Susan and Janet -
Susan, you wrote about your mother:
>>the fact that she claims to be living "in a fog",
> >and occasional confusion on her part
and Janet responded:
>
> she isn't claiming to be in a fog
> she IS in a chemical fog
> i'm impressed that she can actually see it as a fog
> it took me a long time to figure out
> that what was happening to me wasn't the 'real me'
>
> when i'm in the fog
> my thinking processes start to fumble and logic is a struggle
> when i'm out of the fog
> i can hardly believe some of the things i had been having trouble with
Janet is probably correct that some or much of this is depression. But my
husband also complains of mental fogginess which seems to be separate from
depression. He says it's literally as if there's a cloud between him and
whatever is around him, so he's not seeing clearly, and not thinking clearly.
We connect this with too little dopamine available to his body at that
particular time. It might also be helpful to you to know that cognitive
difficulties are a part of PD for some people.
There was some discussion on the list awhile back about "fugue" states. If
there's a listing like that in the archives, it might be helpful to you to
look it up. Many people describe that as "fogginess."
Susan also wrote:
>
> >My mom was dx 8 years ago at age 70. Her difficulties in function
> >have progressed at a very uneven rate. She will be fine for say 6 mos.
> >and then have a leap symptoms.
Janet answered:
>
> this concerns me a bit
> pd tends to progress slowly
> and if there is a sudden change in symptoms
> i have to wonder what has triggered it
> if not a change in meds
> maybe a change in food/supplements/routine/environment/stress?
> something else?
We have noticed from the start (15 years ago) that my husband's symptoms
progress in what we call "stair steps". He'll develop a new symptom, then
things will go along like that for a period of at least several months. Then
another new symptom appears. While the disease is generally progressive, I
don't think it's unusual to have this stair step pattern. Most PWP start out
with just one symptom - one example is tremor in just one hand. Later, the
tremor may appear in the leg, and still later on the other side of the body.
Still later on, years down the road, the other PD symptoms get added on, one
at a time. Unless there's a drastic change overnight, from being able to
function to not being able to function, for example, it may not be a problem.
The PD specialist is the one to ask about this.
Hope this helps. Good luck to both of you. Margie Swindler
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