I (Sherri) received an email from a fellow PD’er which had this to say about the drug Haldol (Haloperidol):
“I attended a dinner meeting where a prominent Toledo Doctor spoke and I [chatted] at length with him following the presentation. He urged EVERYONE diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease to contact EVERY doctor they see and add HALDOL (Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic drug) to the list of meds they are allergic to. He said when asked what the side effects are, tell them “IT WILL KILL ME” and that should get medical staff attention. Said it ‘blocks’ the dopamine and the patient “FREEZES”, among other life-threatening reactions.”
After researching the drug and it’s interactions with PD’ers, this is what I found:
(from www.drugs.com) – Haldol may cause tardive dyskinesia—a condition characterized by involuntary muscle spasms and twitches in the face and body. This condition can be permanent, and appears to be most common among the elderly, especially women….
Side effects may include:
Breast development in men, breathing problems, cataracts, constipation, drowsiness, dry mouth, insomnia, involuntary muscle contractions, skin reactions, tardive dyskinesia (see “Most important fact about Haldol”), tightening of the throat muscles, weight loss…
You should not take Haldol if you have Parkinson’s disease or are sensitive to or allergic to the drug.
(from www.parkinsons-information-exchange-network-online.com / The P-I-E-N-O Parkinsn’s List Drug Database) – Haloperidol is contraindicated in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The dopamine blockade from haloperidol will dramatically worsen the preexisting Parkinson’s disease, possibly incapacitating the patient.
(from www.healthcares.net) – Some drugs given for psychosis, such as haloperidol (Haldol) or chlorpromazine (thorazine), may cause parkinsonism.
If that isn’t enough to warn you, here are some ‘less severe’ side effects: Breast development in men, breathing problems, cataracts, constipation, drowsiness, dry mouth, insomnia, involuntary muscle contractions, skin reactions, tardive dyskinesia (see “Most important fact about Haldol”), tightening of the throat muscles, weight loss.
Your choice, but PJ is strongly recommending you just ‘say NO’. Loudly, if you must.
-sherri
(Thanks to Becci Green for bringing this to our attention!)
