Dear Sr. Meyer:

Hope this one finds you in good espirit.


I'm a 56 yr old male misdiagnosed with Familiar Tremor in Nov. of 2000.  In
March of 2005 I was officially diagnosed with P.D. after a couple of PET
Scans done in North Shore Hospital, NY.  I've been practicing Transcendental
Meditation twice daily for more than 30 yrs, this helps me in more ways than
just the physical...



I take Azilect 1 mg/daily, been taking it for 2 1/2 yrs, prior to this I was
taking Selegiline for 1 yr.  I also have been taking Requip 3 mg x 3/daily
for the last 7 months.  Requip/Ropinirole makes me feel, among other
things, nauseated. I take 2 tbs of organic Red Wheat Bran for constipation
soaked in a glass of water the night before and washed before taking it in
my morning cereal. I walk about 2-3 x wk, drink at least 8 glasses of water
p/day, do some yoga daily, bike 2 x wk and Bow Flex 2 x wk.



I was introduced to MaxGXL about 5 months ago, even though my doctor does
not believe this supplement does anything, everyone around me tells me the
contrary.  Friends who had not seen or talked to me since last Christmas
confirm what I feel and have experienced so far. I have regained the
strength of my voice, I am more focused, my memory has improved a great
deal, I don't have to search for words endlessly when talking, I sleep much
better, I don't wake up at night to go to the bathroom and my dreams are
vivid; why or what are the mechanics to all of the above, I don't know, but
it works just like that. I felt the effects in about 3 wks after I started
on it. This is a supplement that has been granted a 'Compositional Patent'
because of the results obtained by its developer Robert H. Keller, MD, an
Oncologist, Hematologist, Immunologist with a 23 pages long resume.
According to the info I have been able to gather, this supplement increases
the Glutathione (GSH) levels in the cells by up to 292%, causing them to
increase their levels of energy (ATP) and thus, their ability to quench more
and more Free Radicals and many other benefits;  (www.maxgxl.com/133282)



I suggest learning all you can about Glutathione and MaxGXL, if you think it
is for you, order some and try it, it's made a big difference in
my situation, I hope it does even more for others. Below a couple of links I
found on 2 independant MDs talking about Glutathione and its benefits.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDkkzILyZwM  Glutathione treatment for PD



