I have been on Mirapex and SInament for about 5 years.  Also take Azlect l in the am.  It all seems to keep me 
going and not any great side effects.  SOmetimes sleepy and insominia.  But I am a night owl. Need only about
7 hrs.  DO water arobics twice a week.  Just keep moving. 






-----Original Message-----
From: haphill <[log in to unmask]>
To: PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Dec 5, 2010 2:00 am
Subject: Re: Mirapex and going Solo Sinemet


I've been on Mirapexin for a couple of years- it gives me insomnia, which is 
dd. no annoying hallucinations but the compulsions are a bit tiresome.
Quoting Karol Klim <[log in to unmask]>:
> Paul, Your comments agreed with my physician's explanation of why I am on
 Mirapex.  I am concerned though regarding the many possible side effects of
 Mirapex.  The list is long.  I also am not driving as of now until I see
 whether I have any issues with extreme drowsiness or sudden onset of sleep.
 Attempted to get my physician to put sleep issues side effects down on his
 letterhead and he would not do so for my employer.  He listed all the other
 side effects, compulsions and hallucinations, but strayed away from
 indicating the sudden onset of sleep or extreme drowsiness issue.  My
 employer for now has been agreeable to me working at home.
 
 I am just wondering how I would do if I came off Mirapex and kept at same
 level of Sinemet.  I started both at same time and therefore have no way to
 judge how much more relief I am getting with Mirapex.  
 
 I would love to have any other resources or sites that you may have.  I've
 just been diagnosed at 53, although looking back think this has been going on
 for about six years but I didn't know the source of problem.  It started with
 gastro problems and frozen right shoulder.  I have seen about every
 specialist until I finally got diagnosed.  
 
 take care, and thank you for the information.  Karol
 
 --- On Thu, 12/2/10, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
 From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
 Subject: Re: Solo Sinemet
 To: "Karol Klim" <[log in to unmask]>
 Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010, 9:16 PM
 
 Karol:
  
 PD is very much a designer disease and although each of us will likely see  
 most of the symptoms eventually, they will show up at different times in 
 each of  our disease progression's and affect each of us with different 
 intensities. The  effect of the different medications available  also varies
 with 
 each  individual although it is generally conceded that Sinemet is the 'gold
 
 standard'  addressing more symptoms for more people than any other. But it 
 has an eventual  downside for most PWP and that is the onset of Dyskinesia 
 after an individual's  drug limit is reached (observe Michael Fox for 
 example). This limit varies  with everyone and I don't think it can be 
 pre-determined but for most PWP  it takes a number of years of increasing
 doses at ever 
 shortening  intervals. 
  
 Mirapex is one of a family of drugs called Dopamine  Agoniststs. Another 
 would be Requip. Both usually produce the same PD  mitigation results but 
 sometimes have different side effects for  different PWP's. I took Requip for
 
 the first 5 years (as I recall) and quit  because I had constant edema in my
 
 legs. I am a PWP, not an MD so you  have to take my rambling as being 
 unofficial, but it is my understanding  that current practice is to start
 with a 
 Dopamine Agonist to postpone or delay  the start of Sinemet and stay with the
 
 Agonist until something (side  effect, inefficiency) requires you to  switch
 
 to Sinemet.
  
 Here's some info from Wikipedia:
  
 _Dopamine agonist -  Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_ 
 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_agonist)  
  
 The Parkinson List Serv is a good way to keep current. There are other  
 sites you can join at no cost to keep getting updated. Let me know if you
 would 
  like a list
  
 Paul
  
  
  
 In a message dated 12/2/2010 02:00:19 Eastern Standard Time,  
 [log in to unmask] writes:
 
 Karol
 
 I don't take Sinemet at all.  I had DBS in 2003  and that stopped the 
 tremors.  Sinemet only helped on the first  dose.  I've tried it many times. 
 
 Took it when batteries died this  summer  so I could move a little, but
 doesn't 
 seem to help at all now  that my batteries have been replaced.
 
 DBS is great for tremor; doesn't  help all that much for balance, 
 bradykinesia, micrographia and makes voice  worse, but its worth it to me.  I
 had 
 botox recently for leg dystonia but  it doesn't seem to have helped.  Some 
 people  with PD find botox  helpful for dystonia.
 
 Ray
 
 
 From: Karol Klim 
 Sent:  Wednesday, December 01, 2010 3:55 AM
 To: [log in to unmask] 
 Subject:  Solo Sinemet
 
 
 Hello, I am 53 years of age and  have been recently diagnosed with PD and 
 am taking .75 of Sinemet and .75 of  Mirapex.  I would like to see how I 
 would do with just taking Sinemet  alone.  I am concerned about the side
 effects 
 of Mirapex, particularly  the "sudden onset of sleep" possibility while 
 driving.   It sounds  like you have had a lot of success with only taking 
 Sinemet at a very low  dosage.  Is this true or have you had some tremors and
 
 rigidity?  I  would like to do the same, if possible.  thanks for your
 help.   
 Karol
 
 
 
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