Here I am, again, looking for input from you. Now that Doreen is being titrated off the Cogentin (the "med" that seems to have been responsible for her recent cognitive impairment), we now need to find a "med" specifically geared to treating/controlling her tremor. As well as the Cogentin controlled her tremor (almost non-existent), it severely impacted on and impaired the cognitive...and as we expected, the tremor has returned...not to the extent that she had been experiencing BEFORE taking the Cogentin...but, nevertheless, it has returned on the lowered dose of Cogentin...soon to be eliminated completely, I hope, so that the tremor will, once again, pose more than an annoying problem...and one that will, again, interfere with her work as a medical assistant. I am now asking you about what might specifically "work" well for tremors for any of you so that I will be able to discuss any recommendations that you may have somewhat intelligently with Doreen's neurologist by week's end. I am happy to say that the cognitive is very much improved on the lowered dosage of the Cogentin...and hoping that once eliminated, all will return to "normal", i.e., cognitively. It is just too bad that a medication that seems to "work" so well for a specific PD symptom has such dire and undesirable side effects...but, then, all of you already know this! Thank you for any information you might be able to provide.

Therese

Therese,

Could you tell us what other medications Doreen is using?

Karl

for responding so quickly to my post. At the present time, Doreen is taking only Sinemet...3 1/2 tabs...25/100 daily. Tremor has been her only PD symptom throughout the 10+ years since diagnois, i.e., other than the medication-related side effect of dyskinesias. I will add that she is still titrating off the Cogentin brought about by the terrible cognitive side effects she had been experiencing with this medication. Cogentin had been prescribed precisely for the tremors...and it certainly "worked" extremely well in that she really had no tremor while taking the Cogentin. Now that she is taking 1/2 the dosage of this "med", the tremor has returned...not as badly as before the Cogentin...but, nevertheless, it has returned and we fully expect it to be more enhanced once she eliminates Cogentin completely; thus, the need to find something specifically geared to controlling tremors. Thank you again, Kari, for your prompt response.

Therese

Hi Therese and Doreen,
I’m going to stay in the background for now until you’ve heard from everyone else – then I have some ideas. Regards, Guy

Artane, trihexyphenidyl, is an old drug that my mother used for years to pretty effectively control her PD tremor. Check it out on Google.
Robert

Robert and Guy...

Robert...I am aware of Artane, but it is in the same class of drugs (Anticholinergic) as Cogentin...the "med" that seems to have been the "culprit" in Doreen's recent "battle" with cognitive behavior. I realize, though, that this does not necessarily mean that it would cause the same very adverse side effects as did the Cogentin. I'm just recalling that Doreen did take Artane at one time (for a very short time), but, for some reason...and I'm sure it was not related to the adverse cognitive side effects...I would definitely remember that...but it just must have caused some kind of undesirable side effect at the time. This was prescribed by another neurologist...not the one she is seeing now. At any rate, Robert, I thank you for responding...may even ask Doreen's neurologist about Artane when we speak with him...thanks, again...

and Guy...I will anxiously await your response...you have definitely piqued my curiosity....thank you for responding, Guy....

Therese