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First a P.S. (A Prescript):   If you are categorically opposed to
long posts DELETE now. If you're not interested in theorizing DELETE
now.  If you go ahead and read it anyway, DON'T BLAME ME.

(From:  Your Resident Heretic) a.k.a The Long Ranger minus Tonto AND
Silver . . .See'Cause. . (..A Cause, B Cause..oh well..).. I'm ALLERGIC
to horses . . .and feathers. . . .
Actually this comes to you from my newly erected stainless steel
Quonset hut high up on the ever beautiful and famous NORTH FACE where
there are no airborne allergens....because there is no...AIR....

It was interesting to see how long the last guy lasted who
tried to interrupt the list.  Good job.  It looked like a medical
version of the Unabomber's Manifesto --Ted Kawhatever with a
stethoscope,. . hey, maybe it was a note from ...no...you can't e-mail a
letter bomb, oh well.

Okay, I'll quit.
Back to for serious..

Since you have shown yourselves to be so good at shooting down
fakes, frauds, and even honest mistakes, I personally don't
think anyone has come up with any really substantive reason
that would refute my theory.  Since I think this is one of the
basic reasons the list exists, I'd like to see if anyone can.
Any takers?  Anyone who is not interested just delete any notes
from me. I'll duly label them from the "heretick" so everyone
will know who's speaking & about what.  What I would do would be
put anything evidence that I get (for or against) on the list,
and everyone try to disprove it, or substantiate it, whichever.
I would like to use evidence that comes up incidentally in people's
posts here too if that is okay.  Since Don has already said anybody can
use anything he writes that can help, I think it's okay with him if I
use one of his posts as an example:

donald mckinley wrote:
>
>  vivian should know but don't when i eat i have trouble in breathing through
> my nose. got to stop eating so i can breath. put on my oxegen i do good with
> my eating. hate to say any thing to my nero. does any one else have the
> trouble? this is new to us. thank you.
>
>                               [log in to unmask]
>                               73/26 lima,ohio
>
I would call the currently accepted theory the "Lame Brain Theory" (just
a hint of prejudice, can't help it).  I'll call mine the "NOT" Theory",
unless someone can come up with a better name.

In Don's example I don't know what the "Lamebrainers" would say.
Us "NOT's" would say it's not the fact that he is getting the oxygen
that makes the difference, but rather what he is NOT getting when he
is on the oxygen - airborne allergens.  I just read a post on the
Allergy list where a man with MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
takes oxygen along when he goes to new buildings because of his
extreme sensitivities to the chemicals in building materials.  I also
realized oxygen helped, but didn't have a clue as to why, when I
was taken by ambulance to the  ER when I had a threatened miscarriage.
So whenever I got half a chance I'd ask for oxygen.  The reason was
I believe, that when I was on oxygen I wasn't breathing allergens and
I got better. What do you lamebrainers say??

As with any debate should be rules to keep things on track so here
are some to start with:

1.  We are discussing only WHAT is believed - the theory
not WHO - who believes its.  (Because obviously we could quit right
now otherwise, since it'd be just me - one of a group of people who
as a group are known to HALLUCINATE and be confused and said to be
demented....against all the BRAIN SPECIALISTS of the last century.
Talking about No-BRAINERS.  Let's see, the statistical odds would be
.....eeeeeekk, forget it.  So it's WHAT, not WHO, and that means I can
take no personal offense at anything that is said about my theory.
Purely a fact finding mission.

I will say, though, that I have posted on the Harvard Webforum several
times, the list here, the allergy list at Texas A&M, and the Shy-Drager
list at Vanderbilt, and have talked with neurologists and allergists
at Johns Hopkins and an allergist at UVA, my neurologist, allergist,
and GP, so I feel like I've spread it all over the whole wide world,
or..er. .the whole world wide...WHATEVER. Anyway, nobody has said
anything that is of much substance against it in my opinion.

