buscopan - hyocsine and treating MSA

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I want to remind people that this is the Shy-Drager/MSA list. We welcome

people with other similar disorders as part of our " family " and want to

include them in our discussions. However, lately we seem to be hearing about

the use of medicines which can be extremely detrimental to the health of MSA

or Shy-Drager patients. Several people on the list have mentioned the use of

drugs which can CAUSE symptoms of MSA and Shy-Drager. An example is the

medicines mentioned in the subject above (see the notes below on the side

effects of this medicine).

In effect using some medicines (especially if you use them long term) COULD

cause symptoms of MSA. In other words, you could be giving yourself MSA

symptoms by taking them. These include opiates and medicines like the ones

mentioned above. Almost any type of pain killer CAN have side effects like

MSA symptoms, so it is best to use them ONLY when needed. In addition

overdoses of things like muscle relaxants can cause MSA like symptoms, so you

MUST follow the physician's directions on taking them.

YOU MUST work with your doctor CLOSELY if you are taking any medicines that

have side effects that mimic MSA symptoms. In addition, there are several

common MSA medicines which can cause other problems (such as liver problems)

and need to be regulated with periodic blood tests - so again YOU must work

closely with your doctor.

Your doctor may have thousands of patients and can not be expected to

remember each patient, therefore as Fisher said - it is up to YOU (and

your caregiver) to make sure YOU are asking questions and getting answers.

YOU are the one who will suffer if you do not tell the doctor the whole

story.

Finally, yes, there are some doctors who are either not up on current affairs

or just make mistakes so YOU have to decide on the doctor who is best for

you. We had a family doctor in 1974-1975 that we went to when we first moved

to this area. We changed doctors and stayed with one family general

practitioner until today. This allows both you and the doctor to get to know

each other. Our doctor DID make mistakes at times - NO human is perfect.

BUT, he does care and did the research to find out what was going on. He DID

send Charlotte to a neurologist experienced in movement disorders at an

appropriate time in her progression. BUT, I also researched the problem and

worked with him on her treatment to assure that he, the neurologist (a woman)

and Charlotte were all talking the same language at all times.

It takes teamwork to have a chance at beating the effects of MSA. YOU must

become a contributing member of that team. I know of Canadians, Brits and

Aussies as well as people in the USA who are getting proper care. I know of

people in countries where the doctors had never heard of MSA who found this

list and gave their doctors info they found here to get proper care. So

proper care IS possible. However, at this time MSA IS a progressive

degenerative movement disorder and you must accept that YOU are responsible

for doing your part for YOUR well-being. Charlotte did her best for well

over eleven years and kept a reasonable amount of quality of life to the

end. Most of you know that she had extreme movement problems the last three

years, but she did do her exercises daily and we worked closely with our

doctors.

I DID have problems with ER doctors until I educated them on MSA. Remember

that ER doctors are used to trauma and not neurologic movement disorders.

Just keep telling them that the patient has orthostatic hypotension so they

should NOT be laid flat (if they have OH) and that they usually have an

infection if they suffer these symptoms.

Take care, Bill Werre

Buscopan - Side Effects of This Medicine

Confusion (especially in the elderly); dizziness, lightheadedness

(continuing), or fainting; eye pain; skin rash or hives

Blurred vision (continuing) or changes in near vision; clumsiness or

unsteadiness; confusion; convulsions (seizures); difficulty in breathing,

muscle weakness (severe), or tiredness (severe); dizziness; drowsiness

(severe); dryness of mouth, nose, or throat (severe); fast heartbeat; fever;

hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there);

slurred speech; unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or

irritability; unusual warmth, dryness, and flushing of skin

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention.

These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the

medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side

effects continue or are bothersome:

More common

Constipation (less common with hyoscyamine); decreased sweating;

dryness of mouth, nose, throat, or skin

Less common or rare

Bloated feeling; blurred vision; decreased flow of breast milk;

difficult urination; difficulty in swallowing; drowsiness (more common with

high doses of any of these medicines and with usual doses of scopolamine when

given by mouth or by injection); false sense of well-being (for scopolamine

only); headache; increased sensitivity of eyes to light; lightheadedness

(with injection); loss of memory; nausea or vomiting; redness or other signs

of irritation at place of injection; trouble in sleeping (for scopolamine

only); unusual tiredness or weakness

Anxiety; irritability; nightmares; trouble in sleeping

[Guest guest]

As far as I know this is a prescription drug, used largely

for bladder and bowel spasms. I was made vey aware by my GP of

risks associated. He keeps current on MSA. Also understands

that losing the quality of life is more urgent, and I knowingly assume

risks of side effects. ly I've got all of the side effects as

symptoms already, there is nothing for me to lose. I am an adult, I

read and ask questions and make choices. Couldn't you be a little

happy for me that something is working to make my life better?? If

this drug stops working or makes me very ill tomorrow, it is still worth

it to me. I was able to have cheerful conversations with my

daughter. I got through cooking a meal, I could walk a few extra

blocks. I smile, I laugh, I can listen and experience the music

which tinnitus had stolen from me years ago. Why must you make it

about possible negatives ignoring all else. If a truck mows me down

tomorrow, I have these good day memories.

