Re: new to list w/lots of questions

["Charles T. Meyer" <cmeyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Janet and Miriam,

Clozaril is not an innocuous drug and may or may not have usefulness in
this situation.

>From my standpoint as a psychiatrist with PD I would worry about the PD
symptoms first and monitor the mental status of the patient as the PD
med dose increased.  If the problem your dad has is technically
dementia-  which primarily is a cognitive i.e. memory problem,  Clozaril
is unlikely to be of much help.  If as the dose increases a psychosis
develops e.g. hallucinations and/or delusions- Clozaril can be a
Godsend.

Clozaril has about a 1-2% chance of causing aplastic anemia which if not
caught early is fatal.  That is the reason that the FDA has MANDATED
weekly blood tests.  The risk is lowered considerably with these tests.
Having said that if it were indicated for me or my family I would not
hesitate to use it.  But it should never be used on a whim.

Charlie
>
> In a similar situation, after I subscribed to this list, I requested a
> referral to a Movement Disorders Clinc!!!!  The neurologist complied and my 
> husband was placed on Clozaril.
 This has made a world of difference.  I think the perceived problems
with weekly blood tests are in the minds of the doctors!
>
> Miriam L. Denham
> denham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> On Tue, 4 Mar 1997, Janet S. Helton wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > My name is Janet Helton.  I'm new to this list.  My father, soon to be
> > 77, was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about six months ago.  Just
> > recently, he went through a series of tests to rule out other
> > possibilities.  His MRI and EEG showed moderate atrophy of the brain, he
> > has some difficulties with cognitive thinking and processing.  He hasn't
> > been able to take most of the medication usually prescribed for PD.
> >
> > Last week, his nuerologist recommended they keep his medication the
> > same.  With his cognitive problems most of the medications used would
> > only make matters worse.


--
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CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D.
MADISON, WISCONSIN
cmeyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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