So You Think You Have Problems?

In 2008, just over a period of three months, Lou became manic and did a lot of financial damage that we’re still paying for. Then he became depressed, and developed violent tremors in his right hand and arm and difficulty speaking. (He did had minor tremors when he was taking Lithium). Oddly, the tremors disappeared when he went manic. Lois worked with a young neurologist who told us she could use a drug to make him manic in a second so they had to monitor him carefully. Lou wasn’t responding well on any of the medications they tried. The young neurologist referred Lou to an older, more experience neurologist who had Lou take a MRI of his brain to rule out Huntington’s Disease. Even though, he felt Lou’s symptoms were not typical Parkenson’s Disease, he tried Lou on medications for Parkenson’s that didn’t work. He didn’t have a clue what Lou had.

I got the idea to look up online the side effects of the two medications Lois had Lou on, and both caused Parkenson’s like symptoms of tremors and trouble with speech. I spoke to the psychiatrist that Lois worked under, and he nonchalantly said that all those types of drugs caused those symptoms. I was angry that Lois wasn’t aware of this and I took him off those medications myself. I decided it was time for a second opinion.

I found a neuropsychiatrist but she wouldn’t treat Lou until his tremors were addressed. She recommended another neurologist who also agreed his symptoms weren’t Parkenson’s. Since she also didn’t have a clue either, she recommended we see a movement specialist. Neither one of us heard of a “movement specialist” and we didn’t know what to think.

That’s where it stands now – we are waiting to see this “movement specialist”. Lou’s been depressed for months and lost a lot of weight because he doesn’t want to eat. Plus he stays in bed all day. I correctly guessed that he stayed in bed partly to quell the tremors. The bad part is he just lies there and doesn’t really use his mind other than to ruminate on why he lost his jobs or just lie there, thinking of who knows what. But now he gets ornery and angry when I try to get him to eat, tend to his personal hygiene, change his sheets or help me take the dogs out. All he wants to do is “go lay down”. I’m lucky I can get him occasionally to go out of the house for food shopping. I afraid his epitaph will read, “I’m going to lay down now.” if something doesn’t change. I’m praying he will get better and one of these doctors will find the right medicine(s) to get him to have a normal life. It’s hard and sometimes I want out. But I have to remind myself he took care of me for a good part of our marriage and now it’s my turn; that it’s give and take in a relationship and most importantly, love keeps me hanging on.