Parkinson’s and chemotherapy

So saw both neurologist and oncologist yesterday and finally urine showed bacteria. So hopefully this has attributed to his heavy confusion and four days of evening temperatures. Oncology has done all kinds of viral studies prior to urine which didn’t show anything just days earlier. The neurologist did change some of his Parkinson’s meds hoping this would help with last fall ? From low blood pressures ? Also lowered another med. neurology does feel he probably does have some Parkinson’s dementia but can’t test right now because of all the immune problems right now because he would fail. He was so weak he couldn’t hardly walk and we had to get wheelchair. So I’m praying that this little (big) urinary issue get resolved so I have my husband not so confused and feverish at nights.

Hi @jrwilli1, Oh gosh, I hope this new finding of bacteria in the urine is the answer behind your husbands symptoms with confusion. This makes so much sense. A UTI was the first thing I thought about when you mentioned the ongoing confusion for your husband. My mom used to get some sneaky UTIs with the same symptoms. She’d even pass out sometimes. I’d find her on the floor when I’d rush over if she didn’t answer her phone. Scary stuff!

I’ll send a pray right along with you that this will clear up with some antibiotics and get your husband back on track! Don’t forget the yogurt between doses…at least 2 hours after a dose. Helps with potential tummy issues.

Keep us updated, ok? Hugs, Lori.

I wish it would have shown up 4 days earlier when they did the first one. Yea I already give him yogurt every day the small one. I sure hope this is our answers as well. Thanks for prayers as well.

Hello @jrwilli1

I'd like to join Lori, @loribmt, in saying how pleased I am that your husband's UTI was diagnosed. UTIs can cause lots of problems that don't seem related to the infection. The antibiotics plus the probiotics (in yogurt) will undoubtedly make a difference.

Will you keep posting and let us know how he is doing?

Well her is an update since being placed on meds for UTI. The fevers continues and the confusion and the doctors ran other tests. It was getting pretty bad had home handling his night confusion and inconsistent. The test came back positive for CMV (cytomegalovirus) and he has been in the hosp since last Friday getting meds for that but a still no fever but the confusion not any better. So today getting a spinal tap where they are going to check all kinds of viral items and see if this is effecting his brain. They feel highly unlikely that the CMV has traveled there but have to rule it out and if it isn’t there they will be reaching back out to neurologists again for further evaluation on the Parkinson’s. In my heart I feel the Parkinson’s is starting to get worse and this will be our future to deal with. Pray it isn’t but if so we will work with it and take each day at a time. Out of my control. 🙏

I so appreciate your update, @jrwilli1,

While I'm sorry to hear your husband has a CMV virus, you must be relieved that there is now a diagnosis for his problem. Are the doctors indicating that if the virus has traveled to his brain, then that would explain his mental confusion? I'll look forward to hearing from you when you get the results of the lumbar puncture.

Here is some information from Mayo Clinic's website regarding this,

I can understand your concern about the advancement of Parkinson's. This is something that we don't look forward to and I'm sure it is not easy to prepare yourself for it.

Did the medical staff indicate that there is a treatment for CMV?

Thank you so much for the update. I’ve been thinking about you and your husband, hoping the UTI was the culprit.
CMV is often one of the major players in post stem cell transplant patients. So many people have had the virus, sometimes in childhood. Once it’s in the body, it usually lies dormant. But if the immune system is compromised, like it is during our transplant recovery, it can re-emerge and cause some issues. Do you know if your husband had that prior to his SCT? I didn’t, but my donor did have CMV and we knew that going it. But the match was so perfect that the virus was a non issue. If that’s what your husband is dealing with there are antiviral treatments.

The lumbar puncture will be a good thing to have done. I had to have one too after my transplant to rule out anything that may have crossed the blood brain barrier. Once the doctor’s know, hopefully they can zero in on the cause of your husbands confusion.

Wishing you both well. Hugs.

Lori, he was pos to cmv but the donor wasn’t and they only did the preventative until labs showed he should be ok. But but you just never know do you. Well he is off for procedure. 🙏

I pray with you that they find something they can treat. I identify with those feelings of not knowing and waiting for some tests to indicate what could help.

Chemotherapy increased my wife’s Parkinson’s tenfold.
Chemo was a very big mistake.
Unfortunately, I was given misinformation that it should not interfere but that was not the case.