Archive for the 'medications' Category

May 14 2012

Carbidopa/Levodopa

Published by under medications

I want to increase my protein intake but have read (and seem to experience) a decrease in carbidopa/levodopa effectiveness if I eat high protein foods. Do plant based protein sources work better when combined with Parkinson’s medications?

Pat

Response:

I am not aware of any research that addresses this question though it is certainly an interesting one. My simple minded understanding is that protein is protein whether it originates from animals or plants. My intuitive guess is that the cellular structure differs significantly depending on the source.

Under your doctor’s close supervision perhaps you might conduct a little experiment using a sample of one (yourself) to eat only plant based protein for a short period to see if it makes a difference or not.

Does anyone out there taking Carbidopa/levodopa have any personal experience with eating plant based protein? Please let us all know by commenting below. I know Pat would appreciate hearing about your experience.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

May 06 2012

Medications for Parkinson’s

I take the following medications for Parkinson’s:

1 mg Azilect
20 mg Benicar
20 mg Zocor
8 mg Requip slow release
1/2 tab 25/100 carbidopa levadopa

I have been experiencing excessive sweating, nausea and light headedness.  No one can figure out what’s wrong.  What do you think could be causing this?

Nancy

Response:

I recommend that you first carefully study and examine the side effects of each medication you take. Compounding Pharmacist Randy Mentzer, who has been a guest on my radio show several times, says that when a person is taking 5 or more prescription medications, there is a 100% chance they are experiencing side effects or mineral depletions. Be sure and explore the issue of side effects with your doctor.

Compounding pharmacists and nutritional counselors are excellent resources in addition to your doctor to help you sort out the medicine  interactions. This is a very complicated issue because combining different medications impacts each body differently.

If you are thinking about exploring other options, the Parkinsons Recovery Summit is the best resource available to get  information on treatment options that are helping people reverse symptoms.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

Apr 24 2012

Power of Diet

Published by under diet,medications

My radio show last week featured Dr. Terry Wahls, MD, who talked about the power of diet in helping people who currently experience the symptoms of Parkinsons reverse their symptoms. She cautioned listeners on the importance of consulting your licensed health care provider when making any dietary changes, since a change in diet can influence the effectiveness of certain medications that you may currently take.

Below Ross writes in his own case of just such an experience where a change in diet resulted in aggravating symptoms because the efficacy of the medications was affected.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me

Recently, a friend from Australia emailed me and told me that his daughter knew someone who had overcome the symptoms of PD by going on a diet called the Paleolithic or caveman diet. Basically this means that one can eat meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables (except potatoes, string beans and peas) and not eat grains (wheat/bread or rice) or dairy products. 

I stayed on the diet for three weeks and lost over four kilos in weight. However, it made my PD symptoms worse. I spoke to my Neurologist who said that high protein diets are not good for PD sufferers. This is because the high protein foods compete with the levadopa medication in the small intestine. This reduces the effects of the levadopa. Also, I had very little energy.”

Ross 

One response so far

Apr 13 2012

Does Carbidopa/Levodopa Hamper Recovery?

Published by under medications

I use carbidopa/levodopa daily and have for about 4 years. I’ve tried with out the medication for about 2 weeks on two separate occasions recently. Unfortunately I was shocked at how difficult all movement was without it. But I’m concerned its use may hamper my recovery. Any data on this?

Pat

Response:

My research reveals that it is not advisable to stop taking any prescription medication – to go “cold turkey” as it is described. The emergence of the heightened symptoms you describe explains why.

If you decide to reduce the medication after consulting with your doctor it is critical to do so slowly and gradually. Compounding pharmacists are an ideal resource who can help you reduce the dosage very gradually so that the reduction does not trigger strong side effects.

The challenge with taking medication is that over time, more and more medication is needed to achieve the same result. Eventually, increases in dosage have no added impact and begin making matters worse.

A number of persons have reported that this particular medication has helped them get back on their feet so that they could begin doing what is required to reverse the symptoms. Once other options are found that address the causes of your symptoms, many people find they do not need to take as much medication and some have been successful with weaning off of them completely. This of course is a slow process that needs to be pursued mindfully.

In the end, it is a question of balance. There are a multitude of therapeutic options that are helping people reverse their symptoms. Many of the persons who have found therapies that are helpful (and who have been guests on my radio show) will be presenting workshops at the Parkinsons Recovery Summit in Cincinnati in June, 2012. Once options in addition to the medication are identified and found to facilitate a reversal of symptoms, most people find it is possible to begin reducing their medication dosage very gradually in close consultation with their doctor and their compounding pharmacist.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

Mar 26 2012

Side Effects of Parkinson’s Medications

Published by under medications,sinemet

Writing for my partner, H, 55, who was diagnosed with PD about 6 yrs ago.  Went on Sinemet last Sept when his body went rigid.  I “re-met” him in October and  immediately began researching alternatives.

H asked me to move in last Jan to assist with his care.  Since then, we have both turned our eating and exercise habits around 360*, his esp from the comfort of a steady diet of Coke, cookies and pizza to Dr. Wahl’s suggestions, tons of greens and veggies, no sugar/no wheat/little dairy.   