2.  No GLOBAL condemnations.  They are of no practical use.  You can
only deal with specific reasons.  So you can't say something like,
"It is neurologically unsound."  Or "It conflicts with all the
research in the universe." or "It's goofy", etc.  Only specifics
allowed.

3. Cannot use guesses as to motive as an argument.  Like,
"you're just not accepting PD", or "you're grasping at a straw",
as a reason to dismiss it or a debate point.  Only specific facts.
Or, the usual, "it's all in your head" dismissal.

4.  Can't chicken out.  "The brain is so complicated...I give."
The brain is that, but at least we can see which makes more horse
sense as Don says. And we do have at least part of that complex
thing that is a brain to use to try to figure out ....

And if nobody wants to argue, maybe I'll just take potshots at the
competition. Or post anything I find out that's related to it.

Any truth or fact has an inherent advantage, it agrees with all other
facts, and so the person who is  stating a fact may have it confirmed in
ways that he is not even aware of.  Things will automatically fit.
Conversely a false theory will have phenomenons, questions, & conflicts
spring up all around it. When that is happening I think that it's time
to look over your theory.  It's probably not so great after all.

If you have forgotten what mine is, here is the latest update:
Is this okay?

Thanks
Janet. ([log in to unmask])

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PARKINSON'S DISEASE, MSA & ANAPHYLAXIS???/MY STORY

<P>
The following is my observations, theories, and experiences with Parkinson's
Disease.  I am just another person with Parkinson's.  I'm not an authority or
expert of any kind.  Anaphylaxis is not generally thought of as I am
describing it, (or I wouldn't be writing this) however it is a "multiple
system", "systemic", or "whole body" allergic reaction and as such my M.D.
allergist says he could not say that it could not include neurological symptoms
that are not currently thought of as being a part of a whole body allergic
reaction.

<P>
(PART I) SUMMED UP IN A SENTENCE:
<P>
I believe that airborne allergens cause the Parkinsonian & Multiple System
Atrophy symptoms that I have.

<P>
(PART II) MY THEORY-A SHORT VERSION:
<P>
THE FOLLOWING EXPLAINS WHY I HAVE PARKINSON'S DISEASE IN MY OPINION;
<P>
I have a long list of things that I test positive to on allergy tests.  They
cover such a wide range of substances that I am exposed to some number of my
various allergens to some extent every day.

<P>
I no longer have localized reactions to my known allergens - (sneezing, etc.)
(Even though I was told emphatically by one of the foremost authorities on
allergies in the US, Dr.  Peter Creticos of Johns Hopkins, that I WOULD I
don't.)  He says I WILL REACT because I test positive.  If he is correct then
the Parkinsonian/MSA symptoms that I have MUST be it, because it is the ONLY
reaction that I have-(and that seems to be what happens)

<P>
(And why not?  If the people's air who breathed carbon monoxide caused
it, and the viral encephalitis'people's air caused it,is it not
reasonable to suggest that my air can cause it too?)

<P>
Instead, because of long exposure to a great many of my known allergens, and
probably the "rain barrel" or cumulative effect of all of my allergens, I now
have "multiple system", anaphylactic, or whole body reactions when exposed to
them.

<P>
My IgE blood test shows that I have the potential for producing lots of
histamine when I an exposed to my allergens.

<P>
Since I am exposed to some of my allergens to some extent daily, I produce
histamine & lots of it every day.

<P>
Histamine is a POTENT vasodilator.  Therefore I believe histamine is
responsible for my swelling (edema) in my hands & feet.  I believe it is also
the cause of my low blood pressure (hypotension).  I believe this effect of
histamine is potentially dangerous and could under severe enough circumstances
cause anaphylactic shock, but since I take L-dopa every day (which is
converted to dopamine), and dopamine is used to treat anaphylactic shock, it
counters this potential threat.  I believe the palpitations that I experience
are a result of my heart's effort to compensate for the vasodilation and keep
my vital organs (brain,etc) perfused, to prevent cell damage or death in a
very severe reaction.

