Anti-anxiety med for tremor?

March 13, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My doctor has prescribed a light dose of Xanax for an essential tremor, which seems to help. Is this medicine doing me any harm, or is there something better?

DEAR READER: Essential tremor can be caused by several conditions, including anxiety and stress. It is often confused with Parkinson’s disease, and affects almost 15 percent of people over the age of 65.

The Xanax you have been prescribed is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. I can only assume your physician prescribed it because he or she believes the tremor is caused by anxiety. [Read more...]

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Parkinson’s and excess saliva

March 11, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have Parkinson’s disease and have a great deal of saliva. I take two kinds of drugs — ropinirole and carbidopa/levodopa — and wonder if they are necessary.

DEAR READER: Parkinson’s is a neurological disorder with a myriad of symptoms, including fatigue, malaise, depression, memory loss, cramped handwriting, tremor, rigidity, gait abnormalities, lack of facial expression and sense of smell, and more. Postural instability develops as the disease progresses. Excess saliva is uncommon, but each person experiences different symptoms, so I won’t unequivocally dismiss any involvement with your diagnosis. [Read more...]

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Family addresses Parkinson’s

January 22, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My father has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Because we know so little about the condition, we would like to know what we might expect.
DEAR READER: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that occurs when neurons located in a portion of the brain become impaired or die. In healthy individuals, these cells produce a chemical known as dopamine that allows smooth, coordinated functioning of muscles and movement. When approximately 80 percent of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, symptoms of Parkinson’s appear.
This is the second most common neurodegenerative condition, following Alzheimer’s. About 4 million people worldwide are affected, with the disorder being more common in men. [Read more...]

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