SSRI's like prozac and xanax ABSOLUTELY can kick off NMS or SS (serotonin syndrome) even when you don't quit them. These horrible syndromes can happen just taking the drug as directed. If she just stopped the Xanax or stopped too fast without tapering down this could be just simple detox symptoms because Xanax is habituating.

The same is true for Prozac if she tapered off too fast who knows what is too fast for one person or another since we are all unique. Going off the drug as I did with sinemet started this horrendously annoying to the point of cutting off my arm jackhammer tremor that I never before experienced (and is a very COMMON side effect of quitting the meds). And that list of meds keeps growing the more that I read. If she was then put on sinemet it is very possible she has the same issue I do and does not have PD at all from your description and time line. Mostly now the tremor is better and I don't need a 10 pound hand weight at night to sleep. But it does come and go and reminds me I still have some road in front of me to travel.

Not to throw hope and let you in for a disappointment but I sure the heck would be asking some very hard questions to doctors and seeking new opinions because the alternative is very bleak. I asked my doc when he said I don't have PD what my prognosis was. He asked, "well what was your prognosis before?" I said very bleak. He said, "well it is no longer very bleak my friend." At the very least life without sinemet is better than life with it.

So whatever the cause of her symptoms I think you have a VERY GOOD case for her possibly not having PD but having gone through some type of NMS/SS problem and was inappropriately treated for misunderstood symptoms. She now could be addicted to the sinemet and if that is the case she must increase dose over time to maintain function to battle. This means she will be more debilitated by the intrinsic increasing and numerous motor fluctuations that are a undeniable side effect of sinemet.

Read up on the symptoms of NMS or SS. They fit your mom. This is what's scaring me. How many more?? I so hope you find good news out of all of this. I don't mean to diagnose or raise false hope but this sounds very much like many of the case studies I've been reading.

I will pray for good news for you all. You are very welcome. If one person suffers less I consider my efforts worth while. Whatever you do please be careful-I can't find anybody that REALLY understands what NMS does to us or how to treat it. Apparently as I am finding permanent damage can be done if detox is not done appropriately. Still for me better than life with sinemet.