My wife had been diagnosed with Parkinson Disease(PD) in 2013. One of the several medications, she is taking to control her movements disorder is Carbo-Levo Dopa ( Sinemet). The drug is effective in controlling tremours but one of the side effects of the drug is constipation. Her neurologist gave her a recipe that contains bran (high fiber) and prune juice, but Macrine hates it. Currently she is also taking Ducolax-a stool softener. I also encouraged her to consume fruits and vegetables with high fiber content. The fruits, vegetables and grains that she like are: apples, seedless grapes, bananas, mangoes, kiwi, avocado, papayas, broccoli, spinach and cucumbers. The fruits and food she hates are dried prunes, pickled sugar beets, cabbage and dark bread.
The following video lists the top 10 high fiber food to prevent constipation:
Three explanation why PD Patients have problems with bowel movement.
1) PD may cause some degeneration of the nerves of the GI tract. These nerves control “peristalsis” – the rhythmic movement of the GI tract, including the colon. When they are affected, peristalsis slows down. Slowed peristalsis of the colon means that the stool moves very slowly, becoming dry and hard.
2) Medications used to treat PD (levodopa, dopamine agonists, selegeline, amantadine, anticholinergics, and others) can also cause constipation, again by affecting peristalsis.
3) People with PD often have a craving for sweets, which contribute to constipation by replacing the high-fiber foods that help to soften the stool and speed peristalsis. This explains why my wife has a craving for chocolates and candies.
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