Question: Female, 40 years old, unknown subtype My daughter’s GP, and she herself, want to try Mounjaro injections for 6 months. She will be closely monitored by her nurse, her GP, her care team and family. She currently does not appear to have issues with gastroparesis but I want to prevent them by changing her...
Category: Ask Nurse Lynn
Ask Nurse Lynn: Ocular Issues and Eye Patching
Question: Male, 15 months old, UPD subtype My son has esotropia and amblyopia primarily affecting his right eye but intermittently seen in his left eye as well. Surgical correction has been discussed and currently we have been instructed to patch his dominant eye (left) for two hours daily. We would like to pursue the interventions...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Pain Management on Hospice Care
Question: Female, 60 years old, Unknown Subtype My sister is on hospice with cardiomyopathy. She has been prescribed morphine for pain, but it seems to be making it worse. She appears to be having symptoms of toxicity at a very low dose. She often reacts differently to medications and I’m wondering what we can give...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Aging in PWS and Life Spans
Question: Female, 31 years old, UPD subtype Do people with PWS age at an accelerated rate compared to those who do not have this syndrome? My 31 year old daughter was just diagnosed with arthritis in her knee. As I look back on her health history, I can see how many of her conditions are...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Supplement, Medication for Skin Picking
Question: Female, 61 years old, Deletion subtype Are there any proven drugs to help with skin picking? My daughter stopped skin picking when she was about 12 and in the past year, she has started again. She cannot seem to stop. I have talked to all of her doctors about it and no one seems...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Weight, BMI, Blood Sugar Levels
Question: Male, 27 years old, Deletion subtype What would a critically hazardous weight be for someone with PWS that’s height is 4’11”? Also, what is considered a good range for their blood sugar levels in PWS with diabetes? Nurse Lynn’s Response: When caring for someone with PWS, it’s important to remember that body weight alone...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Understanding and Mitigating Potential Psychosis
Question: Female, 6 years old, UPD subtype We have seen a lot of information about PWS patients with UPD having a higher risk of developing psychosis typically by age 20. We have recently put our daughter into a mental health/behavioral therapy program where she will meet with a therapist once a month. This way as...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Osteoporosis, Calcium, Vitamin D
Question: Female, 42 years old, UPD subtype My question is about treatment for osteoporosis. My sister, to my knowledge, has never had any hormone replacement. She is obese, BMI 38, and the only abnormal lab done by her gynecologist was testosterone, which was “below the technical range of the assay.” Her vitamin D levels are...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Anemia and Iron Supplementation
Question: Female, 22 years old, unknown subtype Hello, my daughter has severe rectal picking issues to the point she is anemic. Got it under control in June 2023. Latest labs show anemia Ferritin at 6 Iron total at 13 hemoglobin at 11.2…doc said increase iron supplement to 325mg. My concern is it’s a new doc...
Ask Nurse Lynn: hCG and Hypogonadism
Question: Male, 8 months old, unknown subtype We want to give hCG injections to our son, not just to avoid the surgery but for future benefits as well. His endocrinologist and urologist refused to give hCG, even after requesting so many times. I’m from the UK, and the NHS (National Health Service) have stopped giving...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Genetics and Weight Gain
Question: Female, 7 years old, Unknown deletion Does the identification of PWS by genetic testing PWS give conclusive results? In other words, your child either has or doesn’t have PWS? Does a child with PWS gain weight event if her caloric intake is restricted? Would a “less than normal” caloric intake still result in weight...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Treatment-Resistant Psychosis and Clozapine
Question: Male, 18 years old, UPD subtype My son struggles with psychosis/schizophrenia for 1.5 yrs. None of the antipsychotics applied reduced the symptoms. He is in a miserable situation. The doctors want to use Clozapine as last resource. Is this a drug used frequently in people with PWS and psychosis? Do you have any suggestions...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Fevers with PWS
Question: Female, 2 years old, unknown subtype My daughter has had a very high fever for the last two days. There are lots of viral things going around here so I am thinking that it is that. Is it normal that kids with PWS get fevers? I have read before that usually they don’t break...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Question: Female, 7 years old, unknown subtype My granddaughter’s weight is out of control. I want help with exercise and eating and helping her lose weight ….and tips on helping her in the situations she lives. Nurse Lynn’s Response: Managing weight in a child with PWS can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Hygiene Concerns and Solutions
Question: Male, 38 years old, Unknown Subtype I am an LPN. We currently have an individual with PWS, we are running into several problems, one of the biggest being hygiene. This individual refuses to shower, averaging about 1 weekly. He has a very large, growing rash across his abdominal folds. While we are here to...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Skin Picking Strategies
Question: Female, 42 years old, Deletion My daughter is a severe picker, wondering if you have any advice that would help? Nurse Lynn’s Response: Skin picking is a common and challenging behavior in individuals with PWS. Here are some strategies that might help a sample sensory plan is also included. Environmental & Behavioral Strategies 1....
Ask Nurse Lynn: Food-Seeking Behaviors
Question: Female, 23 years old, UPD subtype My 23-year-old daughter with UPD is just now developing some food-foraging behaviors. I am assuming this is not uncommon, but I am just wondering if this is typical to start at this age. We have never locked our cabinets because we never had to, so I am wondering...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Growth Hormone Levels
Question: Male, 4 years old, unknown subtype What if the growth hormone levels are high? Does my son still need to be on growth hormone? Nurse Lynn’s Response: Growth hormone therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for individuals with PWS. It helps promote growth, improve body composition, enhance muscle tone, and support overall metabolic and...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Respiratory Infections
Question: Male, 7 months old, unknown subtype He has a cough, congestion, and I have the humidifier with Vicks vaporizer going and been using the nose sucker by Frida to help clear his airway. But I’m so worried at night especially knowing now he has sleep apnea. He’s having a hard time breathing. I really...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Machines for Sleep Apnea
Question: Female, 37 years old, Deletion subtype I have Prader-Willi syndrome and wanted to know what is the correct machine use for obstructive sleep apnea in people like me. I currently have a CPAP machine and just recently had a sleep study done. The doctor said I have the wrong machine and need a BiPAP...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Interventions for Rectal Picking
Question: Male, 20 years old, UPD Our son, 20 years old, UPD, since his childhood presented one of the characteristics of the Syndrome: SKIN PICK. We have treated him with multiple creams and therapeutic aids. But now, he started with the ANAL skin pick, and it is being very difficult for us to handle these...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Expectations with PWS
Question: Female, 1 month old, unknown subtype My baby is 1 month old, and the diagnosis showed Prader-Willi. I want to ask if there are people with mild symptoms and also if there are people who are independent. Can a person be diagnosed with Prader Willi but live a normal life? Nurse Lynn Response: Thank...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Memory, Confabulation, and Aging in PWS
Question: Female, 58 years old, Deletion subtype My daughter will be 58 on Jan. 14, 2025. I am interested in any information on older PWS persons. She lives in Canada. We have no APWSA anymore. She seems to be having issues with memory, confabulation, and possibly early dementia. Is this normal? Nurse Lynn’s Response: Memory...
Ask Nurse Lynn: Using Sign Language
Question: Male, 6 years old, Deletion subtype Understanding my son would have a speech impairment and rarely made sounds as a baby we took the chance with ASL, American Sign Language, as a tool to teach him expressive language. Early on when he was physically able to start making signs, we saw that our son...