Further to me bearing my soul regarding Compulsive Behaviour

[Bobbyboy1947]

I have heard of women getting hooked on Spending and gambling but I have not heard to much about them getting hooked on sex. I that because it is rare or that they just don't want to talk about it? Does anyone know?

[soup]

It happens, but I don't know the statistics.

[Auddonz in reply to soup]

From what? The PSP ir the meds.

[soup in reply to Auddonz]

The drugs for Parkinson's act on the reward centres of the brain as well as the parts affected by Parkinson's.

OCD and ICD are more common with Dopamine Agonists like pramipexol and Requip but do occur with levodopa also.

[Auddonz in reply to soup]

soup, Emailed his Dtr ast night and he told me to cut the dose in half. Started this morning, fingers crossed. He says he feels more awake and more alive but am afraid of whether or not his chances of freezing up and or falling will increase.

[soup in reply to Auddonz]

Well done for such rapid response to the problem. Only time will tell if it will adversely affect his Parkinson's symptoms but don't worry until you have to.

[Auddonz in reply to soup]

Very true soup. I know the higher dose is still in his system. Wonder what the half life is. Might try to look it up.

[PatrickW in reply to soup]

Requip for me

[Jimbo26]

nwitimes.com/niche/shore/en...

[Robbo1]

Check out any medications as these can cause OCB and preoccupations as mentioned. I'm talking from experience. Once the offending tablets were stopped, life became less stressful.

[charsie]

A friend in one of our support groups described her excessive behavior: Sex - her husband loved for awhile, but too much of a good thing goes a long way. Buying - within 2 months went through $35,000 in credit card purchases. Bought a pool table for the dining room that wouldn't even fit in the room. Ended cutting up all but one credit card and stopped taking the Ropinirole / Requip. Here in the USA there have

been law suites against the manufacturer and/or the prescribing doctor for not posting on the label the extreme possibilities of excessiveness.

[Hidden in reply to charsie]

Ropinirole / Requip did it to me Gambling was a problem for me had to get off it and the gambling problem went away. I think my wife was affected by it from just getting the pills out for me. Her sex drive was always nice. It went way up and so did mine. For almost two years we would have sex 3 or 4 times a day 6 or 7 days a week. After I stopped taking the Ropinirole / Requip ever thing went back to normal 3 to 5 times. By the way I am 62 and she is 61 and we have been married almost 45 years.

[Auddonz in reply to charsie]

charsie, ty for posting this.

[PDWife60]

Addictive behavior in gambling, shopping, and sex is a risk for men and women alike. I am not aware of it as a symptom of Parkinson's but, according to my husband's neurologist, it is a potential side effect of the drug Neupro (rotigotine). Neupro can cause increased or intense urges for sex, gambling, etc. The drug has some of the same effects as dopamine, which occurs naturally in your body. Low levels of dopamine in the brain are associated with Parkinson's disease. Neupro skin patces are used to treat symptoms such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. If you experience heightened addictive behaviors, your doctor can adjust medications to help reduce the side affects. Also, you should ask the doctor for a reference to a therapist who has a specialty in Parkinson's and addictive behaviors.

[Hikoi in reply to PDWife60]

Neupro is an agonist drug as is requip and others. All agonist drugs can have this effect as others have said. I seriously doubt that talk therapy can stop drug induced addictions but therapists may be supportive at the time.

[PDWife60 in reply to Hikoi]

Yes, I agree. His neurologist changed his medications, and he sees a therapist once a month. Both seem to be helping.

[redread]

Oh yes, that's one of the side effects from Mirapex. Neurologist mentioned it specifically to my husband, along with the other side effects you mentioned

[Auddonz]

My husband has been has been hooked since being on sinemet concerning sex. He is 78 and I am 76. Definite compulsive behavior.He has a very bad heart and this goes on every day. He keeps on telling me I am mean. He is very tired and sleeps most of the day, very little energy and has also started to close his eyes for no reason. I am beginning to think it is the sinemet but not sure. Before being put on it, he was diagnosed in March of this year he couldn't move. I am afraid of what is happening. Called the Dtr twice about other issues, mostly the sleepiness and complete exhaustion and have not heard back from her, I am so tempted to stop the meds but am afraid he will go back to being frozen.

[Hikoi in reply to Auddonz]

Yes his sleepiness could well be the meds. He will be frozen unfortunately if you stop the meds but have you thought of a lesser dose? Hope you are able to discuss with your doctor soon

[Auddonz in reply to Hikoi]

Hikol, You read my mind. Emailed his Dtr last night and he emailed me right back telling me to cut the dose in half, which I started today. D said he feels much better, more alert. I am afraid of the freezing up again though.

[mymomhaspd in reply to Auddonz]

My mom has the same thing .. is it less levodopa or more ? Doc said increase meds .. ridiculous, given the side effects .

[PatrickW]

I was in a clinical study for this a few years ago At Penn. I got the disorder where my compulsion was sex drive. After the trial they put me on some meds that didn't work at all. I am in an aroused state almost every waking minute, it's awful.

I'm not a woman

[ShakeyJackie]

I though my compulsive behaviour was down to the dopamine agonists which I went into hospital (8 yrs ago) for ten days to wean them out of my system. My current GP has explained to me that compulsive behaviours are a symptom of PD and women do not have more of a spending compulsion, men do not have more of a sex drive compulsion, it is just that one is more prepared to talk about it than the other.