At 08:35 PM 11/8/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Subject: Who's Afraid of Levodopa
>
>Hello folks,
>           I keep seeing comments in mail to the list along the following
>lines:
>
>* Has anyone (not on sinemet) had success in reducing tremor....etc
>
>* I do not wish to use Sinemet as yet but would like to try an agonist....
>
>* Once a person starts Sinemet there is no turning back...
>
>* He feels that a person builds a resistance to it ....
>
>I Would like to set the record straight.  The following comments have the
>agreement of many neurologists, and I discussed the subject today with a
>highly respected neurologist,in the course of a long conversation. None
>of what I say here is new - in fact the same subject was debated  in this
>forum only a few months ago. At that time, several people felt that what I
>was saying was so far out that they went straight to their neurologists
>to get their comments, and several of you were good enough to report back
>to me that their neuros had endorsed what I said. Nobody came back with a
>dissenting comment from am authoritative source.
>
>Nonsense no.1 Put off the introduction of levodopa for as long as you can
>     because it will be of more use later when things are getting worse.
>     WRONG : Early introduction of levodopa has nothing whatever to do
>     with difficulties in getting the dosages right in later years.  The
>     simple fact is that PD is a Degenerative disease: It always gets
>     worse: It never gets better, and as the number of functioning dopamine
>     -producing cells gets ever smaller, so the difficulty of bridging the
>     gap with tablet-derived levodopa become more difficult. ( I have
>     produced a chart which illustrates this process - many of you already
>     have copies.)
>
>Nonsense no. 2. Once started,there is no turning back. Let's accept that
>     there are a few people who have the misfortune to have a bad reaction
>     to levodopa. Fortunately they are vey few, and thhey have my sympathy.
>     I don't know of anyone else voluntarily giving up levodopa once
>     started , for the simple reason that it works! And don't forget that
>     it is replacing a missing substance (Dopamine) with ....more Dopamine.
>     Why oh why are people happy to tank up on alien chemicals with lists
>     of potential adverse reactions as long as your arm, and yet shy away
>     from a chemical which occurs naturally in the brain?
>        If you are one of those people who think that it is not "natural"
>     unless you take the chemical as part of your diet, then go ahead and
>     eat Fava beans. They contain the genuine article, just like in the
>     tablets.  The only snag is that you must eat about two buckets full
>     a day, and you won't have many friends left......
>     Levodopa is not addictive, unlike Selegeline for example (- produces
>     amphetamine in the brain)
>
>
>Nonsesense no.3. The brain builds up an immunity to levodopa, requiring
>     more and more levodopa. WRONG.  All the available evidence shows
>     that the minimum quantity of dopamine required by the brain to
>     function correctly remains essentially constant ( it may rise very
>     slightly). Of course, as more brain cells die, so more 'external'
>     levodopa will br required to compensate.
>
>Nonsense no. 4 I can get by without levodopa, just using Artane,  Permax,
>     Bromocriptine, Amantadine, etc....
>     WRONG.  OK, inthe first year or two or maybe more if you are 'lucky'
>     enough to have the slowly deteriorating type of PD, you can manage
>     (just) to combat the symptoms. However what have you achieved by this
>     great effort? For the first ten years after I started on levodopa, I
>     played a fairly good game of Badminton to keep fit. ( Finally had to
>     stop with an inflamed rotator cuff tendon). The simple fact is that
>     a lot of compounds will allieviate the symptoms, simply becuse it
>     only needs a little push to top up the missing quantity. AND don't
>     forget those side effects !!
>
>     Of course, dopamine agonists have their place in the game: used as an
>     adjunct to levodopa, they seem to take the place of Dopamine in a
>     relatively small small number of cells, allowing a slight reduction
>     in levodopa, thus widening the target 'window' that we are aiming at.
>     However, the effect is small compared to levodopa.
>
> I know that I must sound like a commercial for Sinamet, but I am just
> putting the facts in their proper perspective. I know that I can expect
> some lively debate so come on all you doubters - my cards are on the
> table.
>
>Regards,  Brian Collins
>
Brian:

Most of us on the listserv would be basket cases without Sinemet.  I know I
would be --if still live, warm, & breathing.  It is hard and frightening to
think of a week without Sinemet.. A day would be bad enough  and a month
could well be curtains.
WILL JOHNSTON   4049 OAKLAND SCHOOL ROAD
                SALISBURY, MD 21804-2716
                410-543-0110
Pres A.P.D.A.  DelMarVa Chapter
63  Dx1991 Symptoms 1971

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