<P>
Histamine also causes muscle spasm and I believe it is responsible for the
chronic, sustained cervical (neck) muscle spasm which is shown on my MRI (or
just looking at it for that matter).  I believe this neck muscle spasm in turn
is responsible for my Parkinsonian symptoms, and plays a very crucial role in
my condition.  I believe this because during an 8 week period when I was
taking NO medication at all (due to pregnancy) I could make ALL my
Parkinsonian symptoms GO AWAY briefly, simply by massaging my neck muscles a
very long time with a hand held heat/massager.  (It is also interesting to
note that my movements became jerky right before they became normal - like a
bad electrical connection - there was NO medication involved.  I believe that
the following research:

<P>
  http://hypnos.m.ehime-u.ac.jp/Congress2/CNC.HTM

<P>
also confirms this because the researchers found that under ischemic
conditions, (which I believe exists in my case because of compression of the
carotid arteries due to neck muscle spasms) histamine concentrations in the
striatum rise.  Histamine regulates the concentrations of other amino acid
neurotransmitters in the straitum - GABA, glutamate, etc - and although
dopamine was not specifically mentioned, if it has the same effect on
dopamine, the amount of dopamine in the straitum is reduced by 50-60%.  This
would explain why all my Parkinsonian symptoms went away simply by massaging
my neck muscles:  -no muscle spasm = no ischemia =reduced histamine levels =
increased dopamine levels = alleviation of symptoms.  This also would seem to
provide the ingredients for a vicious, ever worsening cycle or progression of
the disorder.  More histamine (increasing sensitivity to allergens) = more
muscle spasms = more ischemia = more histamine = less dopamine = need more
Sinemet, but because of ever worsening muscle spasm less is getting through to
the substantia nigra.

<p>
(Also, I wonder if the ischemia induced increase in histamine would mean an
automatic proportionate increase in sensitivity, so that even a person who is
usually only mildly allergic would become hypersensitive??)

<P>
When I asked Dr.  Peter Creticos of Johns Hopkins whether histamine could
cause this particular neck muscle spasm he consulted his expert on histamine
receptor sites whose opinion was, no, since there were no histamine receptor
sites in that muscle, however this research and other research that I have
seen seem to suggest that the receptor sites act differently (anomalies) under
ischemic conditions than they normally do.  And also I don't have receptor
sites where I'm supposed to either (nose, etc.) since I don't react there,
even though he emphatically stressed to me that I would since I test positive.
I don't.

<P>
I believe that many of the mental symptoms that I have experienced:
bradyphrenia, anxiety, uneasiness, agitation, confusion, somnolence, lethargy,
insomnia are due to anaphylactic reactions because many of these are
specifically named out in Merck Manual's description of an anaphylactic
reaction & anaphylactic shock.  I also believe this because I have these
symptoms when I am exposed to the things that I am most allergic to (cat
dander, or actually a protein in the saliva of cats), or to be more accurate
the fuller my "rain barrel" is, (cumulative effect of all my allergens)
the worse my symptoms are.

<P>
Here are some things that the Merck Manual says about anaphylaxis and
anaphylactic shock that parallel Parkinsonian symptoms:  (Merck Manual l6th
ed/Merck Research Laboratories copywrite 1992 by Merck & Co.  Inc.)  pg.  438
..(Sudden Death Syndrome??)  .."Tachypnea and hyperventilation are present,
but apnea may be a terminal event when the respiratory center fails owing to
inadequate cerebral perfusion."  pg 438 .."Mentation may be preserved, but
lethargy, confusion, and somnolence are common."  Pg 330 "Vasodilation and
escape of plasma into the tissues causes urticaria (rash) and angioedema..."Pg 331.
"Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and cardiogenic shock may develop if the
reaction is prolonged."  Pg 331 "..the patient feels uneasy, becomes agitated
and flushed, and complains of palpitation, paresthesias..."  It also mentions
laryngeal (voice box) edema, bronchospasm, & incontinence.

