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OYE!!!!! <--- Barb smacks self on forehead! I GOOFED! I had meant to say I"m NOT the most PD-knowledgeable amongst the List members, but have SOME knowledge 'bout the disease after all these years living with it/ That' "NOT" not being there sure made me sound arrogant! WHEW!!! T'ain't that when it comes to this steeeenkin disease. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 12:29 AM Subject: Re: PD Med's Question >Hi Sue.... > >First of all, there's never been a "posting limit" on this List >that I know of, and I've been logging on daily for 'bout 6 years >or so. > >If there IS a limit to the number of messages one can post at a >time then SOME of us are in BIIIIIIIG trouble! <grin> > >So relax, m'dear, and post away - get it all out and know you can >count on the folks here on the List to be supportive as well as >knowledgeable about our mutual adversary, Parkinson's Disease. > >Regarding your questions, please keep in mind that I'm not an MD, >but rather have had PD for 25 of my 57 years. I"m the the most >"up" on the disease whom you'll hear from over the next few days, >but I have a more than a little general information. > >Your question #1: > >Your mom should be seen and diagnosed by at least once by a >neurologist who is a "movement disorder specialist. This time >might be the best time for for your mother to see this type of >specialist since you both have unanswered questions with her >current neuro. > >There's one easy way to find out if someone has PD >and that's to give them Sinemet (the "gold standard" >of PD drugs). If it dosn't work then mom almost >certainly doesn't have PD. > >As far as PD not being diagnosable at "this stage," >there ARE noticable symptoms and a half-way decent >neuro SHOULD be able to diagose your mother >based upon those symptoms. > >Question #2: > >Parkinson's CAN be inherited, tho it's not terribly >common to find familiel PD families on every street >corner. There are lots of folks here in the List and at >many of our local PD support groups who know someone >ARE someone who's the third or forth direct decendant of >someone or other in their family to have PD, or one >of the other PD-like diseaes, referred to as >"Parkinson's Plus." > >Question #3: > >Mom's neurologist is just plain wrong! See >above response.... > >Hang in there, Sue. And the next time you go to or >speak with mom's neuro or another MD who might >see her, go armed with a list of all your, AND a >portable tape recorder (if possible) so you can tape >the MD's response. It's SOOOO easy to forget >to write down the doctor's response to those questions. >his way you won't have to worry about rushing to write >it all down. > >Hang in there, Sue, and hugs to mom 'n you... > >Barb Mallut >[log in to unmask] > >-----Original Message----- >From: Sue George <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> >Date: Monday, April 10, 2000 8:44 PM >Subject: Re: PD Med's Question > > >>Morning all. I feel nervous of ... posting a query ... (very >ignorant about >>it all) ... but ... would like to ask: >> >>My mother has uncontrollable tremors that are getting worse. My >grandfather >>had similar tremors but was never diagnosed as having PD, in >fact, for all >>we know, it was never diagnosed as anything. He died at 87 ... >with bad >>enough tremors that he couldn't write and had difficulty walking >... but >>other than that ... quite ... healthy (if that's the word?). >Anyway ... mum >>has now got these tremors and they are getting worse and she's >been to the >>doctor and then the neurologist ... who said ... "it isn't >hereditary" and >>"there isn't any real way to diagnose it at this stage" but "you >could have >>it and a i can't say that you haven't got it and we'll just have >to wait and >>see what happens". I'm paraphrasing here and from mum's relating >of the >>conversation but .. that's about it. >> >>Mum feels anxious and upset about it and believes, i think, that >she >>definitely had PD ... that it is just a matter of time before it >is >>diagnosed. This is just her "feeling" but it is still a very >difficult time >>for her. >> >>Anyway ... i got onto the net ... found your list ... and i was >wondering if >>someone could help me understand a few things: >> >>(i) i found some sites on the net where they were advertising or >talking >>about diagnosis services (imaging, dna) .... are these useful ... >why not >>recommended by the doctor? >> >>(ii) i also read on the net that PD was not normally thought to >be >>hereditary ... which made me wonder ... "then how can they use >dna >>diagnosis? what is that about?" >> >>(iii) also, if PD isn't hereditary ... then perhaps the >neuromuscular >>disorder that mum and grandpa have/had is not PD but something >else? what >>are the other neuromuscular disorders which cause this sought of >symptom? >> >>This seems like too many questions. Sorry. I feel like i >suddenly have a >>thousand questions? >> >>I hope it is OK to post so many at one time. >> >>thanks >>sue >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Nancy Burnham <[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> >>Date: Tuesday, 11 April 2000 10:33 >>Subject: Re: PD Med's Question >> >> >>>In the very beginning Don's doctor prescribed Artane. We read >the side >>>effects and decided to keep the tremors. >>> >>>Nancy B cg for Don 66/17 >>> >>> >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]> >>>To: <[log in to unmask]> >>>Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 5:32 PM >>>Subject: Re: PD Med's Question >>> >>> >>>> On Sun 09 Apr, plmaddux wrote: >>>> > Hi Folks, >>>> > After having a tremor for 4 1/2 years I decided to try >taking a med >>>> > prescribed by my doctor. He thought that Artane was the most >approiate >>>drug >>>> > for my symptoms, that being a left side tremor. I had been >taking >>>Benadryl >>>> > which was giving me some relief but it was not helping much >and I was >>>> > beginning to have a headache all the time. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Hello Lanier, Re your 1st paragraph : You show me a doc. >who thinks he >>>> can select an appropriate treatment based on the patients >symptoms, and >>>> I'll show you a fool ! >>>> >>>> Artane is an Anticholinergic drug. It blocks the production of >>>acetylcholine >>>> (another neurotransmitter) The reasoning (!!) is that if there >is less >>>> acetylcholine , it may make more room fpr Dopamine. I was >prescribed >>>Artane >>>> immediately upon diagnosis, and I think went up to 10 mg in >the first >>year >>>> (Well it was 21 years ago). Of course at that time, I thought >that they >>>> knew what they were doing. I suppose there was a slight >reduction in >>>tremor >>>> but it was never in control . I made a fuss and was switched >to Sinemet, >>>> which I urge you to do also. >>>> Regards, >>>> -- >>>> Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]> (60/39/34) >>>> >>>