Dad has PD, extreme dyskinesia, addicted to levo?
Hi all,
My dad has had a lifetime of substance abuse, mostly pharmaceutical abuse paired with alcohol abuse. About 7 years ago, he was diagnosed with Parkinsonism.
He has no tremors but is in near constant pain. He is now taking the maximum drugs his PD Dr.'s will prescribe and is shuffling between 3 different doctors in 3 different cities. He takes max dose of Sinamet every 90 minutes plus 2 inhalers a day. There are others too but its too many to name. DBS is planned for later this year.
His dyskinesia is so severe that he will move legs as if high-kicking, while thrusting hips and tapping feet, constantly. He increasingly falls and talks constantly of preventing off periods, even when we are at home with nothing on the schedule.
I'm writing here because I don't know what his experience is like but I wonder if he may be addicted to his PD medication and overusing it. Is that even a thing? He swears he never feels high but I have noticed increasing use of opiods for pain, Xanax for anxiety, Ambien for sleep, all paired with alcohol use that is kept mostly hidden.
How do you discern what is normal PD pharmaceutical treatment? How do you talk to the prescribing doctor's about this concern? Is it even possible to get addicted to PD drugs? This use feels compulsive and is to the point that his dyskinesia is so severe, it seems worse than the PD, but he can't seem to differientiate.
Thank you for any help in understanding.
PDkiddo This seems like a serious concern that needs to be discussed with
your Dad’s neurologist and possibly get a second opinion. His safety is your priority and although it may be difficult to bring up it seems imperative that you do so. It is a sensitive topic but that is what your medical team is there for. We cannot give medical advice for your safety as we are not physicians.I am aware that some medications such as Clonozepam ( Klonopin) which I take for another movement disorder are strictly controlled and can only be prescribed by certified physicians and dispensed for 30 days at a time with no exceptions to avoid abuse. Perhaps you can broach the subject asking about how much your
father can get of any medication at a time. I wish you luck in getting this under control. Thea DeStephano Community Team Member