<P>
I believe this explanation accounts for the WIDE DISPARITY of symptoms and
course of the disease among Parkinson's patients,and variations under
different circumstances for the same patient.  It accounts for age related,
toxin (only to certain people), environmental, hereditary, and rural reasons
for a cause.

<P>
(PART III-(AT LEAST EIGHT AND ONE HALF YARDS)
<P>
I am 45 years old and was diagnosed with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease in
1992.  The diagnosis was downgraded to Multiple System Atrophy in ~1996.  I
was also diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome during this time.  I also
have had allergy testing done twice during this time and both showed that I
have a number of severe allergies.  One M.D.  allergist estimated that I was
more allergic than 80% of his patients,(even though I have NO typical
allergic symptoms (sneezing, rhinitis, watery eyes,), etc other than a
postnasal drainage.)

<P>
I had a severe episode of depression about the time I was diagnosed in 1992.
My first symptom of Parkinson's was a tremor in my right thumb.  My
medications were Eldepryl and later Sinemet.  I was told that ~80% of the
cells in my brain that produce dopamine were dead and soon they would all be
dead and I must take L-dopa to supply the missing dopamine to relieve my
symptoms.  I accepted this and the disease went on fairly routinely until
1996.

<P>
The first event that made me begin to wonder about my disease and to question
what I had been told about it occurred during the winter of '95-'96.  That
winter we had a blizzard.  I stayed outside quite a while one day sled riding
with my children and began to realize that I was tremendously better.  I had
been very sick and had hardly gone anywhere.  My husband's parents were there
and I was embarrassed because it looked like I was completely normal and had
just been faking illness.  But more than that I was so glad I was so well and
wondered why.  I believe now the reason was that the snowfall had cleared the
air and trapped allergens on the ground and my symptoms alleviated for that
reason.  Back then, I had no idea why it had happened.

<P>
Other similar events occurred around this time.  On two occasions my husband &
children went on trips and to keep from staying home alone I went even though
I was too sick to go.  On both occasions I was much improved.  On one trip my
symptoms did a complete reverse - it was time for my medication and normally I
would be very bad, but instead my symptoms went away for a time.  (I
believe now that there were very specific reasons why these two places were so
good - on one we stayed in a new house, new clothes (because of pregnancy),
higher elevation, cleared, mown grounds, & a lot of time spent outdoors, the
other trip was under similar circumstances - very good allergywise.)  Each
time when we returned home my symptoms were much worse.

<P>
I would like to note briefly here that occurrences like the ones that I am
relating are so common that there is even a name for them - "paradoxical
kinesia".  They are referred to in about every book that I have read on
Parkinsonism.  In Dr.  Duvoisin's "Parkinson's Disease - A Guide for Patient &
Family" Raven Press copywrite 1991 it is discussed on page 37.  (Third
Edition).  These occurences are neatly filed under "Phenomenon".  (shouldn't
happen given what we accept about the disease, but occurs so frequently we
can't deny their existence so we just say, "beats me - I don't have any idea
why it happens..)

<P>
What I am saying is that these "phenomena" have lost some of their
mysteriousness to me.  I believe the "phenomena" that I have experienced are
predictable and repeatable.  Other little puzzling enigmas that I have read
about or experienced myself suddenly become much clearer, in other words when
you are getting closer to the truth, the "head scratcher"things that happen
begin to be more "..sooo...could that be why that happens...hmm" )

<P>
In 1996 I was told I had Multiple System Atrophy because I was showing quite a
bit of evidence of autonomic nervous system involvement, (slow eye focus,
incontinence, low blood pressure, breathing problems, digestive problems, lots
of pain, insomnia were some of the symptoms that I developed during my
ordeal,(though not all of these were present at first) - mental symptoms like
uneasiness, agitation, stuporishness, eventually a 50 lb weight loss, ate only
baby food, it got to the place that it seemed that ALL of my body's systems
were just shutting down.

