Lou Lou, wished you lived near Cincinnati, Oh, so that you could experience excellent medical and nursing care. My husband was recently hospitalized for 6 days at the University of Cincinnati Med School Hospital by his MDS, Dr. Fredy Revilla. Theory is that due to an upper respiratory infection, his meds were completely "out of whack". 2 of his meds were stopped, another started and his sinemet was increased while Richard was an inpatient. During the entire stay, he received excellent medical and nursing care, as well as compassionate and cooperative care. The nursing staff allows sinemet at bedside, and stated that many of their PD patients keep most of their drugs at bedside to take on their own schedule. He was on what was termed a "medical holiday" with no interruptions for blood pressure, temp, etc. He was never awakened by staff; his family determined his sinemet schedule. Each room was occupied , though our call bells were promptly answered. Since this is a teaching hospital, the Medical school team headed by an attending physician rounded at least once/day and a resident was available for the unit 24 hrs/day. Richard's private physician, Dr. Revilla, stopped by at least once/day, and his fellow also stopped by at least once/day. Richard's admission was a "direct admit" so he did not have to go thru the ER. Each change in meds and any procedure was explained fully and Richard was asked for his consent before these being instituted.
it is reassuring to know this level of care is available.

Wow! That is a great post! Hats off to the U. of Cincinnati for showing it can be done, for humanizing and harmonizing. All their "competitors" take note: this goes a long way to where it should be; and it starts off with professionalism mixed with compassion. Ring the bell for them and for others - there should be PWP giving out awards for those who care and who try so hard to be there for us in our times of trouble.
And EVERYONE is happier and better fulfilled - the doctors, patients, family, nurses; everybody knows that this is worth being alive for.
Hey, U. of Cincinnati, we thank you.

And also I was hit by this: "Theory is that due to an upper respiratory infection, his meds were completely "out of whack". Makes me wonder. I have this cough recently; symptons got worse; and changed their patterns of time and severity of attacks. You figure PD + infection = bad times until I kill that bug? Is there anything dopamine can't do? And it's all improv. It's an improv disease.

Wish everyones experience was like that.
Some times it feel like disabling conditions are a whole human rights issue in themselves. Thank heaven that there are 'humanized' situations to lead a way.

Hi Bob, My own theory of why infection is so disabling for persons with neurodegenerative diseases is that cytokines, triggered as part of the autoimmune response, cause an increase in the permeability of the blood brain barrier. Thus many substances that are normally not allowed into the brain do get in--in my husband's case, I wondered if one or more of his medications that normally are present in plasma were allowed to enter the brain. again my theory. I search for answers for events. madelyn

i'm starting to think everyone is right! there are so many possibilities and no two exactly alike. it's like trying to find the cause behind snowflakes being different. utterly fascinating.

That's the first time I have heard this. I have been complaining for weeks that I feel like I have overdosed; there is a rather sickly feeling of being somewhat stoned and disjointed, if you remember what low-quality dried out magic mushrooms would do to you around 1968. (Oh come on, now; sure you did). An overdose is a feeling you remember, almost a taste, a kind of sick feeling that is hard to describe. (That's if it's a slight overdose. A heavy overdose feels more like being run over and flattened by an asphalt paving machine.)
For a few weeks recently I kept saying I must be taking too much Mirapex, or maybe sinemet, and I got everyone confused trying to juggle my dosage and the timing of it, and I stagger around in a bad condition, and it seems it started when I got this mild infection causing a cough.
This is interesting and I will watch it from now on to see if it continues to match up. Will end up needing a control group on mushrooms, I suppose.
No seriously, I am excited about this because it will be a great relief if I can find out that I did not fall off a PD cliff all of a sudden - it came very suddenly - interesting if it recedes as the bug recedes.

Despite never having had the pleasure of the 1968 MM's, I recognize the feeling you describe, Bob. Could be the permeability of the BBB is what let something in to damage us in the first place...... Somebody on here asked recently what happened in 1971 or in the years around then...... so many different things to wonder about. But in the 60's and 70's the big issue was vietnam, isn't there something about vet's with PD. The other day I read about a treatment being developed for Alzheimers that aimed to open up the BBB, to let things in........

But the nasties from medication...... only one way to do anything about that, back off slightly, and it eases up. We are not precise organisms, don't worok the same each day, get infections, and great days too. But we are run by our meds, which are not fun.

On the other hand the MM's might have been,

I am convinced that those ascribing to the inflammation of the brain theory as the cause of PD is also a reason that symptoms sometime get worse. And although my symptoms exacerbate while I am taking a prescribed antibiotic for an infection, when I am finished with that Rx, I feel better and overall am less symptomatic in my Parkinson's.

Anyone else experience this?
Peg