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Parkinson's Drug Tied to Gambling Addiction
Foxnews ^

Posted on 07/11/2005 1:58:22 PM PDT by Kokojmudd

CHICAGO — Joe Neglia was a retired government intelligence worker with Parkinson's disease (search) when he suddenly developed what he calls a gambling habit from hell.

After losing thousands of dollars playing slot machines near his California home several times a day for nearly two years, Neglia stumbled across an Internet report linking a popular Parkinson's drug he used with compulsive gambling.

"I thought, 'Oh my God, this must be it,"' he said. Three days after stopping the drug, Mirapex (search), "all desire to gamble just went away completely. I felt like I had my brain back."

A Mayo Clinic study published Monday in July's Archives of Neurology describes 11 other Parkinson's patients who developed the unusual problem while taking Mirapex or similar drugs between 2002 and 2004. Doctors have since identified 14 additional Mayo patients with the problem, said lead author Dr. M. Leann Dodd, a Mayo psychiatrist.

"It's certainly enough for us to be cautious as we are using it," Dodd said. "We wouldn't want them to have some kind of financial ruin or difficulties that could be prevented."....

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: addiction; gambling; mirapex; neurochemistry; obsessivecompulsive; ocd; parkinsons
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Oh, please.
1 posted on 07/11/2005 1:58:28 PM PDT by Kokojmudd
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To: Kokojmudd

I wonder how many grand you have to be down to start making up stories like this....


2 posted on 07/11/2005 2:00:38 PM PDT by MikefromOhio
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To: Kokojmudd
This should raise the cost of the drug...and enrich lawyers. Damn the suffers, the lawyers have families to support in grand style!
3 posted on 07/11/2005 2:01:23 PM PDT by Voltage
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To: Kokojmudd

Sounds to me like the guy is still gambling.

Gambling on whether or not a big name lawyer is paying attention....


4 posted on 07/11/2005 2:02:03 PM PDT by BaBaStooey (Ethiopia: The New Happiest Place on Earth.)
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To: Kokojmudd

I would think that having such a disease in and of itself would lead some people towards gambling. The less productive life span ahead of you, the greater incentive to take short-term risk.


5 posted on 07/11/2005 2:02:34 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Kokojmudd
when he suddenly developed

I don't know. Medicines can do strange things to people. A lot of old people are labeled as demented and then it turns out their medicines were putting them out of their minds. Never heard of a behavior thing though. But if there is a pattern of unrelated people suddenly having this behavior (with no past of it) then it might be interesting to watch.

6 posted on 07/11/2005 2:04:28 PM PDT by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: Kokojmudd

Great. Next they're going to have drugs that make you want to vote Democrat. {{shudder}}


7 posted on 07/11/2005 2:04:47 PM PDT by Millee (So you're a feminist......isn't that cute??)
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To: MikeinIraq

Maybe the casinos will start offering more comps to people who take the drug.


8 posted on 07/11/2005 2:05:22 PM PDT by Kokojmudd (Outsource Federal Judiciary and US Senate to India, NOW!)
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To: Millee

They already do.


9 posted on 07/11/2005 2:05:30 PM PDT by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: TXBubba

Crack?????? It's worse then I thought!


10 posted on 07/11/2005 2:07:51 PM PDT by Millee (So you're a feminist......isn't that cute??)
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To: Kokojmudd

Sheer bull!

Gambling is greed with NO self control!

Geesh!

Excuses, excuses!


11 posted on 07/11/2005 2:08:32 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: Millee
Great. Next they're going to have drugs that make you want to vote Democrat. {{shudder}}

Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, meth, ecstacy, . . . I bet if you polled drug users, you would find overwhelming support of Dems--that is, when they can get it together to vote. 'I got stoned and I missed it.'

So the next big pharmaceutical step will be an addictive drug that makes stoners vote.

13 posted on 07/11/2005 2:08:53 PM PDT by ModelBreaker
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To: Kokojmudd

Geeze, how long have I been taking this drug and why didn't anyone tell me???


14 posted on 07/11/2005 2:09:39 PM PDT by gate2wire (We Honor Those Who Serve---WE REMEMBER--Thank you)
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To: Millee

LOL! I'm on some anti-biotic at the moment...one of the "side effects" is "change in mood or moodiness". My hubby can't decide if it's me or the medicine!


15 posted on 07/11/2005 2:11:55 PM PDT by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: Kokojmudd
Maybe the casinos will start offering more comps to people who take the drug.

What do you think they've been putting in all those free drinks they serve their customers 24 hours a day?...LOL

16 posted on 07/11/2005 2:12:16 PM PDT by Vetnet ("Into this Mosaic of Freedom is laid, this precious piece of The Angels Brigade")
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To: Kokojmudd

He should have known not to buy a drug distributed by "MGM Grand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.", imho.


17 posted on 07/11/2005 2:13:43 PM PDT by Alter Kaker (Whatever tears one may shed, in the end one always blows one’s nose.-Heine)
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To: Kokojmudd
Actually there seems to be a link between Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and addictions. All 3 seem to effect the same parts of the brain and there was some speculation once they figure one of those out the other 2 should "fall into place"

Granted that's info from college and I didn't have a clear grasp on it then and certainly don't have a good grasp on it 3 years later ;)
18 posted on 07/11/2005 2:14:29 PM PDT by tfecw (Vote Democrat, It's easier than working)
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To: Vetnet

Hey! I'm from Vegas Baby! I'm a gambling kind of guy!

All I know is when I gamble, and I've got a couple hundred bucks on the Don't Pass, I seem to GET Parkinson's and start trembling all over!


19 posted on 07/11/2005 2:15:49 PM PDT by FastCoyote
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To: Vetnet

"What do you think they've been putting in all those free drinks they serve their customers 24 hours a day?...LOL"

I spent most of my money on alcohol, gambling and women.
The rest I just wasted.


20 posted on 07/11/2005 2:15:53 PM PDT by gate2wire (We Honor Those Who Serve---WE REMEMBER--Thank you)
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