<P>
In March, 1996 I found out I was pregnant.  It was unreal.  Out of concern as
to what effect my medication would have on the baby, I went off all my
medication for eight weeks at which point I ended up in the ER with a
threatened miscarriage, and generally in BAD shape.  I went back on Sinemet,
but as little as I could get by on for the nine months.  During the eight week
period on NO MEDICATION and suffering much, I found that I could make ALL my
Parkinsonian symptoms go away for a short period of time simply by massaging
my neck muscles a long time with a hand held heat/massager.  Then Pooh logic
takes over - if I have the symptoms because I don't have dopamine then if I
don't have the symptoms I MUST have dopamine.  (Wonderful deductive reasoning!!).
But I prefer this type of reasoning to the kind that throws reality in the
phenomenon bucket when it clashes with theory - I prefer to question theory
rather than reality.  Anyway, since now I had dopamine, what was the problem?
I think I may never know.  -Then I realize that because I am on very minimal
medication that I know under what circumstances my symptoms fluctuate.  The
fluctuations take on a very distinct pattern depending on very specific
circumstances - how much exposure I have to those substances that I have
tested positive for on allergy tests and the one that I am most allergic to -
cat dander - invariably causes the most drastic symptoms.  I am almost totally
convinced that my symptoms are brought on by what I am breathing, though as
with asthma other things - stress, cold, emotion anything that worsens muscle
spasm has the potential for making it worse.

<P>
When I went to my neurologist (who is a movement disorders specialist and very
knowledgable) for an explanation, I had barely got inside his office door and
had not yet uttered a word when he said, "I KNOW what you're going to ask me,
and I DO NOT KNOW the answer."

<P>
Under the assumption that allergies was the cause or at least a major
contributor to my condition, we proceeded to do what we could to reduce my
exposure to allergens.  We literally gutted the whole house, replaced carpets
with hardwoods, took out drapes, linens, clothing, rugs, upholstered
furniture, just about anything that would hold dust was on the "get rid of"
list.  We had been considering some improvements anyway, so we decided to do
it all now, which extended the time and consequently my suffering, so I wished
later on we hadn't.  Anyhow after an unbelievable ordeal of me moving all
around, etc we moved back in.  I knew though that if it were allergy related
the central heat system was going to be a bug-a-boo and it was.  Because of
this we had the ductwork professionally cleaned.  They hooked up a huge vacuum
in the basement and literally pulled air from the upstairs rooms.  I was
sitting in one of the bedrooms upstairs after they left and it was time for my
meds and instead of being bad, my symptoms did another reverse and I became
normal for a few hours.  (The ductwork wasn't so wonderfully clean, but it was
the fact that they had PULLED the air out of the rooms).  This was another
instance that made a lasting impression on me.  After the renovations and
multiple filtering of our central heat/AC system, I improved dramatically.

<P>
I will roughly define the differences in my symptoms by listing my symptoms at
my worst state and how they are now.

<P>
At my worst I had in varying degrees of severity:  (1) Mental symptoms - depression,
anxiety, agitation, confusion, mental fogginess (word search was in slow
motion).  It was like being so sleepy I would have to try hard to make sure
what I said made sense - my children said I was "just there"- stuporishness,
insomnia, inability to concentrate,etc.  (2) Bowel & bladder incontinence at
times.  (3) PAIN -almost exclusively right sided - neck, arm, leg,etc.  (4)
Intermittent loss of hearing, slow eye focus, loss of smell (4) Fifty pound
weight loss - even during pregnancy) (5) Circulatory:  Low blood pressure,
discoloration, swelling,heart palpitations, coldness - right side (6) Right
sided infections - nose, eye, skin, (7) Classic Parkinsonian symptoms -
Tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, right side.  (8) Micrographia - (small
handwriting)(9) Slurred speech, also low volume and slow (10) drooling (11)
Breathing difficulties, etc.

<P>
Now I have no significant mental symptoms, no incontinence, I am gaining
weight and eating about anything, hardly any infections, much less pain,
normal blood pressure, I have regained a portion of normalness that I had
lost, ie driving, taking care of personal needs, taking care of baby, family,
etc.  some cooking & household chores, shopping, at times I have even felt
really good for awhile, and I can make ALL the symptoms go away in a good
enough situation allergywise.

