Nasty cold. Even nastier: Parkinson's symptoms through the roof.

[katherinecompton22]

I've had 3 URI's in the last 6 months (exposures to grandkids), and am horrified at how much more severe my motor and non-motor symptoms got during these episodes. Increased tremor, back/ leg muscle spasms, weakness, fatigue (understandable) occur; but even worse were crushing depression and negativity.

I keep other meds to treat cold symptoms to a minimum (Benedryl 12-25mg every 8-12 hours), and with the Benedryl my sleep is fair, so it's not a sleep factor or related to concomitant meds. Although I didn't exercise aggressively, I did manage stretching and 1-mile walks every day in the sunshine. Used a Nettie pot, drank herbal teas. Supplemented Rytary with some regular Sinemet 1-2 times a day.

Am aware that any kind of stress can exacerbate symptoms, but I find myself disappointed that I am not more "resilient" during what, 10 years ago, would be a non-event. Good grief, how would I recover if a true adverse health event occurred?! As the current cold improves (started 7 days ago), I start to feel incrementally better and now am reminded that life is worth living. Is the course of symptoms related to viral load?! Any ideas for next time? I love my grandkids, and NEED to be around them, so avoiding them is not the answer (I hope).

[park_bear]

Benadryl may be part of the problem. It is an anticholinergic Parkinson's may compromise the cholinergic system. I have noticed that Benadryl makes my motor impairment symptoms worse.

[katherinecompton22 in reply to park_bear]

It does make me feel slow and dull. Looks like it’s “snot” a solution. I avoid decongestants and, of course dextramethorphan due to bad interaction with Selegiline.

[faridaro]

Agree with Park_bear - it's good to avoid Benadryl and any anticholinergic meds, see link

apdaparkinson.org/article/a...

[katherinecompton22 in reply to faridaro]

Thank you!

[chartist]

katherinecompton22,

Some people find zinc useful for avoiding or dealing with a cold. Below is a link that discusses the use of zinc for that specific purpose and some studies suggest that zinc may be useful in PD.

academic.oup.com/cid/articl...

The following very recent abstract suggests the same about zinc:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/314...

This recent study suggests that zinc may be helpful in PD :

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/314...

Myself, I am usually able to stop or greatly reduce the duration of a cold by inhaling colloidal silver nanoparticles via an ultrasonic humidifier as delivery volume via a nebulizer is generally insufficient in terms of delivery rate and can be a challenge for many based on the length of time a nebulizer would take to deliver an effective dose due to the extremely large surface area of the lungs.

Art

[katherinecompton22 in reply to chartist]

I'll certainly read these. Thanks!

[Claudea]

As far as I understood from the doctor, any kind of “waste” circulating in the body arrives in the brain and worsens syntoms. Hence, bacterial and viruses, but also medicines like antibiotics. Be aware of this but also of the fact that it will pass once the illness has passed.

[katherinecompton22]

Ugh. It's good to know the phenomenon is self-limiting. Maybe I am just a wuss. Will focus on improving immune system.

[park_bear in reply to katherinecompton22]

I am quite sure that you are not a wuss!