Exercise has increased to nearly daily walks, up to 4 mi, though it requires all his concentration to keep his right foot from dragging.

Body work — foot holding and gentle massage, Bowen as best I can understand it from books (no local practitioner).

All of this seemed to have a positive effect on his symptoms, several weeks with many good tremor-free days, mood elevated and better sleep until a few days ago when his tremors became suddenly more violent and muscles knotted again.   The massage gives him relief from the tremors for a few hours.

Is it possible that the 4 Sinemet he’s been taking daily might now be causing the same  symptoms they were supposed to help?

Nancy

Response:

I extracted the following information on side effects for Sinemet, a Parkinson’s medication, from www.drugs.com which is quoted below. There is quite a bit more information on the website you may also want to study.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Sinemet”  

“Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; blood in vomit; chest pain; confusion; depression; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever; hallucinations; mental or mood changes; muscle pain or unusual stiffness; new or increased involuntary movements; severe abdominal pain; severe light headedness or fainting; sore throat; thoughts of suicide; unexplained fever or sweating; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual or painful movements or spasms of the face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, arms, hands, or legs; vision changes (blurred or double vision); yellowing of the skin or eyes.”

“Nervous system effects occur in as many as 50% of treated patients on long-term therapy and include involuntary movements and mental status changes most frequently. The types of involuntary movements due to levodopa have been characterized as choreiform, dystonic and dyskinetic. Fluctuations in motor function occur frequently and often increase as the duration of therapy increases.”

“This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.”

Response

My reading of the above side effects suggests that the answer to your question is yes – it is possible that the medication might be causing the same symptoms they were developed to help. Of course we do not know whether this is happening in your partner’s case.

The reason the FDA is involved in regulating prescription medications is to insure that the side effects are well documented.  As you will be able to see from a review of the side effects that are reported in the drugs.com website, the documentation on possible outcomes is exhaustive.

It is important to keep in  mind that everyone’s body is different. There will be a wide variety of reactions to any medication – some good and some adverse. My research reveals that Sinemet does provide relief for some people, but for other people it can cause side effects that can be worse than the symptoms they were supposed to address. This is really not that different from using any prescription medication regardless of the reason for its use.

It would be a good idea at this point to get a follow-up consultation with your doctor who will be in a position to evaluate what is really happening here and possibly suggest alternative courses of treatment.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery’
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

One response so far

Mar 09 2012

Parkinsons Medications

Published by under medications

I am taking Azilect and Mirapex.  Is it safe to take Protandim (Nrf2 activator) with these two drugs?  

Thanks,

Phyllis

The expert on drug interactions in my book is compounding pharmacist Randy Mentzer. Randy will be one of the 19 presenters at the Parkinsons Recovery Summit in June. Why not email him with your question? randyrphconsulting@gmail.com

Such questions involve very complicated issues which only an expert on medications is qualified to sort out. I do know that Randy tells me the possibility of interactions when taking three or more medications is present regardless of which ones are involved.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me

No responses yet

Feb 26 2012

Levodopa Medication

A friend directed me to this Blog because I Have PD with tremors in my right arm. I have been taking Carbidopa-levodopa for two weeks and so far I have not noticed any significant difference.  Am I being too impatient?  

Robert

Response:

This is certainly a question that others might shed some light on. I have heard a wide variety of reports on the outcomes of taking this medication. Some people report feeling better within days. Others report it does take time. Still others report that the medicine had no effect whatsoever.

Huummm … what is going on here you are wondering? The factors that contribute to the neurological symptoms associated with Parkinsons Disease are multifaceted, so depending on the primary causal factor that is involved in your case, this medicine  may or may not help.

Neurologists get a lot of information on your response to the medication so they are certainly a valuable resource to get an answer to your question. Clearly, your neurologist is the best guide here.

If you are interested in exploring other options that can be pursued (with or without taking medications) I invite you to explore the many fascinating topics that will be presented at the Parkinsons Recovery Summit this summer in Cincinnati. People are reversing their symptoms using a wide variety of approaches. A number of the contributors to Pioneers of Recovery who have reversed their symptoms will be offering workshops at the Summit.  The workshop topics reflect a wide variety of fascinating and very different approaches that are helping people with Parkinson’s recover.

The approaches that tend to succeed usually address the reasons for the symptoms in the first place. My research has uncovered there are many factors involved. The body is not a simple mechanism.  It really does know how to heal itself. It just needs a little extra help sometimes.

The people who are recovering are exploring a combination of treatments, therapies and modalities. If you have elected to explore one and only one therapy, I would recommend that you consider others as well. And of course, determining the root cause of the symptoms helps tremendously in identifying the treatments options that will help your
body heal.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

One response so far

Jan 23 2012

Can Anti-Depressants Cause Parkinson’s?

Published by under Amino Acid Therapy,medications

I just got on your website yesterday and was sooo glad to find you – I am a 65 yr old woman and  was just diagnosed with Parkinson’s and believe totally in the body healing itself and I have been on health for years. I was so shocked when I was diagnosed. I have all the symptoms.

