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HA! That's a likely story! The truth finally has come out. Freudian still reigns! (P.S. If you are not the most knowledgeable and/or arrogant, you certainly are one of the funniest on the list!) > ---------- > From: Barb_MSN[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 2:40 AM > Subject: Re: PD Med's Question > > 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) > >>>> > >>> >