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh2PYQBICWs  Gen info on GSH



Best wishes,



Ernesto Divo,

Miami, FL



On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 9:35 PM, Charles Meyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Jim and List,
>
> *I am a 64 year old  psychiatrist.  who has been off and on this list for
> most of the approximately 15 years of its existence.  I  had been diagnosed
>  with PD in 1989  and retired from practice in 1997.  I also participated,
>  in the double blind  fetal transplant study done around 1997.  I have
> Bilateral DBS STN stimulators  and am wheelchair bound at this time.
>
> I would like to comment on Jim Slattery's excellent summary on his
> experience of psychiatric aspects of PD.  I will comment on the issues he
> brings up one by one
> *
>
>   J/im Slattery wrote:/
>
>>    /Here is my personal view of apparent personality disorders in PD, from
>> my 25    years of having PD, and 10 years of  intensive research. I am not a
>> doctor    of medicine and anything I say here is my personal opinion only.
>>
>>    1. I prefer to use the term "parkinsonism" to avoid needless petty
>> argument    as to whether or not a particular group of symptoms is "true
>> IPD"    (idiopathic Parkinson's Disease). If it looks like a duck, walks
>> like a duck    and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck, though not
>> necessarily an    Anas platyrhynchos. Strange when you think about it, since
>> "idiopathic"    means "arising from an unknown cause". However, PD is
>> quicker, so lets stick    to that./
>>
>
>
> *Comment:  The reason that physicians use the term Idiopathic PD is to
>> differentiate it from other causes of parkinsonism.  There are several
>> parkinsons-like diseases which start out looking like IPD. Most of these
>> have a much worse prognosis than PD.  Also PD symptoms can be caused by
>> certain medications which can be reversed by by stopping the meds.  For the
>> physician it is important to differentiate between these causes of PD in
>> order to properly inform the patient as well as to develop an effective
>> treatment plan.  *
>>
>
>    *
>>    */2. If you look up the drugs used to treat PD and/or its side-effects,
>> you    will find they many of them are "psychotropic" (affecting the mind or
>> mood    or other mental processes). For example selegeline metabolises in
>> the body    to meth-amphetamine, hard to explain if you get pulled over for
>> a traffic    bust!/*
>>    *
>>
>
> *Comment:  Psychotropic  meds  are used in  treatment  of depressed or
> otherwise psychiatrically affected PD patients.  Selegiline is an MAOI
> which is used primaily  in treatment of PD  and generally is not used in
> psychiatry
> *
>
>>
>>
>
>       /3. One of the most often quoted side-effects is "depression"
> (chemically       induced in this case, although it often rides on top of
> depression arising       out of the circumstances of the PWP and family).
>     /
>
>
> *Comment:  This is very true and important to recognize to minimize the
> symptoms and the impairment in general functioning this condition causes!!
> BTW. The depreesion  not a side effect of the medication but is from the PD
> itself.
>
> *
>
>> /* *
>> /
>>
>>    /4. Most PWPs have the so called Parkinson's "facies" (a facial
>>    appearance /
>>    /typical of a particular disorder). A psychologist or psychiatrist
>>    might say /
>>    /they have a "flat aspect", often attributing it to depression,
>>    whereas it is /
>>    /brought about by lack of muscle tone as a direct consequence of PD./
>>
>>
>>
> *Comment: The parkinsons facies and flat affect often  mimics depression
> ans it becomes difficult  to tell them apart even for the experienced
> clinician. .*
>
>    /5. Most PWPs have, at one time or another (often on and off throughout
>> the    day), "anarthria", a partial or total loss of articulate speech,
>> directly    arising from loss of muscle tone in the organs of speech.
>> Paradoxically, the    PWP often thinks they are speaking in a reasonable
>> tone and volume./
>>
>>
>
> C*omment: I believe that dysarthria - difficulty in articulation that is
> due to the dysfunction of the  muscles which are used to form words and
> dysphonia  occur widely in PD-  including me-  and  create a significant
> handicap.  Lee Silverman Voice training can minimize yhese symptoms-
> especially  the dysphonia (or aphonia) which are related  to the vocal
> chords themselves.  Also a symptom I have which is troublesome is word
> finding difficulty and loss of fluof ency of .*
>
>>
>>    6/. The above two symptomspeechs can give rise to a feeling that
>>    the PWP is /
>>    /"disinterested" or "uncaring" about family or personal matters,
>>    whereas they /
>>    /themselves may think they are acting perfectly normally. Children
>>    especially /
>>    /are prone to believe that "Gran doesn't love us anymore."/
>>
>>
>>
> (*Comment: I agree but also can be signs of loss of executive function
> (Explanation to follo*w).
>
>    /7. Again checking the manufacturer's own data, a combination of
>> symptoms    from medication may give the appearance of dementia, or even
>> Alzheimer's    Disease. If this is suspected, a doctor may recommend a "drug
>> holiday"    where, under strict professional supervision, the PWP is taken
>> off all    medication, and they are re-instituted one at a time in small
>> increasing    doses. This is known as drug "titration". This process can be
>> very dangerous    if mishandled, and should only be undertaken by a doctor
>> skilled in the    process./
>>
>>
>
> *Comment:  Alzheimer's Disease is an  irreversible (to date) dementing
> illness where the patient  suffers significant loss of brain cells.  while
> delirium  is an acute problem and may mimic  Alzheimers .  Toxic delerium
> can be  secondary to either one or a combination  of prescription -
> including PD-(or non-prescription) drugs.  It can for instance occur post
> surgery from presumed metabolic causes.  This has happened to several
> friends  one with PD  and one without. .  The PD patient was given
> antipsychotic meds and had her PD meds adjusted while the other  had his
> pneumonia treated. Both resolved completely after several days of  bizarre
> behavior  requiring restraints.
> *
> *I agree with the necessity of having a skilled person- who knows PD and
> psychiatry both- involved with titration of PD meds*
>
>    /8. The difference between dementia or Alzheimer's from natural causes,
>> and    that chemical induced, is that the former is irreversible, where,
>> with care    and skill, the later usually disappears when the causative
>> agent is removed/.
>>
>>
>
> Comment: See above
>
>>
>>    /9. Common or garden variety constipation can be very detrimental
>>    in PD, /
>>    /rendering some medication partially or totally ineffective. For
>>    example /
>>    /l-dopa, the principal ingredient of dopamine-replacement
>>    medication, has a /
>>    /half-life of 30-45 mins. It is induced into the blood stream by
>>    absorbtion /
>>    /from the small intestine, so any delay amounting to more than
>>    about 22 mins /
>>    /between swallowing and absorption may render that dose useless.
>>    Without /
>>    /going into too much detail, PD affects "motility" (movement of
>>    food through /
>>    /the digestive system), the muscle tone of the rectum walls, the
>>    anorectal /
>>    /flap, and the anal sphincter. If constipation persists, the PWP
>>    can become /
>>    /seriously un/dermedicated.
>>
>>
>>
> *Comment: It can be dangerous as well as uncomfotable. It can cause rupture
> of the gut if it goes untreated.  I take Miralax which seems to be
> effective.*
>
>    /10. PWPs seem loath to drink sufficient fluids during the day. Chronic
>>    dehydration can have deleterious effects on the chemical processes within
>>    the brain.
>>     /
>>
>>
>
> *comment:  Agreed*
>
>    /11. PWPs can descend into a mental "fugue", a dream-like state of
>> altered    consciousness that may last for hours or even days unless the PWP
>> is forced    out of it. This might involve definite eye-contact and physical
>>    intervention.
>>
>>    /
>>
>   /C*omment.  This often occurs with "freezing" or going  "off"  and
>   can usually be resolved   with levo-dop*/*a or an agonist,  I am not
>   familliar though with the type that you mention.
>   *
>
>    *12. Dopamine, the substance in short supply in PD, is a member of *the
>>    "catecholamine" chain of neuro-transmitters which contains, among others,
>>    adrenaline, of which dopamine is a precursor, so any excessive stress can
>>    severly deplete the supply of dopamine. The details of these processes
>> are    too complex to go into here.
>>
>>
>
> *Comment:  Agreed*
>
>>
>>    /So, all in all, the business of balancing the salutary effects of
>>    medication
>>    against the deleterious side-effects, coupled with the symptoms of
>>    the
>>    disease, is no easy process, and it is useful to have some
>>    knowledge of the
>>    complexities, whether medical practicioner or carer./
>>
>>
>>
> *Comment:  Agreed  and I certainly believe that  it is necessary to have a
> Movement Disorders Specialisst with whom you are comfortable to treat your
> PD .
>
> Also the type of mental deterioration that is common  in those of us who
> have been diagnosed the longest is loss of executive function  specifically
> deficits in planning and  inhibitory control .  Working memory deficits are
> often noted.  This accounts for my difficulty with flow of speech. .
> Longterm memory  unlike in Alzheimer's Dementia, remains relatively intact .
>
>
> Jim , Thanks for your sharing  your  personal  experience and research .  .
> *
>
> *
> Chsrles T. Meye MD
> Middleton WI*
>
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