Pain in limbs, speech more slurred

[Bonnie Jean]

I am 58 yrs old and was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 6 yrs ago. I did well until last summer when I had a reaction to two different meds at two different times causing me to have hallucinations that I was aware of, inability to walk or stand without being out of breath, very weak and couldn't eat and lost about 22 lbs which put me at 96 lbs.  I had trouble swallowing but eventually all of those symptoms went away.  Now I have sharp and burning  pain in my back,tingling with my hands(fingers) arms, legs and feet going to "sleep". For the past several months I have had trouble with my speech but we have noticed that I am more irritable and just feel worse when I have the speech problems (I sound like Forrest Gump).  My tremors are not bad but I do have a balance problem and have fallen more than once.  I had lower back surgery a year ago for a pinched nerve which helped that problem but now my toes especially on my left foot feel as though they are numb and one toe leans towards another toe rather than fanning out when I try to spread them.  My hands,fingers, wrist are also painful.  I am seeing a pain speicalist for this problem and have had two rounds thus far of steriod injections which helped for awhile (a few days) but am thankful for any relief that I get.  My question is this:  Is my pain/speech problem coming from the Parkinson's, a lower bad disc problem,  or medications I am taking?  I take Requip and Sinemet, zanaflex (just at night), vicodin (a half a tab maybe twice daily), Metanx, lasix everyday and potassium.  I am concerned that I've had a mild stroke and this is the reason for my speech problem.  My speech has already gotten to a point that people can't hear or understand me when I talk.  I have so many Drs. and would like to make sure that what i am doing is not causing worsening of symptoms.  I don't expect better but I don't expect worse - not yet.

[Quixotic1]

I know very little about PD, but I can with certainty tell you that the slurred speech is NOT from problems in your back.  My audiologist is a young man (30's) with PD and he also sounds Forrest Gumpish.  Spontaneous speech is partly controlled by voluntary movement and it may be the underlying disorder, but anything I say is just a guess.

Have you posted on some of the Parkinson's specific forums?  I found several, some more active than others.  Let me know if you want help.

Quix

[AMO]

hi bonniejean,

i have been dx'ed with 'probale' msa-c which is a mix bag. They group it soemtimes with autonomic illness, ataxias, or parkinsonism. Since most my problems are from my cerebellum, that is why the -c label.
I do not have so much rigidity as i do lack of tone.
My speech is slurred, and scanning, sounds very raspy and breathy.
I took the speech therapy they call Lee Silverman Speech Therapy . It was developed for Parkinson Disease but use it for other neuro disease too    with speech problems. They emphasis  is on loud and projecting.
It is rather intensisve and can be exausting.
While working with voice and speecch, my therapist also worked teachingg  my swallowing safety.
I am on sinemet, while taapper up to my dosage i remebr a time of some psychotic behavior.
I have a freind on requip

[AMO]

hi bonniejean,

i have been dx'ed with 'probale' msa-c which is a mix bag. They group it soemtimes with autonomic illness, ataxias, or parkinsonism. Since most my problems are from my cerebellum, that is why the -c label.
I do not have so much rigidity as i do lack of tone.
My speech is slurred, and scanning, sounds very raspy and breathy.
I took the speech therapy they call Lee Silverman Speech Therapy . It was developed for Parkinson Disease but use it for other neuro disease too    with speech problems. The emphasis iis on loud and projecting
It is rather intensisve and can be exausting.
While working with voice and speecch, my therapist also worked teachingg  me swallowing safety.

I am on sinemet and remeber my taper up dosing i had a psychotic episode (not nessisarly hallusinating) but delusions?)
My freind is on requip, he too has (what i believe)    is psychotic sx's too on that.
I  am glad  to hear you tremor is not too baad, at least one thing , huh?

If you are concernned about the side effects, don't ever hesitate to call you r doctor.
And if they have not offered therapy and   you feel up to it, then asked them about it.
(i first had the laynoscopy to view my vocal folds to actually see the problem)
be well and take care bonnie.
amo