupled with PD's extra sweat tendancy, became a BO fanatic. Washed
clothes twice with added disinfectant. My wife kept saying its the
pills, and finally when I asked my Neur. about it, he said that smell
hallucinations while not as common as visual and sound, did happen as a
drug side effect. Whether this caused a placebo effect I don't know, but
shortly thereafter the smells went away and have not returned. Ironic
that now that I dont work, and offs often keep me from a shower/shave,
and I do get a little funky, I never seem to notice! From day 1
Eldepryl has been taken in am and noon, so never a sleep problen for
me.
Steve Holahan 49/14
