Do Meds suddenly stop working? My husband was diagnosed approx. 4 years ago, just before his 60th birthday. His tremor is very mild but his main problem is his gait. Over the last week he has gone from being able to walk around the block, not well but able to do so , to hardly being able to move . He is constantly freezing and the panic attacks are getting worse and worse ( which means we are stuck in this never decreasing circle- panic , freeze, panic). We have rang his Parkinsons nurse - needless to say it’s an answerphone, May get back to us sometime before Christmas. His consultants appointment not until March ( he’s about as much use as a chocolate teapot anyway only interested in demonstrating his laser walking stick , husband unable to use a stick for some reason) actually managed to get an emergency gp appointment this morning which I will have to take him to in a wheelchair but they don’t seem to know much about parkinsons only hope they can put some pressure on to advance his clinic appointment. Any advice much appreciated.
When I have a cold or bug my my sinemet is pretty useless.
Thank you for replying. I managed to push him in a wheelchair to our GP and he doesn’t seem to have a bug or anything ( I did wonder if it could be a UTI)
The GP has given him an antidepressant/ anxiety Medication as he is getting himself in such a state and we are waiting for a psychiatric assessment that his consultant thought he needed a couple of months ago. Managed to contact the Parkinsons nurse but she said she can’t do anything about looking at his meds at moment. He’s gone downhill literally in the space of a week.
Hi Chrissythreads, I used to get off (freezing periods) which were terrifying and very upsetting. I had the DBS op which changed my life immensely, I don’t freeze up now I just slow down. I would go to your GP and explain the problem and ask to be referred to a different neurologist or PD nurse if possible.
Chrissythreads you have described exactly what my husband is going thru at the moment, his meds appear to have stopped working, in a matter of weeks he has gone from walking unaided around the shopping malls to using a zimmer at home, he had virtually become a recluse, in order to keep him safe we purchased a stair lift but in getting him to it I have had to use a wheelchair around the house.
His Parkinson’s nurse increased his sennimit but this has made little difference , when I said that the new situation was very sudden he disagreed saying he had been showing signs of slowing down for a while now. I live with him I understand slowing down but this new situation is extreme. My GP only ever directs me to the Parkinson’s Team that they know best. I honestly don’t know where to go from here. May husband was diagnosed nine years ago.
Hi Gallai. I feel for you. Things got even worse so I pushed the panic button as it were and made a big fuss. Within 4 hrs I had a community nurse , a call from the psychiatric team and a physio here armed with a rollator frame. Although this helped none of them had much experience of Parkinsons although the physio phoned his PD nurse to get his appt. brought forward. I chased this but the nurse won’t bring the appointment forward as she said no point as she can’t do anything unless the consultant says so and he won’t do anything and his next appt is in March.
We are in the fortunate position to know a private neuro physio who came round and has started him on Parkinsons Warrior exercises which are helping and made a couple of suggestions we are going to follow up. It’s an expense we could do without but she has been the best help so far.
The NHS mob have said physically he’s find it appears to be an anxiety, depression issue. That’s fine to know but it doesn’t really help Practically.
Why is everything such a fight to get any help I want to know.
Something like this happened to my husband awhile back after he had an operation. Everything went haywire and his meds didn’t seem to work. I managed to get in to see the consultant and he took us back to basics by changing the amount of sinemetAnd the time of day that the medication was taken. It was like throwing a switch and everything went back to the way it was before problems. It might be worth talking to your GP or Parkinson’s nurse about the way in which the medication is taken. Good luck