Are there any drug interactions and side effects from taking Parkinson’s medicines? My medicine is inderal 10mg and pacitane 2 mg, three times a day. Now my cardiogram is not perfect and for six months selgin 5 mg. I don’t get a good sleep at night. My doctor suggested that I stop selgin.

I am not a medical doctor, so I am not qualified to suggest changes to any medications that have been prescribed by your doctor. I can speak to your question about side effects.

Are there any drug interactions and side effects from taking Parkinson’s medications? Yes. There are many as is the case with most prescription medications. The frustrating challenge is that many of the side effects are the same as the symptoms of Parkinson’s that the medications are designed to suppress.

Keep in mind that when you use the term “medication” it really embraces anything we put into our bodies including food, drink, supplements, herbs, lotions, makeup, soaps, shampoos – the whole can of worms so to speak.

Side Effects of Medications

If you want to know which side effects are associated with the medications you are taking, go to your pharmacist and ask for the drug sheet which lists all side effects. You may be surprised to discover how long the list can be for some Parkinson’s medications.

One of the easiest ways to know about the side effects of medications is to do a quick search on the internet. Type in the words (name of medication) side effects. You will see several medical websites that list all of the major and minor side effects that have been documented in studies.

Drug Interactions

There are further, potentially serious complication. Drugs you are taking may interact with one another. When we take more than one drug, there is a possibility that the effect of taking more than one drug is causing additional, unanticipated and potentially life threatening symptoms.

Certified nutritional counselors tell me that there is a very good chance of drug interactions when you are taking three medications and a 100% chance of interactions when you are taking five or more medications. Of course, there are no studies that report on these interactions. Besides, everyone responds differently.

It is a good idea for people taking multiple medications to have analysis done by a pharmacist who can identify problems and recommend alternatives you can consider in consultation with your doctor.

The truth is that it is a very complicated area. It is thus very important that you involve specialists who know about drugs. They can analyze your full health history (which includes a consideration of foods you eat, supplements you take and substances you put on your body).

The body is a very sensitive, living entity. When we ingest something that is harmful to our health, we get clear signals through symptoms that it is time to make some changes. As you already know, the fact you are unable to sleep is a signal your body needs something it is not getting or is getting something it does not need.

Drug Depletions

Drugs can also deplete the minerals and vitamins our bodies need to produce energy, so it may be important to take additional supplements to counterbalance the depletions. People train for years and years to have the skills to help out with such problems. Take advantage of their skills. Find a compounding pharmacist or natural pharmacist who can do a thorough analysis for you so you know for sure where you stand. They can provide a thorough report of  drug interactions and side effects from whatever medications you are taking.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

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