Parkinson's question. UPDATE #12 - Relief!

[Catty1]

This is about medication side effects.

First, I want to be clear that my mom is following up with her specialist and GP on this.

Mom went on a long-action Levacabridopa. It gave her her life back, but after some time she started developing shortness of breath, almost like hyperventilating. Her pulse rate is higher than normal - around 97 or 98.

Recently she finally got her appointment with the Movement Disorders Clinic here - all the neurologists there specialize in Parkinson's and related disorders. The neuro there put Mom on a short-acting form of the LCD. Now she is more short of breath all the time, unless she is lying down.

I can find nothing in the literature or on the net about shortness of breath/hyperventilating being a side effect of the meds. It certainly can be a symptom of Parkinson's - but she had no trouble until she started the medication.

She is on no other med that would interact with this, and stopped taking vitamins with iron as iron can block the drug's absorption.

Anyone with any experience and/or feedback on this?

Thanks!

[Karen]

No experience with it, but definitely she should follow up with the doc right away. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of so many things, including heart trouble. Better to overreact than under react at this point.

[Catty1]

She's left a message at the specialist's office and they return calls within 48 hours. I guess that means even on the weekends! I hope so.

When she started the new short-acting meds, she started with 1 pill 3 x day, then worked up to 2 tablets 3 x day. Tomorrow she will take only 1 in the morning, and 1 mid-day.

The pharmacist didn't say 'go ahead', but the risk from hyperventilating and high pulse is greater than that from reducing the medication. I am to call her tomorrow afternoon.

She has her yearly checkup with her GP next week, so will talk to her as well.

Thanks, Karen! I AM worried.

[sasvermont]

I don't want to alarm you, but the symptoms are that of blod clots in the lungs. A CT scan will answer the question. Good luck. I know medicine can be exhausting to deal with.

Sas

[Catty1]

Thanks, SAS. The weird thing is, when she wakes up in the morning and it's 8 or more hours since her last dose of meds, she's fine. It's after she takes the meds that this kicks up! I hope she hears from her specialist soon!

She's also fine after taking one of her 1 hour walks, or if she's lying down.

But I do also wonder if the meds just exacerbate what is already there.

Thanks again!

[dab_20]

I have had a patient with Parkinsons and Alzeimers on Levacabridopa. She often had very shallow breathing, and we had to check O2 levels once per day. I do not know whether it started when she started the med or not, however the RN seemed to blame it on the Parkinsons itself. Make sure to bring it up with the doctor, and he will give you more information.

[Karen]

Does she yet have a peak-flow meter? It's a way to measure who well - or poorly - she's breathing, and so maybe she should take a reading before the meds, an hour after taking the meds, etc., just to document how much it changes.

[dab_20]

Does she yet have a peak-flow meter? It's a way to measure who well - or poorly - she's breathing, and so maybe she should take a reading before the meds, an hour after taking the meds, etc., just to document how much it changes.

This is a good suggestion. These are only about 10 bucks online, if you could get one for her and document the readings before and after each pill is given for a few days.

[Catty1]

We'll wait for the neurologist to talk with her before we make any decisions on equipment. It may be something unrelated to the Parkinson's.

This is a 78-year-old woman who is still doing her 1 hour walks about 4 times a week. After we spoke to the pharmacist, we went to a sports store where she bought a $90 paid of new running/walking shoes!

Will update when I have any news at all. Thanks so much everyone!:love:

[Karen]

We'll wait for the neurologist to talk with her before we make any decisions on equipment. It may be something unrelated to the Parkinson's.

I was given my peak-flow meter for free, we have two because Paul was also given one at one point, it's just a plastic doohickey, but accurate for measuring how much "puff" she's got and when.

[Catty1]

Well, we'll see if she is given one.

I was out this evening and had a phone message from her when I got home. She said she had a lie-down on the couch and is feeling relaxed (breathing is normal when she lies on the couch), that she is feeling better and for me not to worry. (Like THAT'S easy!).

It doesn't seem to be a 911 call situation...if her neuro office doesn't call tomorrow she is calling them back first thing Monday morning.

Just praying and waiting. :(

[Catty1]

WHEW!

My mom heard back from the clinic. She thought she was supposed to take ONE pill three times a day for one day, then build up so she was on TWO pills three times a day by day 3.

NOPE. She was to do the 1 x 3 for THREE days, then up it for another THREE days, and to PULL BACK the dosage if she started having any bad side effects. So Mom basically jumped to a full dose very quickly! :eek:

So now she will go back to 1 x 3, and build up the way she is supposed to. And she can drop back when it gets to be too much!

Thanks everyone for your feedback and help.:love: I am so relieved that it was this simple!:)