My father may have LBD and I was referred to this website by a Physician friend.

So far the facts are that over the past seven years or so he's had symptoms that have been laid to other causes, first were the "action dreams" as he termed them where he was actually moving in his REM sleep, yelling out or perhaps sleep walking.

Then we were seeing the syncopy but it often had a plausible medical explanation. especially since he had cardiac and other medical issues at the same time.

When he's been hospitalized he hasn't slept very well and his experience with sleep meds was highly unpleasant. It was amid this experience that he had his first experience with hallucinations. When he complained he was given haldol and debated taking it. I think he did and it exacerbated the situation. Since he was home from the hospital and not sleeping I suggested a shot of whiskey. (he only resorts to this rarely)This brought four hours of sleep and some dreaming and an end, at that time to the hallucinations so we laid it to a lack of REM sleep.

Now he's been experiencing Parkinson's symptoms and an electrolyte disturbance that may or may not be related. He had a Neurology appointment and has a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease that I question.

Additionally his brother passed away of LBD almost three years ago. The neurologist was told this but dismissed it and I'm not sure, because I wasn't there, what questions were asked on the subject.

He's been started on Sinemet 25/100 ramping up to one TID.

I'm an RN but I am working Maternal-newborn, the other end of the lifespan, I live in Northern NY and my parents are in South Florida.

Joyce,
Welcome to the LBDA Forums, I am glad you found the website and it was recommended by a Physician, I guess the word is getting out. Getting the DX is so hard sometimes but if your parents aren't satisfied with their Dr perhaps they need to locate another one a little more versed in the Dementia's. Where in FL are they, the LBDA has a list of Doctors that treat and work with LBD Patients. I also do the help-line and I often send people the LBDA Criteria and suggest they copy it and then checking what applies to their Loved One and handing that to the Doctor!

Are there any lists of Neurologists with special interests in memory care? My parents are maybe 50 miles north of West Palm Beach. I saw the Broward support group and that's a little far for them...

Sometimes my parents are a little too trusting or they don't ask the right questions... That or I'm naturally more suspicious than they are.

Hi Joyce,
If it were me still living in FL I would be going to the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville FL but that would be far for your parents unless someone helped them: I will include that in the information below:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/jacksonville/

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Tanis J. Ferman, Ph.D. 4500 San Pablo Road Jacksonville FL 32224 (904) 953-0853

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Jay Van Gerpen, MD 4500 San Pablo Road Jacksonville FL 32224 (904) 953-0853

North Broward Medical Center H Murray Todd, MD Memory Disorder Center, 201 East Sample Road Deerfield Beach FL 33064 (954) 786-7392

East Central Florida Memory Clinic 3661 S Babcock Street Melbourne FL 32901 (321) 768-9575 (321) 725-1998

St. Mary's Medical Center Memory Disorder Clinic Walter Martinez, MD 901 45th Street West Palm Beach FL 33407 (561) 844-6300

St. Mary's Medical Center Memory Disorder Clinic Carl Sadowsky, MD 901 45th Street West Palm Beach FL 33407 (561) 844-6300

North Broward Medical Center Todd Rosenzweig, MD Memory Disorder Center, 201 East Sample Road Deerfield Beach FL 33064 (954) 942-3991

North Broward Medical Center Thomas C. Hammond, MD, Director 201 East Sample Road Deerfield Beach FL 33064 (800) 825-2732

Benjamin Barnea, MD, PA, CIME 1801 North University Drive Coral Springs FL 33071 (954) 341-8100

Thank you very much!

Now we have a starting place if we have issues with the neurologist.