Dar All,
Hi. I have not been keeping up on my reading or lurking, but I need some
advice if there is any.
My father is nearly 82, has been diagnosed with PD for maybe 12 years. That's
another story. Anyway, he was most hard-hit with depression at first - takes
Prozac. Recently, he began Mirapex. It did help return his personality but
his moevement is not helped at all - may even be worse. His med schedule is:
Morning - 1 (20mg) Prozac
1 (.25) Mirapex
Noon - 1 (.25) Mirapex
a half Clozaril (forgot to get this dose)
3:30 - 1 (20mg) Prozac
Dinner - a half (10/100) Sinemet
Bedtime - a half Clozaril
Recently, the second Prozac had to be ordered because he began getting very
depressed and upset again. His right hand's shaking is awful - at times he
cannot hold a glass of liquid. The other side is not as bad, but he is
frustrated and says it tires him out terribly.
To complicate matters, my mother, his primary caregiver, had a serious and
permanent loss of vision in her strong eye via veinous occlusion and subsequent
neo-vascular glaucoma. What a crzay time. It seems stabilized somewhat now
but she will never be the caretaker she was. This puts pressure on him which
has to bother him.
His doctor is not a movement disorder specialist nor is he the type that
welcomes the patient as a partner in his/her own care. I mentioned the
listserv and said it seemed to me that PD was really a matter of balancing
drugs as much as anything. He said it was not that at all. My father has a
history of high sensitivity to PD drugs.
So, here's the question: any suggestions? We live in Scranton, Pennsylvania
but I question the merit of another evaluation. It would mean going out of
town to Philly or New York or Washington. What benefit? He is getting tired
and more feeble. Can I do anything?
Thanks for ALL your help through this wonderful listserv.
Jeanne Hoffman