At the present I am having a stretching therapist treat me and I get lots of relief. He also believes in the body healing itself. My main concern is how tired I am and some of  the depression. I haven’t been on your site as much as I want. I was on  10 antidepressants a day. They diagnosed me bipolar at that time ( I think I was a Guinea pig). They even had me on resperdal  for schizophrenia-

My daughter in law whose father is a  Dr put her on antidepressants and she went off and she now has a tremor on her head. Has there been any clarification’s that antidepressant can cause Parkinson’s?

Now I feel I need something (natural)  It’s not so much depression but anxiety-I saw an advertisement for suntheanine – have you heard of this product and if so – is it ok to take with Parkinson?

Also I am ordering your book which I know will be helpful

Thanks

Margie

Response:

Fatigue and depression can be a formidable challenge for anyone! Have you checked on the side effects of the medications you currently take? It is possible that the symptoms are being aggravated by the medications. If so, it would be a smart idea to talk with your doctor about alternatives.

Many of the medications that are used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s have side effects that are identical to the symptoms of Parkinson’s. For some people there is a significant benefit to the medications in the short term since symptoms can be  controlled. In the long term, more and more of the medication has to be used to achieve the same result, so side effects are much more likely to kick in.

I looked at the details on the product Suntheanine and discovered it is an amino acid which is derived from a patented process. I have not heard any specific reports on use of this product. Let us know the outcome if you decide to use it.

I will be interviewing a physician’s assistant within the coming weeks on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio Show, David Overton. He has extensive experience with using amino acids to treat Parkinson’s symptoms. Listeners are always invited to call in during the live shows and ask question. He would be an incredible resource for you.

I will announce the show on the radio show page once his show date has been set:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery

Parkinsons Recovery is sponsoring a Summit in Cincinnati Ohio June 22nd and 23rd. That event would also be an ideal place to get answers to your questions.

http://www.summit.parkinsonsrecovery.com

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

Dec 08 2011

Medication Side Effects of Fear and Anger

Published by under anger,fear,medications

I am suffering from Parkinson’s disease since 5 years. Presently I am taking Entacom Plus and Pacetane 3 times daily. But recently I observed that I am mentally disturbed. I am not able to work easily. I am not able to put myself stable. An unknown fear or angry is developing in me.

Kindly let me know the remedy

Rao

Response

By your description, it certainly sounds like you are experiencing the medication side effects in the form of fear and anger. People react differently to medications. Some people have no side effects and experience only the benefits of the medications. Others – and it appears you fall into this category of people – can experience debilitating side effects.

I wish I could report there is a simple remedy for this problem – perhaps a pill that would solve the problem. Alas, such simple solutions are not available. I am quite sure this is not the response you were hoping to hear, but it is the honest truth.

At a minimum you can read the list of side effects that you will find in the prescription inserts that your pharmacist will have. This would likely pinpoint the problem.
It is possible however that the problem you are experiencing is triggered by the particular combination of both medications taken together. That is to say, taking one medications may not be problematic for you, but when both are consumed, certain processes are triggered in your body that are creating the alarming fear and anger.

It is possible the problem may be solved by eliminating one or both medications or finding substitutes. Work with your doctor to explore alternatives. Keep in mind that with most
prescription medications, it is not advisable to stop taking them. The consequences can be disastrous. For most medications, you must reduce the dosage you take very slowly and very deliberately. Make these decisions in close consultation with your doctor.

I would also suggest that you approach the challenge you are facing from a new perspective. While the medications appear to be triggering anger and fear, everyone holds both
in their subconscious. We all have anger that is repressed and that is contained at the cellular level of our body. We all hold fear that we suppress as well.

A healthy approach is simply to acknowledge that everyone confronts the issues that you describe in your question. The only difference is that these issues – dealing with fear
and anger – are very difficult to manage and keep under control right now.

There are many powerful therapies you might explore that invite your body to release all of the repressed fear and anger that are making it difficult for you to function right now. Since I do not know where you live or what country you are from, I am not in a position to be specific here. I invite you to begin your own search for therapists you offer such services.
Approach your investigation by searching for people who work with the body rather than the mind. Such therapies will likely be much more helpful than talk therapists for the challenges that you describe in your question.

The solution lies deep within. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to acknowledge it will take time, clear intent and patience to resolve the challenges you currently confront.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

Nov 26 2011

Sinemet Titration

Lexie forwarded the progress report below and gave me permission to post it. Lexie is one of the 11 individuals who contributed to Pioneers of Recovery which was just released last week.
Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
Because of LDN, I have now titrated off of ALL of my ‘Sinemet – not even using that very occasional dose when I feel I might need it for a very long day, etc.  Now, when I have a foot tremor, I refuse to let my body go there and I just consciously “stop” the tremor and it is working! 

 

Wishing you and yours a beautiful Thanksgiving Holiday!  Thank you for all that you do to give people with PD hope that they can and will get well if “they choose to” and if they do the work that it takes.

 

Lexie 

No responses yet

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