Fanny's Parkinson

Fanny's Parkinson

Story time

ONCE UPON A TIME...

About Fanny : - 65yo - a hairdresser retiree - 2 healthy children - her father died at 80yo : lung cancer (he was an active smoker)

Evolution of her symptoms

before retirement

Step 3

Step 1

night sweat.

asthenia

Step 4

Step 2

constipation

difficulties focusing

One day...

She noticed she has TREMOR on the right hand only.

(doctor) Simon says...

The doctors recommendations : - exercices - regular follow-up - keep socializing, communicate with other people : try to talk about the disease with other one, don't keep it for oneself

She does have the triad : - tremor - low akinesia : she walks slowly - Froment's sign : + (= rigidity) FIRST STAGE OF PARKINSON DISEASE --> LEVODOPA one time a day before breakfast

Fanny's now 70yo

During 5 years, her symptoms were well controled and her lifestyle was quite normal compare to another retired woman. = Honey moon stage However now she's experiencing fluctuations... (third stage)

ON

OFF

Normal

--> Adapt the treatment

rigidity

Fanny's now 75yo and a lot of new symptoms appeared...

dementia

loss of intellectual functioning

Apathy

loss of motivation

DEPression

hallucination delusions

Loss of balance

swallowing deficiency & salivation

finally...

Fanny's disease got worse with a lot of new deficiency due to the loss of some reflex like swallowing saliva. She's unable to take care of herself because of loss of autonomy, dementia, muscles rigidity... Few years later, she's even unable to stand, so she's bedridden all day long... Parkinson disease is a very lonely degenerative disease, without support, a lot of patients develop depression and anxiety and because of the loss of dignity in the final stage, some patients would choose assisted suicide, but it poses ethical problems.

For the family members, it is also a very hard situation, they have to be always present

- raisoning ability dysfunction- hallucination A disease in itself and not a symptom in Parkinson disease

≠ Alzheimer (amyloid plaque)

an experience involving the apparent PERCEPTION of something not present

Hallucination

a false BELIEF or JUDGEMENT about external reality, held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary

Delusions

VS