Hi Folks!  Hope we're doing this right.  Since we're new, please send advice and
corrections if we step on any group or net etiquette.  PLEASE.

Don was diagnosed with PD 4 years ago.  He now takes 4 1/2 to 5 25/250 Sinemet
CRper day (suddenly upped by neurologist last summer from 5 25/100's) plus 2 .5
Eldepryl plus 2 Artane (Trihexesomething).  He works full-time in an executive
position, is doing well with his job, loves working,  will be 70 next month, has
no thoughts  of retiring.  He was doing okay with careful attention to his meds,
diet, rest, relaxation etc.  I believe he has shown a decline in several
symptoms since he began the higher doses of  Sinemet and we have been working in
a vacuum this year trying to find ways to lessen it and its effects on him.

A lot of additional fatigue led to physical, which  led to diagnosis of
prostate cancer with probable metasis but no other site showing yet.  He is with
a nationally renowned urologist/oncologist and is undergoing pre-surgical
treatment with a total testosterone blocker.   The urologist feels that he is
responding extremely well to this cancer shrinking treatment.  Tests show cancer
has now apparently limited to just the prostate - perhaps the nodes.  With this
response, the prognosis for successful surgery and cure  is good.  Surgery is
scheduled for mid-August to remove the prostate, lymph nodes.  Advanced surgical
techniques should protect him from urinary incontinence as a previously common
side-effect of this surgery that we understand could cause a lot of problems
with PD.  We are very grateful and hopeful now of his chances for a complete
"surgical cure"  or certainly at least several years of cancer symptom-free
living according to the surgeon .

PROBLEM:  As his body is devoided of all testosterone (for the next few months),
his Parkinson's is getting worse and worse.  He seems to be  in complete
"on-off" tremor pergatory along  with new balance/falling problems, "fogged/like
I'm in a trance" symptoms, "can't think of the word I want" and some "why am I
awake and unable to sleep suddenly in the middle of the night" symptoms.  The
internist is concerned about a weight loss and is trying to get him pumped up
for surgery on a complete vitamin, mineral, fiber regimen.  WITH HIS PD SLIPPING
SO BADLY, HE IS WEARING DOWN, NOT RELAXED OR BUILDING UP FOR THIS SURGERY.  We
are concerned.

We were relatively uniformed about Parkinson's before last fall when his
symptoms became so much more pronounced and his meds no longer seemed to hold
them.  He was put on Permax briefly but had severe involuntary twisting, facial
distortions, and jerking on it.  Then he was prescribed the ARTANE which
affected his concentration so we have him down to only 1/2 tablet once a day or
twice if nothing else stops the tremors (it no longer really works well either).
Now nothing works for longer than an hour and a half -- except of course for
blessed sleep. We are trying 1/2 Sine. every 2 hours, 1/4 every 1 hour,
considering cutting back on the 2 Eldepryl per day, contemplating the vitamins,
Don is trying to "feel" his need for meds, exercising on his treadmill, and
working on meditation, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE ARE DOING and things seem to
just be getting worse.

 The neurologist has not mentioned any problems with surgical drug interactions
or surgical complications caused by PD and offers no assistance or affirmation
that the testosterone blocker would cause Don such problems.  The internist
hasn't mentioned anything about vitamin/mineral interactions.  The urologist is
great for what ails Don "below the waist" but has expressed no concern about
what ails him "above the neck".   We live in a snall central Florida town and
travel to NY for the neurologist (Mt. Sinai) and go to Sylvester Cancer
Institute in Miami for the urology/oncologist.  The internist is local.

Other than the PD, he has been totally healthy and physically fit all his life.
So have I.   We were ignorant of patient responsibility  and just trusted that
he should do exactly as his neurologist (whom he saw every six months or
telephoned with extreme problem) told him.  We know better now and, since last
fall, are trying to take the responsibility for his treatment back where it
belongs -- with us.  We have read a lot and are trying to learn but one day of
reading the net resources material and now reading today's 55 list entries from
you all  has shown us that we know absolutely nothing!

HHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!

 We need to learn.  Things are really falling apart with the PD.  We worry how a
post-surgery recovery can be successful with these increased PD symptoms.

We know that many of you have lived with far more for far longer than he is
trying to live with and we truly are grateful for all of the good health we have
enjoyed all our lives.  We realize our problems could be much worse--and that
with PD we can expect them to get much worse.   But we would really appreciate
any information, wisdom, and direction that you would share with us now.   It is
such a blessing to have found out through a friend that you exist -- especially
right at this point in time.

Don and Glenna from Kissimmee, Fl.