Psp versus parkinson..confused

Yesterday my dad fell on his back in the the bathroom. The nuroligist had said my dad is most probably psp. Does the fact that my dad fell on his head imply my dad is psp afterall?? instead of parkinson? Do parkinson patient fall backwards at all ?

[daffodil48]

My husband doesn't have falls although he has been diagnosed with PSP. However he has balance problems and has to be careful. Backward falls are prominent signs/symptoms of PSP. I looked through your past posts on Parkinsons and PSP forums and from what you describe certainly sounds more like PSP. Also, I read somewhere on the Forum that if you have PSP, Parkinsons meds do not help and can in fact make symptoms worse. Hopefully more people will appear on the Forum today with suggestions.

[Hidden in reply to daffodil48]

Thank you so much. I just managed to talk to our nurologist and told him my dad fell yesterday and bumped his head. Doc said my dad should take madapar

[daffodil48 in reply to Hidden]

On reading your posts on Parkinsons forum, I thought he was already on Madopar?? If you took him off it abruptly could maybe be a side effect.?? Also sounds like his symptoms all got worse when he went on Azilect and Madapor?? Just a thought, especially if it is PSP and not Parkinsons. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

[Yvonneandgeorge in reply to daffodil48]

George had forward falls and backward falls,. Yvonne xxxx

[Hidden in reply to Yvonneandgeorge]

Does he get injured when he falls? My dad is old and im scared

[Yvonneandgeorge in reply to Hidden]

He has been in hospital a few time, fell down concrete steps landed on the pavement, stairs in doors knocking himself out, fell over in the wet room but black eye swollen eye, since he has been in the wheelchair it has been safer one good thing. Hard keeping them safe when they do unpredictable things. Yvonne xxxxx

[Hidden in reply to daffodil48]

Yes thank you so much. He was taking madapar but went off it when he got a skin rash. Just today after the fall incident doctor said he should take madapar again...i dont know if hes parkinson or psp...but backward falls most probably signals psp...i am really confused.....i dont know which one it is :((( but dad is having severe problems walking now...he has severe imbalance...i am upset very upset yo see hes gone worse..:(((

[Nanny857 in reply to Hidden]

W has PSP and falls sideways to his right. His neurologist indicated PSP by W's slow eye movement and then referred him for a MRI and DAT Scan which confirmed his initial diagnosis. So far W is not taking any Parkinson's medication.

[Hidden in reply to Nanny857]

Thank you i just wonder whether psp patients are supposed to take parkinson meds or not

[Aprilfool20 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Steff123 due to start Levodopa this week. Watch this space as they still aren’t sure whether PD or CBD/PSP!

[Kevin_1 in reply to Aprilfool20]

Good luck!

(Levadopa can help with PSP type 'p')

Waving

[Hidden in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks alot for this but how do I know if its psp p or psp r ??

[Kevin_1 in reply to Hidden]

Others here are more expert than I on this.

The researchers have worked this out largely from post mortem studies. They are trying to find clear diagnostic tools now.

For our purposes the question is does the person respond to levadopa (or similar medications) or not.

Remember too that someone can have elements of both PSP and CBD. The illness might not fit perfectly into one box.

Hope this helps.

[Karynleitner in reply to Kevin_1]

Can a patient have PSP and Parkinsons?

[Kevin_1 in reply to Karynleitner]

Hi Karyn

It's beyond my pay grade. Sorry

Even the best minds are discovering more almost every day.

They are still at the stage of only being absolutely sure after a post mortem brain examination.

For practical purposes there is a PSP - Parkinson's type. These people do respond to levadopa and other Parkinson's drugs. They are not a cure and I think all they do is alleviate some of the symptoms.

Folk With 'Richardson's PSP' don't respond to these drugs.

I hope this helps a little.

[Karynleitner in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks Kevin. I just wonder because Dan definitely started as a poster boy for Parkinson’s but had early cognitive issues and incontinence.

Some doctors thought MSA, but he has no problems with blood pressure . Some response to levodopa , but minimal. Now everyone seems to be onboard with PSP diagnosis . No true hummingbird sign, but frontal lobe involvement . Crazy. Wouldn’t make such difference , but here with the VA, a diAgnosis of Parkinson’s would help with benefits. Thanks.

It’s crazy.

[Kevin_1 in reply to Karynleitner]

No worries

The humming bird sign, so I have read, does not always show up at first.

Yes, that benefits thing. So much hangs on threads.

Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks alot for this. I really would like to know what is Psp parkinson type? So it it responds to levadopa then he would respond to madapar? What are the sypmtoms of psp parkinson type??

[Kevin_1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Steff

Really for our purpose there is no difference in that PSP can present slightly differently for different people.

Essentially the brain develops too much Tau protein and it forms like a plaque over certain parts of the brain and smothers those areas causing those parts to atrophy. Depending exactly when and where it develops will give that person loss of function associated with that area of the brain.

PSP Parkinson's does respond to Parkinson's medication, but at a much lower level that would someone with Pakinson's disease. These medications. I believe, do not slow down the disease, but they alleviate some of the symptoms, particularly any tremors or stiffness.

From reading posts here they only work for a while. For some folk they don't help st all.

They are still at the early stages of working all of this out. As I said before we are still at the stage where a detailed diagnosis can only take place after post mortem examination of the brain. There's a huge push to develop better diagnosis so that better treatments can be developed, but. I am told, we are some years off that.

I hope this helps.

Kevin

[Hidden in reply to Aprilfool20]

Thank you for this

[raincitygirl]

Staff, has your neurologist ordered an MRI for your dad? Often an MRI shows what is called the "hummingbird sign" if a patient has PSP. I don't think this occurs with PD. That might help get you the more definitive answer....

Anne G.

[Hidden in reply to raincitygirl]

Thank you so much. But the doctor said at age 80 people usuallu have hummingbird sign in the brain due to natural atrophy...;((

[raincitygirl in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Steff, I hadn't heard that before.

Anne

[Hidden in reply to raincitygirl]

Thanks. Doctor said he has hummingbird sign and said dad is most probably psp. He prescribed madapar and azilect. But taking azilect made him have a rash and so he stopped both. That week when he stopped he fell to the floor. Im worried if it will happen again

[ninalulu]

I went to the DR and drop the word PSP , send me a medication that don;t do nothing . I fell to the front , so i take care with my husband help not to fell , he help me to get out of the house and we are very careful what i do and where i walk. my eyes bothered , i went to the eye Dr and i found i have dry eyes , I only go to my primary Dr. and no other dr. I am doing my living will in case i need it for the rest I don;t trust DRS .

[Hidden in reply to ninalulu]

I wish you the best...I understand you

[Tttp]

Hi sorry your dad is falling, usually with Parkinson’s you do not fall back wards, psp you do, Psp is Parkinson’s like symptoms.i have mentioned this with the falling, check into a helmet,to avoid a bleed. Nettie

[Hidden in reply to Tttp]

Thank you but he will most probably be reluctant to wear a helmet all the time

[Tttp]

Hi thanks for getting back to me, I should have said only wear the helmet when he is up and about, my brother did not want one either but he had a nasty fall went backwards hit his head on the tub and had a brain bleed, almost went into surgery, after that he would wear it then take it off when he was sitting down. Nettie

[Hidden in reply to Tttp]

Thank you..yesI absolutely agree with you, thank you