HA! That's a likely story! The truth finally has come out. Freudian still
reigns!

(P.S. If you are not the most knowledgeable and/or arrogant, you certainly
are one of the funniest on the list!)

> ----------
> From:         Barb_MSN[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:         Tuesday, April 11, 2000 2:40 AM
> Subject:      Re: PD Med's Question
>
> OYE!!!!! <--- Barb smacks self on forehead!  I GOOFED!  I had
> meant to say I"m NOT the most PD-knowledgeable amongst the List
> members, but have SOME knowledge 'bout the disease after all these
> years living with it/
>
> That' "NOT" not being there sure made me sound arrogant!  WHEW!!!
> T'ain't that when it comes to this steeeenkin disease.
>
> Barb Mallut
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 12:29 AM
> Subject: Re: PD Med's Question
>
>
> >Hi Sue....
> >
> >First of all, there's never been a "posting limit" on this List
> >that I know of, and I've been logging on daily for 'bout 6 years
> >or so.
> >
> >If there IS a limit to the number of messages one can post at a
> >time then SOME of us are in BIIIIIIIG trouble! <grin>
> >
> >So relax, m'dear, and post away - get it all out and know you can
> >count on the folks here on the List to be supportive as well as
> >knowledgeable about our mutual adversary, Parkinson's Disease.
> >
> >Regarding your questions, please keep in mind that I'm not an MD,
> >but rather have had PD for 25 of my 57 years.   I"m the the most
> >"up" on the disease whom you'll hear from over the next few days,
> >but I have a more than a little general information.
> >
> >Your question #1:
> >
> >Your mom should be seen and diagnosed by at least once by a
> >neurologist who is a "movement disorder specialist.  This time
> >might be the best time for for your mother to see this type of
> >specialist since you both have unanswered questions with her
> >current neuro.
> >
> >There's one easy way to find out if someone has PD
> >and that's to give them Sinemet (the "gold standard"
> >of  PD drugs).  If it dosn't work then mom almost
> >certainly doesn't have PD.
> >
> >As far as PD not being diagnosable at "this stage,"
> >there ARE noticable symptoms and a half-way decent
> >neuro SHOULD be able to diagose your mother
> >based upon those symptoms.
> >
> >Question #2:
> >
> >Parkinson's CAN be inherited, tho it's not terribly
> >common to find familiel PD families on every street
> >corner.  There are lots of folks here in the List and at
> >many of our local PD support groups who know someone
> >ARE someone who's the third or forth direct decendant of
> >someone or other in their family to have PD, or one
> >of the other PD-like diseaes, referred to as
> >"Parkinson's Plus."
> >
> >Question #3:
> >
> >Mom's neurologist is just plain wrong!   See
> >above response....
> >
> >Hang in there, Sue.  And the next time you go to or
> >speak with mom's neuro or  another MD who might
> >see her, go armed with a list of all your, AND a
> >portable tape recorder (if possible) so you can tape
> >the MD's response.   It's SOOOO easy to forget
> >to write down the doctor's response to those questions.
> >his way you won't have to worry about rushing to write
> >it all down.
> >
> >Hang in there, Sue, and hugs to mom 'n you...
> >
> >Barb Mallut
> >[log in to unmask]
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Sue George <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> >Date: Monday, April 10, 2000 8:44 PM
> >Subject: Re: PD Med's Question
> >
> >
> >>Morning all.  I feel nervous of ... posting a query ... (very
> >ignorant about
> >>it all) ... but ... would like to ask:
> >>
> >>My mother has uncontrollable tremors that are getting worse.  My
> >grandfather
> >>had similar tremors but was never diagnosed as having PD, in
> >fact, for all
> >>we know, it was never diagnosed as anything.  He died at 87 ...
> >with bad
> >>enough tremors that he couldn't write and had difficulty walking
> >... but
> >>other than that ... quite ... healthy (if that's the word?).
> >Anyway ... mum
> >>has now got these tremors and they are getting worse and she's
> >been to the
> >>doctor and then the neurologist ... who said ... "it isn't
> >hereditary" and
> >>"there isn't any real way to diagnose it at this stage" but "you
> >could have
> >>it and a i can't say that you haven't got it and we'll just have
> >to wait and
> >>see what happens".  I'm paraphrasing here and from mum's
> relating
> >of the
> >>conversation but .. that's about it.
> >>
> >>Mum feels anxious and upset about it and believes, i think, that
> >she
> >>definitely had PD ... that it is just a matter of time before it
> >is
> >>diagnosed.  This is just her "feeling" but it is still a very
> >difficult time
> >>for her.
> >>
> >>Anyway ... i got onto the net ... found your list ... and i was
> >wondering if
> >>someone could help me understand a few things:
> >>
> >>(i) i found some sites on the net where they were advertising or
> >talking
> >>about diagnosis services (imaging, dna) .... are these useful
> ...
> >why not
> >>recommended by the doctor?
> >>
> >>(ii) i also read on the net that PD was not normally thought to
> >be
> >>hereditary ... which made me wonder ... "then how can they use
> >dna
> >>diagnosis?  what is that about?"
> >>
> >>(iii) also, if PD isn't hereditary ... then perhaps the
> >neuromuscular
> >>disorder that mum and grandpa have/had is not PD but something
> >else?  what
> >>are the other neuromuscular disorders which cause this sought of
> >symptom?
> >>
> >>This seems like too many questions.  Sorry.  I feel like i
> >suddenly have a
> >>thousand questions?
> >>
> >>I hope it is OK to post so many at one time.
> >>
> >>thanks
> >>sue
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Nancy Burnham <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: [log in to unmask]
> <[log in to unmask]>
> >>Date: Tuesday, 11 April 2000 10:33
> >>Subject: Re: PD Med's Question
> >>
> >>
> >>>In the very beginning Don's doctor prescribed Artane.  We read
> >the side
> >>>effects and decided to keep the tremors.
> >>>
> >>>Nancy B  cg for Don 66/17
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 5:32 PM
> >>>Subject: Re: PD Med's Question
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> On Sun 09 Apr, plmaddux wrote:
> >>>> > Hi Folks,
> >>>> > After having a tremor for 4 1/2 years I decided to try
> >taking a med
> >>>> > prescribed by my doctor. He thought that Artane was the
> most
> >approiate
> >>>drug
> >>>> > for my symptoms, that being a left side tremor. I had been
> >taking
> >>>Benadryl
> >>>> > which was giving me some relief but it was not helping much
> >and I was
> >>>> > beginning to have a headache all the time.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Hello Lanier, Re your 1st paragraph :    You show me a doc.
> >who thinks he
> >>>> can select an appropriate treatment based on the patients
> >symptoms, and
> >>>> I'll show you a fool !
> >>>>
> >>>> Artane is an Anticholinergic drug. It blocks the production
> of
> >>>acetylcholine
> >>>> (another neurotransmitter) The reasoning (!!) is that if
> there
> >is less
> >>>> acetylcholine , it may make more room fpr Dopamine. I was
> >prescribed
> >>>Artane
> >>>> immediately upon diagnosis, and I think went up to 10 mg in
> >the first
> >>year
> >>>> (Well it was 21 years ago). Of course at that time, I thought
> >that they
> >>>> knew what they were doing.  I suppose there was a slight
> >reduction in
> >>>tremor
> >>>> but it was never in control . I made a fuss and was switched
> >to Sinemet,
> >>>> which I urge you to do also.
> >>>> Regards,
> >>>> --
> >>>> Brian Collins  <[log in to unmask]>  (60/39/34)
> >>>>
> >>>
>