Parkinsons? And a change in sleeping habits...

looviloo

Registered User
May 3, 2015
463
0
Cheshire
Dad was diagnosed with sub-cortical vascular dementia and alzheimers about 3 years ago. Since then he's developed a distinct shuffle and now struggles to walk, often stopping and unable to move at all.

His new care home have mentioned it could be Parkinsons. He doesn't have a tremor, but perhaps it explains his lack of speech/swallow too? I always assumed it was vascular. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the overlap between these various diseases?

Also, since moving to his new care home last week, he's suddenly sleeping till late morning every day... something he would never do in his last home. Maybe it's just quieter so he isn't woken up. I'm happy he's so relaxed but not sure what to think of it...
 

KathrynAnne

Registered User
Jun 6, 2018
269
0
South Yorkshire
Parkinson’s is one of those illnesses which is difficult to diagnose with certainty. The symptoms you describe seem to be classic dementia ones but there is always the chance they are caused by something else. I hope you get some answers xx
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
In terms of the mobility it sounds like my husband who has Alzheimer's. At times he grinds to a halt and won't or can't move which is indeed like Parkinson's but this is occasional rather than regular. It's as if he freezes.
 

Melles Belles

Registered User
Jul 4, 2017
1,214
0
South east
My FIL had Lewy Body Dementia and used to freeze. He found it difficult to start walking and when he did start would go faster and faster and found it difficult to stop. He also had a tremor, his voice gradually became softer and hard to hear, was prone to sudden loss of consciousness with no cause found. He didn’t have any difficulties with swallowing before he died suddenly after a broken hip. He was originally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but having read about Lewy Body we queried it.
 

looviloo

Registered User
May 3, 2015
463
0
Cheshire
Thanks everyone! I guess I hadn't considered Parkinson's and after glancing at the symptoms dad does seem to display quite a few. Particularly the shuffle. But I'm sure it's impossible to tease apart these various diseases, and it probably doesn't really matter unless there's a particular drug or treatment that might help.

Melles Belles, it's interesting that you mention the fading voice, because that's similar to dad. I find myself leaning closer and closer!
 

wamw

Registered User
Oct 9, 2012
17
0
swansea, wales
Dad was diagnosed with sub-cortical vascular dementia and alzheimers about 3 years ago. Since then he's developed a distinct shuffle and now struggles to walk, often stopping and unable to move at all.

His new care home have mentioned it could be Parkinsons. He doesn't have a tremor, but perhaps it explains his lack of speech/swallow too? I always assumed it was vascular. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the overlap between these various diseases?

Also, since moving to his new care home last week, he's suddenly sleeping till late morning every day... something he would never do in his last home. Maybe it's just quieter so he isn't woken up. I'm happy he's so relaxed but not sure what to think of it...
 

wamw

Registered User
Oct 9, 2012
17
0
swansea, wales
My husband has also been given a “possible” Parkinson diagnosis, because of a shaking hand and mobility problems. I was assured that this would account for the fact that he was sleeping more.
I sometimes think that medication if given can cause other symptoms which are not Alzheimers related. It is all so difficult to cope with at times.
 

imsoblue

Registered User
Feb 19, 2018
355
0
Dad was diagnosed with sub-cortical vascular dementia and alzheimers about 3 years ago. Since then he's developed a distinct shuffle and now struggles to walk, often stopping and unable to move at all.

His new care home have mentioned it could be Parkinsons. He doesn't have a tremor, but perhaps it explains his lack of speech/swallow too? I always assumed it was vascular. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the overlap between these various diseases?

Also, since moving to his new care home last week, he's suddenly sleeping till late morning every day... something he would never do in his last home. Maybe it's just quieter so he isn't woken up. I'm happy he's so relaxed but not sure what to think of it...
My OH was diagnosed with ParkinsonISM or Parkinson's Plus. He had a brain scan called a "Dat Scan" which confirmed it. Parkinsonism is the umbrella term. 85% of the people with Parkinsonism have ParkinSONs, 15% have other things (about 4 different things, one of which is Lewy Bodies dementia). His doctor termed his Primary Progressive Freezing of Gait (1% of that 15%). The symptoms began with shuffling of feet and falling. What is very strange, but true, is that there is particular freezing happening when they try to go through a doorway or get off an elevator (lift.) Because he didn't have Parkinson's the medicine was not effective. Freezing of gait usually happens later in the disease of Parkinson's. That must be why my OH's is called primary. The dementia came afterwards (I think!). He has also become very soft spoken as those muscles are stiffening. Another thing I notice is that when he puts something (cup or plate) is always hangs off the edge of the counter (perception issues.) It is all neurodegenerative so all the symptoms overlap.
 

