Barbara Mallut wrote:
>
> Craig.....
>
> The following information is meant as a "For what it's
> worth," ONLY.
>
> Admittedly, until yesterday I knew very little about the fine
> points of  Tasmar and it's relationship to Sinemet since I
> take only the latter.
>
> However, yesterday the guest speaker at my PD support
> group was a rep from Roche Pharmaceuticals, and Roche
> is the creator/inventor of Tasmar, PLUS an RN from
> ST. John's Hospital, in Oxnard, CA, who's heavily involved
> in the hospital's movement disorder department and is very
> "up" on the latest PD drugs. The purpose of their visit to our
> group was to educate us about Tasmar.
>
> One thing that really sticks in my mind from the
> discussion was the insistence that IF one was to take
> Tasmar along with Sinemet, one absolutely MUST not
> take Tasmar with Sinemet CR as the time release effect
> of the CR tablet interferes with the Tasmar 's absorption
> (or something like that) <wishing I'd paid more attention
> to what the full discussion on the reason for that was>.
>
> The Rote rep AND the RN treated that comment 'bout
> not taking the Tasmar along with Sinemet CR like it was the
> Gospel, but reiterated the plain, non-time-release Sinemet
> was compatible and is to be taken with Tasmar.
>
> That said, I've got one of the many brochures the Roche rep
> passed out to us yesterday, right in front of me now, and IT
> says here in print,  "Tasmar should always be taken as part
> of a treatment program that includes carbidopa/levodopa
> (Sinemet or Sinemet CR)" <word-for-word quote> How's THAT
> for making us all confused, if not totally crazy???
>
> My feeling is that IF something's working for YOU, and
> YOU'RE content with the outcome (after all, it's YOUR body
> that has PD, so who could better know how YOU feel?), then
> go with what makes YOU feel comfortable.
>
> Barb Mallut
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ----------
> From:   Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Craig Mellinger
> Sent:   Sunday, August 23, 1998 10:24 AM
> To:     Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> Subject:        Parkie
>
> BrucePLease ad this additonal bit of ino to what I  furnished last
> night.I only went to the Robert Wood Johnson Center once. He follow
> visit asset up for 4 months later,e got a call that it would have to be
> changed to another date ine futue makingit  8 months between visits.The
> reasonwas valid. THey went from 4  nueros seeing patients to 2. retired
> and one went back into rsearch.So my wife contacted some service out of
> Morristown and they recommended Dr. Kenneth Cerney who was a neuro
> specialising in PD.This is what I am now taking Sinemet CR 50x200
> 1 1/2 tabs x 3 times a day.Eldepryl 2x5mg twice a day,Artane(generic)
> 1x3 2mg daily,and Tasmar 1x3 200 mgs daily.I had read something about
> Tasmar that struck me as being helful for me. So during one of my
> appointments last winter I asked him about trying it.After checking some
> thing in his files he said ok. But he took me off the Mirapex.When you
> read the postings on the meds people are taking it reads like the recipe
> for alphabet soup.It sounds like there are about a dozen or so meds
> available for treating the symptons of PD.And dependibng upon where you
> stand  they are all as good or as bad in treating PD. Am I correct in my
> assumption.Craig
Barbara. Thanks for quick response. Before Tasmar I didn't have any
problems with my balance.Since switching I am constantly falling
backwards. It's amazing how many things
you do  with one or two steps backward.If you are cutting the lawn and
you getting      into a corner where you take one or two steps,WHAM down
you go.In a tight kitchen and you are helping out.So you  move out out
of the way,WHAM.Iwas going dow, easily 6 times a day. I had a visit to
an othopedic doctor on a problem with my shoulder and right arm.So he
put it into a series of range of motion excercises and heard something
also. So off to the X-Ray dept where it shows some bone chips.I got a
shot of cortizone
that helped for a day or so I have an appt to see him in the begining of
Sept.I think he may suggest surgery.What say you to that.Craig 60/2.5.