<P>
Here are some more examples:

<P>
I was evaluated by Dr.  Thomas Platts-Mills, an allergist at the University of
Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.  A young doctor took my history and after I
had been in the room ~20 minutes I got really bad.  I could hardly think,
speak or move.  I learned later he had a cat for a pet at home and his clothing
had been worn around him.  Then I was allowed to sit in the "patient sensitive
area".  After ~10 minutes, I was COMPLETELY NORMAL.  Medication was not a factor.

<P>
My husband is a programmer and part of his company manufacturers computer
chips.  A strictly dust-free environment must be maintained in the manufacture
of computer chips because dust can ruin computer chips.  So he got permission
for me to come and visit the chip line to see how it affected me.  I sat in
the "airswept" room where they put on their special lab suits and not in the
line itself so it wasn't perfect but very good, and I was tremendously
improved, almost normal, while there.

<P>
-While staying with a friend of the family for a few weeks I discovered that
if I played "Mrs.  Clean" - washed bedding, gown, cleaned room thoroughly, I
could sleep without pain - (I was on minimal meds because of pregnancy).

<P>
-I stayed in a Courtyard Marriott for several weeks and found that if I went
to the indoor pool/hottub room after the hottub had been in use for a time
that I could move normally for some time (on minimal meds w/pregnancy) but as
soon as the forced air heat came on it was all over.  There are many, many
more examples.

<P>
As the examples show, it appears to be true not only in the extremes but also
in the smaller things - ie rainy days are better, showers help, steamed down
rooms are better, places like golf courses where there are few people and no
animals are better, usually hospital rooms & many doctor's patient rooms are
better because of good filters, hard floors that are regularly cleaned are
better, conversely crowded places are bad, cars or the smaller the enclosed
area is and the more allergens it contains the worse it is, and it is amazing
how many references are incidentally made in books on Parkinson's that I've
read - things like - the patient or spouse telling the doctor that they
couldn't demonstrate the disability because he's so much better at the
doctor's office, or many references to symptoms just disappearing at times for
no identifiable reason, or the fact that showers always help, or a walk, or
that they always avoid crowds,etc.  Also things like time to disability may
vary as much as 30 years on groups of people who all have virtually the same
number of dopamine producing neurons - 0 -begin to make sense.  Added to that
many,many confirmations in my own walking test lab - ie worse in almost every
case when around people who have animals, worse around where concrete work is
done, worse in certain cars, better in model homes, etc & etc.

<P>
I was evaluated by Dr. Stephen Reich of Johns Hopkins in 1997 he said that I
did not have Multiple System Atrophy, just Idiopathic Parkinson's.
So I have gone from a diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson's in 1992 to
Multiple System Atrophy in 1996 and back to Idiopathic Parkinson's in
1997.  I believe all the diagnoses were correct.  The last
Parkinson's specialist I saw was pretty amazed at how well I did on the
neurological tests.

<p>
PART IV - PARKINSON'S PONDERINGS:
Some of my thoughts, reasonings & logic that led to my conclusions-

<P>
- Wonder if the reason there are no known causes of PD that respond to
Sinemet-- is that they do respond to Sinemet?

<P>
-I agree with whoever's doctor said that it is not just protein that competes
for absorption of levadopa - but any food, protein being worse because it
takes longer to digest.

<P>
-I heard an older M.D.  allergist tell a patient that really even though we
think of allergies & asthma involving children, that the older we are the more
likely we are to become hypersensitive because by virtue of our age we have
had much more exposure to allergens.

<P>
-In discussing "my cause" with Dr.  Stephen Reich of Johns Hopkins, he
commented that the joke is that if a building caught on fire the Parkinson's
patients would be the first people out - we were talking about "paradoxical
kinesias"- I wonder - it wouldn't be because they got a shot of adrenalin
(epinephrine) would it?

<P>
-According to Merck, epinephrine(adrenalin) is a direct pharmacological
antagonist to histamine.

