Hi,

I haven't forgotten you--last 2 days not good--will give you a better
reply soon--please understand that I am not a health professional but I
pay close attention.  Therapeutic dose of requip starts about 6-7 mg/day,
which is more or less equal to about 1 and 1/2 mg of Mirapex per day --
1/2 3 t/day--I would start requip lower than 6--may just 1 3 t/day, but
again I'm not the Dr.  Mirapex and REquip both have starter kits which
get you started slowly--why not do that--if it's too rough, as the Dr if
you can adjust it and go more slowly--or you/she may be able to tolerate
Requip or another agonist right from the start.  Don't expect it to have
much if any at doses lower than about 7mg/day, but Patience is the name
of the game.  That's all for now, but that's pretty much what I have to
offer.  Be glad to answer questions to the best of my ability and
experience.

good luck,
Charlotte

On Sun, 4 Aug 2002 17:16:29 -0500 patandpaula <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
> Charlotte, I am talking to my mothers dr about requip,  would you
> mind
> telling me what is the lowest dosage to start out with?  that way
> she can
> get used to it hopefully.  i doubt if she will be affected with
> diahreah, as
> she has been severely constipated her entire life, so hopefully she
> wont
> have too bad side affects.  thanks  paula
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "charlotte A mancuso" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 5:13 PM
> Subject: More ideas--Fw: Re: ALTERNATE DIAGNOSIS? ANY IDEAS?
>
>
> > I forgot to say--agonists are hard to get used to, but for me,
> they were
> > well worth it--try again slowly and stick with it--it may take 2
> or 3
> > months. Side effects are a price you pay on the way to
> improvement,
> > within reason.  I was doubled up with cramps and diarrhia on
> Requip--I
> > got over it, and wouldn't give up my Requip for anything! Also,
> when I
> > got worse, I dropped Comtan--(Tasmar alternative, but not stored
> in
> > liver--no blood tests); Dr. had me go back on Comtan, increased my
> > Sinemet--(we were sparing simemet as much as possible so as not to
> > trigger dyskinesia)--and I improved, though I wasn't as advanced
> as you
> > describe your friend.  However, it seems to me that lots of
> mainstream
> > meds are not being tried--also he may be experiencing
> dystonia--the
> > turned in hand and curled fingers?--try Baclofen--it's an MS drug
> that
> > works for PWPs with dystonia.  I use it successfully for hand and
> foot
> > turning in and my toes going upward.  PWPs do get dystonia, and it
> worked
> > for me.
> >
> > Good luck,
> >
> > Charlotte Mancuso
> >
> > --------- Forwarded message ----------
> > From: charlotte A mancuso <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 14:22:38 -0700
> > Subject: Re: ALTERNATE DIAGNOSIS? ANY IDEAS?
> > Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > Is he taking large quantities of vitamins containing vitamin A or
> > drinking lots of carrot juice? I believe too much and it will turn
> your
> > skin yellow/orange--one literally starts to look like a carrot.  A
> friend
> > of mine did this many years ago. And I think vitamin A is stored
> in the
> > liver.
> >
> > My memory of this is a little sketchy. Katherine Holden:  can you
> weigh
> > in on this in case my memory is failing me?
> >
> > Charlotte Mancuso
> >
> > On Sun, 4 Aug 2002 13:03:19 -0400 WILL JOHNSTON
> <[log in to unmask]>
> > writes:
> > > There is a young onset PD man in our support group who has had
> PD for
> > > about
> > > 10 years for sure, probably longer (current age 51).
> > >
> > > He has been taking Sinemet for years, and it has usually been
> > > effective. He
> > > has taken various agonists in past years, and they produced
> > > undesired
> > > side-effects. He had a palidotomy about 5 years ago which
> produced
> > > favorable
> > > results for about 3 1/2 years.
> > >
> > > About a year ago he took a considerable turn for the worse:
> > >
> > > He was also taking Tasmar [and getting liver function tests from
> > > time to
> > > time which were uniformly negative for problems] when,
> > > over a period of about two weeks he gradually lost his ability
> to
> > > stand
> > > alone or  walk. The fingers on one hand curled  in, and the
> fingers
> > > will not
> > > extend out even with considerable force.  The changes seemed
> much
> > > too fast
> > > for PD, but much too slow for a stroke. He is still mentally
> sharp.
> > > When I
> > > helped take him for an MRI [no problems seen in MRI pictures],
> his
> > > arms and
> > > hands were yellow. [For those who can remember when
> oleomargerine
> > > was white
> > > and came with a yellow-orange dye packet: The color was just
> like
> > > the dye
> > > when the margerine was partly pale yellow and partly orangey -
> the
> > > orangey
> > > color.] I immediately thought juandice, but his eyes were very
> clear
> > > and the
> > > eyeballs were very white. {This symptom disappeared  in a very
> few
> > > days.}.
> > >
> > > There are deer and ticks in his yard.  I thought Lyme disease.
> Lyme
> > > disease
> > > is seen frequently in our area.  I understand he was tested for
> Lyme
> > > and
> > > test was negative.  The MD's are stumped?  Any ideas?
> > >
> > > Will J.
> > >
> > >
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> >
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