Charles,
Our E-s passed in the airwaves. You make a good point, and I quit smoking
because it was killing me.  I do know someone who has cautiously tried
"smokeless tobacco" and reports clear symptomatic improvements after a
short trial period.  I guess part of me thinks "what the hell, could it
get any worse."

Each of us has to make our own judgment calls.

Chuck

On Tue, 18 Apr 2000 14:34:07 -0400 Charles Williams
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Are you sure that nicotine itself is the protective agent? An article
> (albeit a very brief article) in New Scientist referred to
> 'substances in
> smoke that inhibit the enzyme. They isolated a compound that blocks
> MAO's
> activity in the test tube...' So maybe it's something else in the
> smoke
> other than nicotine. If so, patches won't help. And isn't it proven
> that
> taking up smoking after PD has started is not effective in slowing
> progression? Tell me if I'm wrong - please.
>
> Charles
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles E Murray <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 18 April 2000 01:20
> Subject: Re: nicotine patches
>
>
> >I've thought about the irony of quitting smoking 15 years ago, then
> >running marathons and triathlons, only to be diagnosed with PK a
> year ago
> >at 58 after symptoms developed for several years.  The irony is all
> my
> >ancestors on my maternal side have used tobacco into their 80s and
> are
> >still going strong.
> >
> >I read the same nicotine material at NPF site and another PK
> website.  I
> >know one PK who claimed improvement in symptoms while using
> nicotine (via
> >snuff or whatever its called) after being nicotine free for many
> years.
> >I'd sure like to hear from anyone with first hand experience with
> patches
> >or other non-smoking delivery system (gum, whatever).
> >
> >My doc acknowledges the research  but still thinks the negatives
> >outweight the positives.  With an 86 year old uncle using those
> little
> >tobacco pouches (he quit smoking at about 78) and in good health
> for his
> >age, I have mixed feelings about avoiding nicotine, especially if
> it
> >helps symptoms as well as being probably neuroprotective.
> >Chuck
> >