What causes hallucinations while on Amantadine and Benztropine?

Posted on Fri, 8 Dec 2017

Question: Dear Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Please continue to follow my new diagnosis of Parkinosism due to 17 years of treatment for multiple mental diagnoses. My doctor has finally responded with a new drug after Benztropine 1mg made me nauseated and caused hallucinations. The new drug is Amantadine 100mg 2X daily. I feel no nausea as yet from this drug. I am in acute what my doctor NOW calls psuedo Parkinsonism and can hardly walk. I have horses and live alone. This enforced exercise is the only way I have kept my mobility to this date. What are your thoughts of this new treatment?I am now weeks into the Amantadine therapy and my lower back, sacrum and legs are still not symptom free. Very painful.

Answered by Dr. Ashok Kumar (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
There is possibility that you will respond with amantadine

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for follow up.

Regarding amantadine I like to make it clear that it is one of safe medication for treating parkinsonism as well as pseudo parkinsonism associated with antipsychotic medications.

However the dose often used is 300 mg and it is possible that your doctor may increase the dose to 100 mg three times a day on next visit.

Regarding efficacy of medication I must acknowledge that it is weak antiparkinsonian medication but have definite effects and it is possible that with time and increase of dose you will see greater improvement.

In other words it is time taking medication in parkinsons disease but have definite effects.

I hope this answers you further.
Thanks and regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar