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Susan,, I haven't been following the details of your mother's problem so I may be missing some important info that you have already given. Artane is well known for exacerbating memory problems. L-dopa can cause psychosis in some individuals. The geriatric psychiatrist is a good idea and should be able to help differentiate between a drug induced state and a dementia that is secondary to PD. I believe you are in BC and had contacted the movement disorders people at UBC who are excellent. This appears to me to be too complicated for most GP's or even many if not most general neurologists, and if there is any way to get her transferred to UBC I would do it. Striking a balance between therapeutic effects and minimal side effects is an extremely difficult task and having someone who has done it many time before is in my opinion your best bet. Charlie Charles T. Meyer, MD Susan Tomlin wrote: > Hi, again > > Our Family Doctor phoned last night to let me know that she would be > bringing in a Geriatric Phyciatrist to look at my mother who is still in > the hospital. She thinks that my mother may also have dementia and want to > get it confirmed. > > My mother is on sinemet right now and it seems that as soon as she is given > artane too my mother becomes more and more confused. Yesterday, she was so > confused she didn't know where she was, she told me this long convoluted > tale of where she had been the day before ( all of it totally bizaare ), > she doesn't know or understand what time it is,etc..... > > Saddly, with the combination of these two drugs she physically improves > greatly, but mentally she is totally out of it!!! Our Doctor feels that my > mother is sensitive to these drugs because of dementia and they make her > more confused. Has anyone heard of anything like this before? I know my > mother has had tiny episodes of mild confusion in the past and also her > knowledge of mathematics is gone, she also complained of of memory loss, > so I wonder if it is the drugs causing this or is the Doctor right about > dementia? My mother was diagnosed with parkinson's disease in '92 and about > a few years ago my she began to complain of having more difficulty with > doing math. She is 67. Does dementia come on that fast???? Is there a test > to prove one has dementia? > > Thanks for any information. > > Take care > > Bye for now > > Susan > > To Email me: [log in to unmask] > > To see me: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/1391/index.html