Lisa...

You may want to try taking 1/2 a tablet of Sinemet for your initial
dose of the day rather than a whole tablet, and DO take it with a
sweet beverage - fruit juice, a soda pop, sweetened tea, etc., as
it's a well known fact that for some reason Sinemet, taken with a
sweetened beverage seems to kick-in more smoothly and a bit faster
(oddly tho, there seems to be no known reason WHY it works better
when taken with a sweet beverage or even a teaspoon of ice cream or
sherbet)

FYI (just an example of an alternate drug schedule).... It made a
significant POSITIVE difference in my life when I started breaking my
Sinemet 25/250's in half and took a HALF to start my day's meds.
THEN - 1/2 hour later, I took a Sinemet CR 50/200.

By the way, no neurologist ever suggested splitting the Snippets to
me.  THEY have always said to take a higher dose and/or to take the
meds more frequently.

Warm hugs and lotsa love to you, Lisa.  And please keep us updated on
how you're doing, 'kay?  We care...

Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: LISA CRUMRINE <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, January 06, 1999 1:37 AM
Subject: WORSENING SYMPTOMS(this sucks)


>DEAR  list folk,
>I sit here at the computer at 4;30 am barely able to type because of
my left
>side shaking so.  It seems like my symptoms have progressed in the
last
>month or two.   It sucks, to watch my physical condition worsen, I
am 40
>years old, I am in excellent physical condition other wise, the
shaking (in
>the  morning) doesn't stop  for at least 2-3 hours after I take my
meds (1
>sinemt 25/100cr & 2 permax .25 & eldepryl) at awakening.  then it
seems like
>it lasts for an  hour (the on time) and it's time to take more drugs
,
>hopefully in time so they kick in before the next bout with pd.  it
really
>sucks sometime, I try to keep a  positive attitude, my friends are
great. my
>boyfriend is wonderful.  but how  do we keep our  shit together in
times
>like this,  yesterday was rough, today so far ( it's 5;15 am) is not
good, I
>sit here typing and cant control my body,  I cant be a rock all the
time, I
>cant let loose my emotions on to my friends cuz they dont know how
to
>respond (how can they) and it is hard on them cuz they feel
helpless.
>I hate this disease and what it does to  me!  I WANT MY BODY BACK! I
dont
>have faith that any drugs are going to make it better, cuz they
dont, they
>just offer a  different set of side effects. oh what fun trying to
figure
>out the exact chemical balance and timing that will work (for an
hour). I AM
>FRUSTRATED!  I AM DEPRESSED!
>I AM SORRY to dump this  on you guys,   but thank god your here
>withlove and appreciation for this list
>Lisa 40/6  St. john usvi
>