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Dear Linda:

Your letter was so similar to the one I wrote when I joined this list that I
just had to respond.  I was also extremely healthy, physically fit, and very
active.  I had gone through a difficult divorce in 1989, after a 22 year
marriage.  I returned to college--to graduate school -- and one month after
finishing, in 1994, I was diagnosed with PD.

Like you, my most troublesome symptoms are fatigue and depression.  I am
affected on my right side and have a right arm tremor, but I could "deal
with" the tremor;  I can't seem to deal with the fatigue or depression.  Each
antidepressant I have tried works for a while, but eventually they seem to
quit working.  I believe as the disease progresses, so does the depression.
The fatigue may be linked to the depression but it is also a part of PD, so
you seem to have a vicious circle in which you are only able to treat the
symptoms.

My doctor, a movement disorder specialist, has just changed my medicine to:
Comtran, 1 Eldepryl, and Sinemet (regular)  25/100.  Previously I was taking
:  1 Eldepryl,  one half of a Sinemet (regular) 25/100 plus 1 Sinemet CR
25/100 first thing in the morning, followed by one Sinemet CR every 3 hours
the rest of the day.  At first, the SinemetCR lasted 4 hours, but after a
couple of years it is down to 2  1/2 hours.  I'm hopeful the Comtran will
help.  I  asked the reason for change from SinemetCR to the regular Sinemet
and, according to my doctor, the Comtran gives better results with regular
Sinemet.  I haven't started the new treatment yet because my pharmacist had
to order the Comtran but I'm eager to try because the doctor also told me if
the Comtran helps the Sinemet last longer it should also help sustain the
antidepressant.

I'm sorry I have no answers for you but you do have my support.  The most
important advice I can give you is this:  (1)  Take care of yourself.  When
you are tired -- don't push.  Take a nap when you need to.  (2) Remove as
much stress as possible from your life, and learn how to handle the stress
you can't remove.  (3)  If your medication doesn't work or the side effects
are unbearable, try a different medication.  Everyone is different and reacts
differently to the medications.

If you would like to visit with me more on this subject you may email me
privately.  Hang in there--better things are coming.

Rosemary Russell,    52
([log in to unmask])
Arkansas Young Parkinson's
Little Rock, Arkansas