<P>
Is autopsy really that good of a time to talk about dead brain cells?  I'm
asking a serious question.

<P>
-Arteriosclerosis is one cause of Parkinsonian symptoms - right?  Well there's
more than one way to stop up a garden hose - (or artery) (1) Put something in
it to stop it up - arteriosclerosis or embolus, OR (2) Squeeze it together
really tight -compression- by maybe neck muscle spasms?  in the case of the
artery.

<P>
-You could also decrease the water(blood) pressure which would happen if you
dilated (enlarged) the inside diameter of the tube(hose artery), and histamine
is a "POTENT vasodilator", so that when you stand up the blood pressure goes
down.

<p>
-I believe I'm correct in saying that the carotid arteries that go up either
side of your head supply the substantia nigra.  When I press my neck muscles
in the back of my neck I believe I can "feel" blood flow up the carotids.

<P>
-Studies show that histamine receptor sites do odd things (anomalies) when the
carotid vessels were occluded (stopped up).  My uneducated guess would be they
would probably demonstrate the same anomaly if the vessels were
compressed,right?

<P>
-Approaching it something like a geometry proof, though it's been a LONG time
since I did any of that, anyway sort of "DUH" logic we can figure out some
things.
STATEMENT:  Cats can cause mental problems in some people.  (Sounds
idiotic doesn't it, but wait let's see how we came to that conclusion.)
GIVEN:  Merck Manual is a reasonably reliable source of information.
GIVEN: Cat dander is a very common allergen.
GIVEN:  Some people become HYPERSENSITIVE to allergens and have whole body
reactions (Anaphylactic).
GIVEN:  In describing such a reaction Merck says symptoms may include
"agitation, uneasiness" which are mental symptoms, but also says may develop
signs of shock, which when we look up shock the symptoms include "lethargy,
confusion, & somnolence (or sleepiness), which also are mental symptoms.
THEREFORE WE CONCLUDE THAT:  Cats can cause mental symptoms in some people.
DUH.

<P>
-Try another one.
STATEMENT:  Cervical (neck) muscle spasms may cause Parkinsonian symptoms.
(Fantastical sounding - how do we figure that?
GIVEN:  Arteriosclerosis sometimes causes Parkinsonian symptoms.
GIVEN:  Arteriosclerosis causes ischemia (and hence Parkinsonism) because of
occlusion of the blood vessels.
GIVEN:  You may also interfere with blood flow through arteries by compression
(squeezing tight) on the vessel.
GIVEN; Muscle spasm tightens & contracts the muscle along with anything
running through it (nerves or blood vessels) and therefore may compress the
arteries or veins (as in Thoracic Outlet Syndrome).
THEREFORE US DUH PEOPLE CONCLUDE THAT':  Neck muscle spasm may cause
Parkinsonian symptoms.

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-It is only one small "Simon Says" baby step to say that-
GIVEN:  Histamine is released during allergic reactions.
GIVEN:  I have allergies.
GIVEN:  My MRI shows I have chronic, sustained, cervical (neck) muscle spasm.
GIVEN:  Merck says histamine causes muscle spasm.
THEREFORE ME,DUH PERSON THAT I AM: thinks it is at least reasonable to
suspect that:  Allergies cause my Parkinsonism.

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-The only difference then between occlusion and compression of an artery could
be that in occlusion the resulting ischemia would be constant in the case of
arteriosclerosis but perhaps not in compression because the blood stoppage
could be intermittent.  (TIA-Transient ischemic attack?) Ischemia is the
condition resulting from tissue or organs not getting adequate blood supply).
Could this possibly be the reason my symptoms all went away by simply
massaging my neck muscles a very long time when I was taking no medications at
all??

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-Could this be another reason that some types of Parkinson's do not respond to
Sinemet, and could it also cause the declining response to Sinemet with
"progression" of the disorder?

