It sounds like your husband's condition is similar to my husband's.  The
Clozaril has been a life-saver!!!  Have you discussed the possibility of
anti-depressants with his doctor?  My husband has found Zoloft to be very
helpful in making him feel happier.

Miriam L. Denham
[log in to unmask]


On Thu, 2 May 1996, Vesta Buetow wrote:

> >Date: Thu, 02 May 1996 22:12:34 -0500
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >From: Vesta Buetow <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> >        I would like to thank everyone who gave me help and good advice.
> It is really good to know one is not alone.
> >        My husband has always been a pessimist--his glass is always half
> empty while mine is always half full--and having PD is no help.
> >        Do your patients have problems thinking straight some times?  We
> were farmers and Art still wants me to do something with calves in the
> middle of the night and we now live in town.  He relates with TV too much
> and it is hard to find a program he can watch that does not become living
> real--even a western with John Wayne!
> >        He is also on a drug called Clozaril which is an anti-hallucinator
> most successfully used with schizophrenics.  Before he took this medicine,
> Art would beat the bed trying to kill the bugs.
> >        Clozaril is a very highly controlled medicine that affects the
> white blood count.  Art has blood drawn every Tuesday, the blood is sent to
> the lab at the local hospital and the results are faxed to the pharmacy and
> the doctor.  If the count is 4.3 or above then on Wednesday I am able to get
> 7 pills for the week. The next week the same thing happens and again I get 7
> pills.  The control is coming from the company that produces the drug.  The
> doctor says it is because they are afraid of a lawsuit.  If the blood count
> is low, I cannot get the medicine for 4 weeks!
> >        His only PD medicine is Sinimet CR and he takes this 3 times a day.
> He was also on Eldepryl but when we did not notice much difference, the
> doctor stopped it as it was a very expensive medication to be doing little
> or no good for Art.
> >        We take advantage of the Home Health services of the local
> hospital.  Art gets a bath 3 times a week as well as the nurse coming to
> draw blood.  We also get meals on wheels which is a big help.
> >        I am classified as totally bionic--I have 2 artificial hips and 2
> artificial knees--all surgery needed because of advanced Osterarthritis.  I
> get along fine but I need lots of exercise.  So I get it in the form of
> Water Exercise Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I lead the group at
> 8:00 every morning and I have a lady come in to stay with Art.  It is my
> only time to be with others and I need that as much as I enjoy it.
> >        Thanks for letting me get so much off my chest.  I will wait and
> watch to "hear" from more of you
> >
> >        Vesta
> >
>