Parkinson's question. UPDATE #12 - Relief!

[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!

[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.