Saturday, March 3, 2018

Impulse Control and Parkinsons



Mirapex was the first drug I was prescribed after my diagnosis as "Parkinsonian". It was a relatively new drug back in 2005 when I started to take it. One of the known side effects was lowered impulse control for people with problem gambling. I told the neurologist I don't gamble. I don't even buy lottery tickets. (Lottery tickets are a way for the government to get poor people to pay extra taxes. IMHO).

When I started on Mirapex, I didn't get a sudden urge to go play Bingo or buy a lottery ticket. But when it came to behaviours I already had impulse control issues, like shopping I think that the drug has made it much more difficult to control myself.

My husband says that I have always had a problem with impulsive shopping and he is right. I can't count how often I have come home with a new dress or earrings or something. I would tell him my side of the story: how the dress attacked me as I walked by the store. Those bright red "SALE" signs would lure me in, and then "HieeYaah!!!" The dress jumped down on me, grabbed my credit card right out of my purse, and dragged me to the cashier.

After taking Mirapex, I am sure that these attacks got worse. Fortunately for me, I wasn't actually getting to the stores as often, because I had to surrender my drivers license. (Mirapex has to be declared when you renew your license, and my driving abilities were also at risk because of the other symptoms of Parkinsons). But then I discovered online shopping!

Wow, what a world we live in. I can buy dresses from a factory in India, and they come right to my door! I had better stop writing this, my fingers are itching to go to Cyber India. Cyber India is nice anytime of year. Not too hot or too cold, just room temperature. And I can go there in my pyjamas.