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PART V-TESTING:
(To my fellow Parkinson's sufferers only)-

<P>
(Objective:  To get unnaturally CLEAR air.  CLEAN air is not good enough,
since I have the wonderful ability to get sick when exposed to nature itself -
pollen, animals, etc.) Of course my allergies are not the same as yours
so you'd have to find out by allergy testing or whatever, what you're
allergic to, to know what you need to stay away from, anyway I'll
just use mine as an example.)

<P>
If you are interested in doing a test there are probably
endless ways to test it out for yourself with a test of your own design which
could be much simpler than mine.  I did some of these because they were done
publicly and under circumstances that would not be as easy to deny, but there
are probably a multitude of very simple ways to do a test.  (One relatively
simple test I did was:  Our main bath has no outside windows so I scrubbed it
down thoroughly, walls, ceiling, floor, all surfaces, taped up all air
entrances, steamed down the room, made sure there were no dust catchers-
curtains, linens, etc- my husband cleaned the exhaust fan, put multiple
filters as good as I could find on the one heat register, turned on the
exhaust fan and my symptoms went away after I had been in the room awhile.)
But a test away from your usual environment is probably best with special
attention given to (1) only new clothing (2) thoroughly cleaned car (3)
as few people and animals as possible (4) the  best places allergywise you
can get - a new house or hotel room, the beach or mountains, a golf course,
or whatever depending on your particular sensitivities.  (I'm getting
used to doing weird things (that may not be good for everyone to try)
like being outside in the rain, waiting OUTSIDE doctor's crowded waiting
rooms, going off hours to restaurants and  asking to be seated away
from other people, staying in only NEW hotel rooms and taking tannic acid
along  just in case.  You get the picture.

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(If you try any of this I'd appreciate knowing what the results were.)
If you decide to here are some things that have helped me:

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(1) I was told in the beginning that if it is allergy related the longer I
could stay away, the better I would be, so look MAINLY for improvement over
time, although there is often quick results,you can't expect them EVERY time
to the degree you might think, because other factors sometimes affect it -
stress, exercise, etc - similar things that might affect asthma.

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(2) Deal with it as you would the Ebola virus except, it is affecting only ONE
person in the house, and they are the ONLY one who can tell if it is working
or not.

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(3) If you are newly diagnosed or have mild symptoms or medication is still
able to mask your symptoms almost totally, you will not be able to "sense"any
difference.

<P>
(4) A caregiver is not a good judge, it is something that the sufferer must
judge, because they are the only ones who can tell, and because of
medications, etc (it is possible to attribute just about anything to
medication - too much, too little, side effect, interaction),it is even
difficult for them at times.

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(5) Note that in the UVA incident it was only ONE person's clothing that had
been around animals that caused that bad of a reaction - I am THAT
hypersensitive.  I was told also that clothing that contained allergens was
particularly bad because with moving around the allergens are constantly put
into the surrounding air.  (We have certain clothing that we wear around the
house or when the children are with me).

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(6) In my allergy test results there are indoor & outdoor substances -- pet
dander, house dust, pollen, mold, some trees & grass, ragweed, etc, so
outdoors is not as wonderful as you might think.  Dr.  Creticos told me that
"cat (dander) is ubquitous" - measurable in about every public place - and
that is only ONE of my particular allergens.

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(7) Our central heat/A/C system is bad news for my condition as I have said
and we are still trying to decide how to best take care of that problem, not
only does it accumulate dust, etc in the ductwork that even the pros can't get
out good enough for me (I've tried it), but it blows around what is brought in
by other means.  At present I have put as good filters as I can find on the
return, the central filter & each vent and multiple filters in the rooms I
use, but just the fact that it blows everything around is not too good.

<P>
(Note) To those with low blood pressure problems - Shy-Drager, orthostatic
hypotension etc - this site might be of interest -
http://shuttle-mir.nasa.gov/science/spinoff/bloodpre.html

<P>
Also,it has been proven by past experience that despite my best efforts I make
errors, but I keep trying anyway, so let me know if you find any.
Any comments are appreciated.

Thanks,
Janet ([log in to unmask])

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