At 16:56 1999/08/01 EDT, you wrote:
>Hello All:  My PWP needs more info to overcome some difficulties
>he has run into into in 3 areas of his life.  I will keep it brief
>but will appreciate any feedback on these topics, even offlist, since
>we have his six month rendezvous with the Neuro.& primary care doctor
>at the V.A. on 8/5 (30 min. with each- I want to be prepared!).
>First,  he has been on Bromocriptine with his Sinimet 200Cr the past
>six months-experiencing dyskinesia and increasing, intermittent freezing
>and slowness. We've been thinking about going to a more modern agonist-
>perhaps Mirapex or Requip - been watching all correspondence about them-
>hope to minimize the Sinimet with best aid against the bradykinesia
>(slowness, lack of energy). What advice, exper. can anyone give, perhaps
>comparing the benefits/side effects of these two meds?
>Second, he has had serious deterioration of his eyesight during the
>past six months- poor depth perception and coordination problems- has
>had reading difficulties for some time but now seems to have invaded
>his ability to accomplish hand/eye coordination tasks.  There has been
>discussions about the eye possibly contributing to walking problems -
>which we feel is highly likely - but is there any eye specialists
>available to give specific answers related to PD, the meds side effects
>on eyesight, etc?  Some time back there was discussion about eyesight
>and some were going to a conference  for eye doctors specializing in
>neuro. disorders, but I didn't see any subsequent info. on the event
>(in Dallas,I think). Has anyone encountered any specialists in this area
>within the V.A. system for the Houston, Austin area?
>Thirdly,  this is a tricky one to talk about, but impacts his life
>enough to need some experienced answers if possible.  His sex life and
>health is fine in all areas, except one for the past few weeks - final
>ejaculation - and he needs relief......At his age, the tendency is to
>blame all on the prostate - which he is being nudged toward a prostate
>exam- which he is resisting on the grounds that his urination is
>fine, and he feels in tune with his body enough to know when assistance
>is needed for a realized problem (he met some real unhappy prostate
>patiants when getting his hernia repairs several years ago).   He is now
>taking a saw palmetto/zinc otc supplement, but wonders if anyone has
>suggestions of where to look for the possibilities of other sources of
>the problem in this area....... Now that he has been contending with PD
>for l3 yr., we are most grateful to be able to "be in touch" with people
>with practical experience and he wants to stay armed with knowledge as
>much as he can to avoid the perils of "misguidance" that can occur in the
>medical field.  We feel the discussions in this setting are invaluable
>for doing our best in handling this damnable condition.  Now that he is
>experiencing dyskinesia and slower movement complications we also intend
>to investigate the possibilities of locating a movement disorder specialist
>within the V.A. system? Does anyone know of such a  "critter"?   Thanks for
>your time - look forward to your replies!
>Marie      carepartner for husband (70/l3)

janet paterson
52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
snail-mail: PO Box 171  Almonte  Ontario  K0A 1A0  Canada
website: a new voice <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/>
e-mail: <[log in to unmask]>