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My father (78 years old) and fatigue
Hello,
My father is 78 years old. Because of the war, we were displaced to another country for nearly two and a half years. During that period, there were family problems caused by the psychological stress of the war. As a result, he developed Parkinson’s fatigue, lived in a very tense environment full of conflict, and lost 14 kilograms of weight.
After that, he traveled to stay with his daughter in another country for three months, and his condition improved slightly.
He has now returned to his home and country after the difficult period of displacement.
The journey back took about a week, involving continuous overland travel and flights until he finally arrived home. During the journey, and even in the first days after his arrival, the fatigue disappeared due to an improvement in his psychological state.
A few days ago, the fatigue returned, and he says the reason is lack of sleep.
What is your opinion, and how can we help reduce this fatigue?
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Hello @waelelgasim and welcome to the PD support group on Mayo Connect. As you may know, Mayo Connect represents patients, like your father, who need support and encouragement in their health care journey. We cannot, therefore, determine precisely what is causing your father's fatigue. However, fatigue is certainly common with Parkinson's. I have personally found that changes in travel can cause me to feel exhausted as well.
Does your father have a doctor he can consult with? If so, that would be a good idea. He might need a change in his medication or perhaps just a little more rest time.
Will you post again and let me know how your dad is doing?
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1 ReactionHello @hopeful33250 and thank you for answering
My father is suffering from fatigue now and he is in his country Sudan
The problem is I don't thinkwe can find good doctor in Sudan now because capital still recovering from war
If possible I can describe to you his medicines to help
Also he have big problem in sleeping at night
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1 Reaction@waelelgasim
I'm really sorry to hear that it will be challenging to find a good doctor for your father. Parkinson's patients often have sleeping problems, and considering all that your father has done, it may take a while for him to adjust.
As I mentioned, I'm not a medical professional, so listing his medications would not be helpful. You might look online to see if you can find some answers. The Davis Phinney Foundation has a great website that has educational videos for Parkinson's patients and their caregivers. Here is a link to the website: https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/.
I would encourage you to look at the website under the tab that says, "Resources and
Programs," and see what information you can find that might be helpful to your father.
Will you post again and let me know how your father is doing?
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2 Reactions@waelelgasim , as @hopeful33250 mentioned, Mayo Clinic Connect is an online support network for patients and caregivers to give and get support living with chronic and complex conditions like Parkinson's.
If you would like to seek the advice of Mayo Clinic medical professionals about your father's care, you can submit a request for a second opinion here: https://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
Dealing with serious health issues living in a war zone or an area recovering from war adds challenges that I can hardly imagine.
Some studies have shown that melatonin can safely be used for Parkinson's patients:
- Melatonin on sleep in Parkinson’s disease: A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945724004866
- Effects of Melatonin Disorders on Parkinson’s Disease: A Review of Mechanisms and Clinical Manifestations https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12542851/
Melatonin is a hormone in your body that plays a role in sleep. The production and release of melatonin in the brain is connected to time of day, increasing when it's dark and decreasing when it's light. Melatonin production declines with age.
Melatonin is also available as a supplement, typically as an oral tablet or capsule. Most melatonin supplements are made in a lab. Read more from Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071
Being a distance caregiver is hard. Are you caring for your father from afar?
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3 ReactionsFatigue has also been exacerbated by stress - even pleasent stress around the holidays. I try to avoid any stressor, but life doesn't always cooperate. I have a strong advocate in my husband who helps me limit unnecessary stress when possible. I also try really hard to get a good night's sleep and rest when I feel serious fatigue starting up. Take care of yourself.
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3 Reactions@hopeful33250
Thanks a lot for your care and support
I told my father how helpful you are and he decided to post by him self separately in order to talk to you directly
Best wishes
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3 Reactions@colleenyoung
Thanks a lot for your care and support
I told my father how helpful you are and he decided to post by him self separately in order to talk to you directly
Best wishes
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2 Reactions