At 5/27/02 10:08 AM Monday, you wrote:

Hi all,

I want to remind people that this is the Shy-Drager/MSA list. We

welcome

people with other similar disorders as part of our " family " and

want to

include them in our discussions. However, lately we seem to be

hearing about

the use of medicines which can be extremely detrimental to the health of

MSA

or Shy-Drager patients. Several people on the list have mentioned

the use of

drugs which can CAUSE symptoms of MSA and Shy-Drager. An example is

the

medicines mentioned in the subject above (see the notes below on the

side

effects of this medicine).

In effect using some medicines (especially if you use them long term)

COULD

cause symptoms of MSA. In other words, you could be giving yourself

MSA

symptoms by taking them. These include opiates and medicines like

the ones

mentioned above. Almost any type of pain killer CAN have side

effects like

MSA symptoms, so it is best to use them ONLY when needed. In

addition

overdoses of things like muscle relaxants can cause MSA like symptoms, so

you

MUST follow the physician's directions on taking them.

YOU MUST work with your doctor CLOSELY if you are taking any medicines

that

have side effects that mimic MSA symptoms. In addition, there are

several

common MSA medicines which can cause other problems (such as liver

problems)

and need to be regulated with periodic blood tests - so again YOU must

work

closely with your doctor.

Your doctor may have thousands of patients and can not be expected

to

remember each patient, therefore as Fisher said - it is up to YOU

(and

your caregiver) to make sure YOU are asking questions and getting

answers.

YOU are the one who will suffer if you do not tell the doctor the

whole

story.

Finally, yes, there are some doctors who are either not up on current

affairs

or just make mistakes so YOU have to decide on the doctor who is best

for

you. We had a family doctor in 1974-1975 that we went to when we

first moved

to this area. We changed doctors and stayed with one family

general

practitioner until today. This allows both you and the doctor to

get to know

each other. Our doctor DID make mistakes at times - NO human is

perfect.

BUT, he does care and did the research to find out what was going

on. He DID

send Charlotte to a neurologist experienced in movement disorders at

an

appropriate time in her progression. BUT, I also researched the

problem and

worked with him on her treatment to assure that he, the neurologist (a

woman)

and Charlotte were all talking the same language at all times.

It takes teamwork to have a chance at beating the effects of MSA.

YOU must

become a contributing member of that team. I know of Canadians,

Brits and

Aussies as well as people in the USA who are getting proper care. I

know of

people in countries where the doctors had never heard of MSA who found

this

list and gave their doctors info they found here to get proper

care. So

proper care IS possible. However, at this time MSA IS a

progressive

degenerative movement disorder and you must accept that YOU are

responsible

for doing your part for YOUR well-being. Charlotte did her best for

well

over eleven years and kept a reasonable amount of quality of life to

the

end. Most of you know that she had extreme movement problems the

last three

years, but she did do her exercises daily and we worked closely with

our

doctors.

I DID have problems with ER doctors until I educated them on MSA.

Remember

that ER doctors are used to trauma and not neurologic movement

disorders.

Just keep telling them that the patient has orthostatic hypotension so

they

should NOT be laid flat (if they have OH) and that they usually have

an

infection if they suffer these symptoms.

Take care, Bill Werre

Buscopan - Side Effects of This Medicine

Confusion (especially in the elderly); dizziness, lightheadedness

(continuing), or fainting; eye pain; skin rash or hives

Blurred vision (continuing) or changes in near vision; clumsiness or

unsteadiness; confusion; convulsions (seizures); difficulty in

breathing,

muscle weakness (severe), or tiredness (severe); dizziness;

drowsiness

(severe); dryness of mouth, nose, or throat (severe); fast heartbeat;

fever;

hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not

there);

slurred speech; unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or

irritability; unusual warmth, dryness, and flushing of skin

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical

attention.

These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to

the

medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following

side

effects continue or are bothersome:

More common

Constipation

(less common with hyoscyamine); decreased sweating;

dryness of mouth, nose, throat, or skin

Less common or rare

Bloated

feeling; blurred vision; decreased flow of breast milk;

difficult urination; difficulty in swallowing; drowsiness (more common

with

high doses of any of these medicines and with usual doses of scopolamine

when

given by mouth or by injection); false sense of well-being (for

scopolamine

only); headache; increased sensitivity of eyes to light;

lightheadedness

(with injection); loss of memory; nausea or vomiting; redness or other

signs

of irritation at place of injection; trouble in sleeping (for

scopolamine

only); unusual tiredness or weakness

Anxiety; irritability; nightmares; trouble in sleeping

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