At 12:53 PM 4/9/00 -0400, you wrote: >Lanier, My mother Joyce (70, PD Plus) takes Artane (along with Sinemet, >Requip, and Zoloft). Don't know the dosage. When she first started, it >seemed to HELP with her balance. These days she has NO balance. > >She sees a movement disorder specialist who would like to see her come off >the Artane -- according to him, in older PD patients (don't know whether 64 >would fall into that category), Artane is not recommended because it can >cause confusion, etc. My mother has tried to come off the Artane but feels >worse. Good luck. > >Debbie White > >[log in to unmask] > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network >> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of plmaddux >> Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 9:14 AM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: PD Med's Question >> >> >> 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. >> >> So I started taking Artane as prescribed, 2mg a day for a week, then 3mg , >> then 5mg then 6, then 8mg per day. each dose continued for a >> week. Now I am >> sleeping well and don't have a headache anymore and feel pretty >> good. But at >> this level (8mg's per day), I am beginning to feel light-headed, or dizzy, >> and I feel that I am about to lose my balance from time to time. >> And this is >> scaring me. I don't want to start falling down. >> >> And as far as reducing the tremor, I don't think it is any less >> than before. >> The drug at this level is very little or no help. He has me going on up to >> 12mg's per day. But because of the dizziness etc, I am thinking about >> leveling off or even reducing the dose back to say maybe 6mgs per >> day to see >> what happens. Do I really need to go all the way up to 12mg a day >> to see if >> I start getting some relief from the tremor. Should I nto be getting some >> relief at 8mg's? I am now at the end of six weeks talking the Artane. >> >> I of course need to talk to my doctor and I called him a couple >> of days ago >> and have not received a return call yet. I will try again next week to get >> him on the phone. In the meantime I would like for some input from anyone >> who would give me their thoughts and suggestion on what to do. Any input >> would be helpful. >> >> Lanier Maddux 64/4 Chattanooga Tn >> >> _____________________________________________ >> NetZero - Defenders of the Free World >> Click here for FREE Internet Access and Email >> http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html >> > > Years ago, Gordon used Artane, but i think it went with something else:they balanced each other. It is one of the olderPD drugs and we know there are many out there. have you seen a Movement Disorder Specialist?This List reaches so far, someone is sure to help you if you mention your location, Regards, Thea Lou Seese CG Gordon 72/22