First Brian wrote.......
> > >Hello Dan,  Camilla and Jennifer wrote about the effects of stress. To
> > >give you some idea how to cope, it may be useful for you to know that
> > >the Adrenalin released in response to the stress seems to have an
> > >additive effect on top of the Sinemet. If you can see the stress coming
> > >in time (and one hour warning would be ideal), then you should REDUCE
> > >your intake of Sinemet to compensate. A reduction of up to 50% of
> > >Sinemet may be necessary - its a powerful effect.
> > >Regards,
> > >Brian Collins  <[log in to unmask]>
and Janet responded in part......
> > holey moley, brian!
> >
> > your saying that adrenalin has an 'additive' effect on sinemet
> > is completely [i.e. 180 degrees] opposite to my experience
> > [and apparently dan's, as well!]
> >
and Brian's further reply (again in part........)
> This I did - It was both exhilarating and terrifying, and I found that I
> seemed to be ovwr-medicated virtually all the time. After the second AGM
> the conclusiom was obvious: Since then. I have effectively to re-calibrate
> myself for the AGM!  Instead of my norma;l rigid every 2 hours medication
> timing, I went onto an as-required system. (This was OK because I was not
> getting the usual cliff-edge effect.)
>
> The result is that I am much more relaxed, can defend my ground against
> all-comers, and after the 2 days are over, I find that my levodopa intake
> over the entire weekend is down by 50%!
>
> One thing that we should get straight: the symptoms of PD + an Adrenalin
> boost are not exactly the same as the effects of an overdose of levodopa
>
> My understanding is that in the total system which comprises the Substantia
> Nigra, the signals to the muscles, the responses from the muscles (along
> different pathways) back to the brain, all form part of the closed-loop
> control system. When stimulated by Adrenalin (The 'fight or flight'
> response as it is called, affects some of the elements in that closed loop
> system- it becomes more hair-triggered, and that makes itself visible with
> dyskinesia- like movements.
>
> I have gone to some lengths in the hope that you may notice something in
> my descfiption. I would not expect Dan to show any effect, because with only
> 1 year gone, you have to work quite hard to overcome the brains's defences.
>
> Advance warning of stress is not as silly as it sounds: when you have an
> appointment for a potentially stressful meeting, it is easy to fine-tune
> your system to avoid the un-wanted symptoms. When you look for them, you
> can find quite a lot of situations where this trick is useful (To me, that
> is, and a few of my friends, who have tried it out with similar results.)
>
> Would anyone else like to try an experiment, in a spirit of scientfic
> research?
>
> Failing that, maybe another turn around the block is indicated ?? :-)
>
> --
> Brian Collins  <[log in to unmask]>
>     59 now /39 dx 33 onset

Well Brian, I have to agree with you that most stress creates very
obvious differences in our medicated state.

However I am convinced that there are varying degrees of reaction
depending on the "type" of stress.  Stress at work in the form of a
challenge to my skill and ability (such as passenger trapped in an
elevator and I'm the mechanic on call) has almost a calming effect on
me.  Stress in the form of addressing a large group as a "speaker" or
worse yet as "emcee" will definitely give me the dyskenesia in my
right arm (an overdose indicator).   Stress in the form of a death in
the family left me undermedicated and requiring more sinemet.

Now does anyone have similar experiences and what are your thoughts
on that??

All the best ..........Murray
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