Malalie

Registered User
Sep 1, 2016
310
0
FIL was diagnosed with Parkinson's probably 18 months before he developed dementia. He didn't shake at all, but did freeze when coming across to different floor surfaces (like carpet to lino) He had a definite shuffle, with his steps getting shorter and shorter as things progressed. There was a strange 'mask like' expression on his face most of the time - you could not tell if he looked happy or sad - a bit fixed. Although being able to write as before, his handwriting went really tiny.

When he developed dementia as well, he began to have terrible delusions that violent things were happening, which of course became terribly difficult for MIL to cope with, and he eventually had to move into a care home.
 

imsoblue

Registered User
Feb 19, 2018
355
0
FIL was diagnosed with Parkinson's probably 18 months before he developed dementia. He didn't shake at all, but did freeze when coming across to different floor surfaces (like carpet to lino) He had a definite shuffle, with his steps getting shorter and shorter as things progressed. There was a strange 'mask like' expression on his face most of the time - you could not tell if he looked happy or sad - a bit fixed. Although being able to write as before, his handwriting went really tiny.

When he developed dementia as well, he began to have terrible delusions that violent things were happening, which of course became terribly difficult for MIL to cope with, and he eventually had to move into a care home.
OH still doesn't shake or have any tremors, but is totally wheelchair bound due to the freezing of gait. When we went to the original doctor for the feet shuffling 2 years ago, an MRI was done and that doctor thought back surgery was needed. After seeing the back surgeon and having a mylogram done (dye going through the back), the surgeon suggested we see a neurologist. In other words, your back is not causing this problem. We made the first available appointment with new doctor whose specialty turned out to be epilepsy. However, as soon as doc walked in the examining room and saw OH he said "You have Parkinson's." The face (mask) gave it away. He also handed him an ink pen and sure enough his handwriting was totally illegible. The original medicine (sinemet) may have caused OH's 3 episodes with delusions. He only thought he heard things like the doorbell ringing or someone scratching on the door. So now he has no medication.
And, three more doctors later we learned it's really Primary Progressive Freezing of Gait.
 

Malalie

Registered User
Sep 1, 2016
310
0
I remember that Dad was prescribed Sinemet too when he developed Parkinson's. It was about 10 years ago though.
 

looviloo

Registered User
May 3, 2015
463
0
Cheshire
Thanks everyone, it's interesting to read your experiences (though I wish we didn't have them, of course!).

imsoblue, thanks for explaining ParkinsonISM versus Parkinsons. I think dad's care home must be referring to that rather than Parkinsons itself.

What is very strange, but true, is that there is particular freezing happening when they try to go through a doorway or get off an elevator (lift.)

Dad does exactly this! He'll be shuffling along at a steady pace, then get to a (wide-open) door and suddenly freeze. The same with corners.

And his writing is illegible most of the time, starting larger and getting progressively smaller and more spidery. Communication is a huge problem for us.
 

imsoblue

Registered User
Feb 19, 2018
355
0
Thanks everyone, it's interesting to read your experiences (though I wish we didn't have them, of course!).

imsoblue, thanks for explaining ParkinsonISM versus Parkinsons. I think dad's care home must be referring to that rather than Parkinsons itself.



Dad does exactly this! He'll be shuffling along at a steady pace, then get to a (wide-open) door and suddenly freeze. The same with corners.

And his writing is illegible most of the time, starting larger and getting progressively smaller and more spidery. Communication is a huge problem for us.
If writing is a form of communication and the handwriting is poor, try using a free app on your phone or iPad. I use Whiteboard. I'm not sure this works, but he may be able to write letters better with his pointer finger than holding a pen. This is how children are learning to write so it may help to revert to simple letter writing with a finger tip.
 

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