Helping Those Who Care for Parkinson's Patients
| [Home] [Forum] [Help] [Search] [Register] [Login] [Donate] |
| You are not logged in |
|
| ||
|
Hello, everyone. I've been keeping an eye on this forum for many months now. Your comments have already been so helpful to me. This weekend we are facing something new with my dad (PD diagnosis 13 years ago, dementia diagnosed more recently. He's at home, my mom is primary caregiver, in home hospice 6 months, improved, discharged). Do any of you have experience with episodes of zoning out--then improving within an hour or so and being back to baseline? This is a tough new challenge and a little scary. We're of course consulting the doctor, but just wondered if any of you had similar experience. |
| ||
|
When he is zoning out, is he totally non-responsive? My husband does kind of drift off sometimes for awhile, and get confused or incomprehensible for a bit. Usually its when he's tired and if he takes a nap he is better. But even in that state, he can still communicate (just doesn't always make sense). Interested to hear what your doctor says. It's really the cognitive issues that are more a problem than the physical ones to deal with, isn't it? Sending good thoughts that you get some answers. |
| ||
|
It was the strangest thing: two days in a row, right after his usual morning nap. At one point his eyes were open and tracking our movement, but he seemed unable to speak or make facial expressions. Would not squeeze my hand when asked. Very gradually, over an hour or so, he improved and eventually was back to his usual self, able to walk, talk, eat. The second day it happened (a Sunday, of course, so unable to reach the doctor) we took him to the ER. They checked him out for a stroke, CAT scan, blood work, all normal. Ultimately, the suspicion turned toward the only thing that had changed recently, adding ropinirole, almost exactly one week before. The neuro suggested stopping it, and so far no repeats of the episodes. The neurologist is still a little puzzled and doesn't seem completely convinced it was the new med. Yes, definitely for my dad it seems the cognitive side of PD has been and will be the most challenging. I so appreciate your kind words. |