Dear List-Family...

To recap my initial Mirapex experience, week one on 1/2 tablet 3 times daily
had no noticeable PD symptom benefits or side effects.  Week two, after
reducing my Sinemet intake a bit, 1 whole Mirapex tablet 3 times daily was
HELL and I discontinued the drug.

Thanks to advice from Ivan S. I went back to my usual Sinemet dosage and
continued with the Mirapex, beginning again at square-1, since I'd been off
the drug for about a week.

TODAY:   For the past few days I've noticed more energy (tho this MIGHT be
attributed to cooler weather as the terrible summer heat had a very negative
effect upon me), which means I'm feeling the impetus to do more.  And in doing
more, I notice I'm not completely wiped for two or three days (or a week or 10
days!( out AFTER doing more.

I look at this desire to do more - and I mean doing things around the home as
much as I mean getting out of the house - as a reawakening of the response to
various external stimuli.

THE POSSIBLE NEW BENEFIT (?):   THIS is an oddity and may be purely
coincidental, however, I felt I should mention it and to get any reaction
and/or input this group may have.

For the past 3 1/2 years I've suffered extremely severe, intermittent bursitis
pain in my left (primary) shoulder due to a torn rotator cuff.   The 2
orthopedists I saw presumed the torn rotator cuff and ensuing bursitis is part
of the PD as apparently about 50% of all PD patients end up suffering from
this problem over the course of the disease.

My bursitis has been treated with periodic cortisone injections which USUALLY
bring relief for a 2-3 months.   When the bursitis kicks-up, I stand the pain
as long as I can (another 2-3 months) and then the cortisone treatment is
repeated.

Recognizing that long-term use of cortisone can be as detrimental as the
benefits are good, my ortho nonetheless prefers to rely on IT rather than
resorting to surgery which he says apparently doesn't have that high of a
"cure-rate" in those with PD.  To ME, this is been putting off the inevitable
because I certainly cannot continue having cortisone injections for the rest
of my life!!!

NOW.... I had the beginnings of a major bursitis flare-up when I started the
Mirapex.  As I went into the second week of the drug, I noticed that literally
in ONE INSTANT - as I sat there in stunned wonder,  the bursitis and pain
simply completely disappeared.... just seemed to flow away in mere seconds.

I know that Mirapex isn't an anti-inflammatory, and it certainly didn't help
the rheumatoid arthritis I have.  So IF the Mirapex is actually the reason the
bursitis stopped so suddenly in the middle of a flare-up - and this IS just a
presumption, and a rebuttable one at that - then it's had an effect on the
UNDERLYING cause of the torn rotator cuff/bursitis which is the Parkinson's
Disease.

Finally, for the first time since I've been troubled by the pain of the torn
rotator cuff and it's accompanying bursitis, I've been able to do things
(WITHOUT DISCOMFORT and/or without whatever I am doing triggering the
bursitis) involving heavy-duty repetitive motion with my left arm (like
polishing lotsa silver or mopping the floors) <errrrrr... not that I wanna
make a career <grin> of mopping the floors but it IS nice to be able to do it
pain-free when it needs to be done!)

Having said all this, I must add that it all may be purely coincidental and
have nothing what so ever to do with the Mirapex (and who knows if the benefit
will last?).  This is where those of you having PD and bursitis in your
shoulder(s) AND who are taking Mirapex need to speak up so we'll have
something to compare my experience to.

Any thoughts on this from ya would be welcome...

Barb Mallut
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