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bill great to have you back i cant help but i love you letters love the tag line as usual judy >From: "William A. Parrette" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Six of one ... PD content ... retry >Date: Mon, 1 May 2000 19:04:28 -0400 > >Hi all, > > Well, golly gee whizzzzz. I finally have an on-topic post for > the list and it "got lost" in the "mix." Oh well, I hope the > list-folk don't mind a little repetition ... I'll try again: > > > Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 22:44:41 -0400 (EDT) > > From: "William A. Parrette" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network ><[log in to unmask]> > > Subject: Six of one, half-dozen of the other -- some NON-PD & some PD >content... > > ... > > But, to try to post an actual on-topic message ... > > > > There has been a lot of talk about Sinemet over the last cou- > > ple of days. Now, I know that everybody is different and every- > > body reacts differently to their medications. But, I am kind of > > curious why I am *so* different? ... or, at least it seems that > > way to me. > > > > I am currently 46 and I was diagnosed four years ago. My > > first neuro. put me on Sinemet 25/100 at two tablets a day. I > > noticed no change in my symptoms. My second neuro. put me on the > > same 25/100 at the same dosage of two tablets a day. Again, I > > noticed no change in my symptoms. This doctor bumped me up to > > four tablets a day, but there were still no changes in my symp- > > toms. My third neuro. changed the prescription to Sinemet CR > > 50/200 at two tablets a day, but (again) there was no noticeable > > change in any of my symptoms. > > > > My current neuro. put me on three tablets of Sinemet 25/250 > > per day. And, this was the first time that I had noticed any > > change at all. Some of the symptoms were actually reduced and it > > was noticeable. But, also noticeable, was a major dyskinesia in > > the form of my head bobbing a lot when I was talking. This neu- > > ro. then "bumped me down" to CR 50/200 at *four tablets a day* -- > > and we're talking about maybe pushing that up to five a day if I > > can find a way to wake myself at two in the morning. > > > > What confuses me is that many people that have been discussing > > the effectiveness and dosage of Sinemet here in this forum for > > the last couple of days have said that they are taking the non-CR > > 25/100 -- and have been for many years -- and it does, in fact, > > relieve their symptoms. > > > > Now remember, I'm a paranoid introvert so I almost can't help > > from asking "why am I *so* different?" Without being too face- > > tious, funny, or silly, does anybody have any thoughts on this > > subject? Thoughts, ideas, concepts, criticisms, witticisms, far- > > eastern philosophies, ... anything? > > > > Call me curious today. Curious if an on-topic post from me > > will draw any responses. And, as we say in Grand Funk land, keep > > Shinin' On ... > > ... > > Then ... > > > Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 19:51:07 -0400 (EDT) > > From: "William A. Parrette" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network ><[log in to unmask]> > > Subject: Re: Six of one ...PD content / back to the knitting .. > > > > Hi all, > > > > On Wed, 26 Apr 2000, the digest contained: > > > > > Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 09:40:40 -0400 > > > From: janet paterson <[log in to unmask]> > > > Subject: Re: Six of one ...PD content / back to the knitting ... > > > > > ... > > > prepare for the jaNET INTERrogation! ... > > > > I'm ready, ma'am. But, could I ask you to turn on some > > lights, untie me from this chair, take off the mask, and put away > > the rubber hose? Please? > > > > > ... > > > what were/are your symptoms? > > > pre-diagnosis? ... > > > > Ever since I can remember, I have had tremors in my hands. > > Nothing major, but enough to keep me from doing any kind of "de- > > tail" work with my hands. Initially, my *symptom* was what I > > would have called a twitch in my right arm. And, my "normal" > > shaking had become more noticeable. > > > > About a month or two after I noticed these symptoms, it had > > become bad enough to make me seek medical advice. In addition to > > the twitch, the neurologist noticed that -- as I walked -- my > > right arm didn't swing as freely as my left. > > > > > ... > > > what were/are your symptoms? > > > post-diagnosis? ... > > > > In the last four years, I have had a variety of symptoms. At > > times, I would notice that I would unconsciously clench my hands > > tightly. I also developed an ache in my shoulder, elbow, or fin- > > gers of my right arm. A little later, I noticed that the muscles > > in the right side of my body would tense up. And, on occasion, > > my vision would blur slightly or I would require brighter light > > to read smaller text. > > > > These symptoms didn't always build on one another. Sometimes > > one symptom would fade while another became more prominent. > > There was no pattern -- no rhyme or reason I could detect. But, > > when recovering from an illness of any kind, the tremors seemed > > to worsen. And, in general, the symptoms seem to be at their > > worst in the morning but diminish a bit through the day into the > > evening. > > > > I have gone through a range of styles of tremors. What started > > out as a general shaking of the hands eventually changed into the > > classic "pill rolling" tremor. Then, it changed to a clasp- > > ing/grasping tremor. Either one was controllable at rest. And, > > the non-swinging arm stopped for a while and then changed into a > > raised-arm/clenching fist position on both sides. > > > > Eventually, I started noticing the "slowness of movement." > > Walking became harder and it would take quite a bit of effort to > > do simple things like walking the dog. And, getting into and out > > of cars and chairs became a real effort as well. I would have to > > expend a great deal of effort using my arms to pull me out and up > > into a standing position. > > > > > ... > > > what were/are your symptoms? > > > 4 years post-diagnosis? ... > > > > At the moment, on the 4 x 50/200 CR, the symptom that is still > > noticeable is the tremors. I have noticeable tremors in both > > arms and both legs. As I remember, the off-Sinemet tremors were > > much worse than the current on-Sinemet tremors. And, except for > > the Sinemet-induced dyskinesia, these are the only symptoms I now > > notice. > > > > > ... > > > in what way were they reduced by the 3x25/250IR sinemet doseage? ... > > > > The first thing I can say is that I generally felt better. > > People who knew me and saw me regularly said I looked better. > > The only symptom that I noticed -- as described above -- was the > > arm/leg tremors and the dyskinesia. > > > > > ... > > > in what way were they affected by the 4x50/200CR sinemet doseage? ... > > > > The tremors worsened slightly -- almost imperceptibly. But, > > in the year or more since I've been on this prescription, the > > tremors have gradually worsened again to be, IMO, more noticeable > > and getting harder to hide. > > > > FWIW, if I can sit, undisturbed, and get my body in a relaxed, > > meditative state, many times I can get the tremors to stop. But, > > the instant I move -- sometimes when I think about moving -- they > > will start up again. > > > > One other thing, I do have on-times and off-times. There are > > periods during the day when the tremors will all but disappear. > > While at other times they appear somewhat strong. I have not > > been able to determine a schedule or cause/effect or any type of > > pattern at all in these on/off times. > > > > > ... > > > why does your neuro think a fifth 50/200CR > > > would benefit you at the cost of interrupting sleep? ... > > > > *Our* opinion is :-) that in the period of time between my > > last dose at 6 P.M. and my first dose in the morning at 6 A.M. > > that all of the Levodopa has been consumed or used. So, it takes > > a long time in the morning to get the first (and maybe the sec- > > ond) to kick in and provide some relief. > > > > So the theory is that the 2 A. M. dose might provide a sort of > > "running start" for the 6 A.M. dose to make it more effective. > > > > And, this is actually more my idea. But, the neuro. said it > > wouldn't hurt to try it and see what happens. > > > > > ... > > > why you are on your fourth neuro? ... > > > > With the first doctor, I had no insurance and the symptoms > > were in their very early stage. The second doctor chose to have > > some elective surgery soon after I became a patient and was un- > > available for approximately six months. The third doctor (excuse > > the use of "language") pissed me off. Now, I am on my fourth > > neurologist. > > > > So, Ms. "Kinsey," :-) may I take my had out of the Gom Jabar > > now? ;-) > >Bill-- > ...who thinks it is unnerving that a doctor calls what he does "a >practice." > ,--, >.___. William A. ....._..._ .......7177 Heritage Drive+---- _ ___/ /\| -+ >| _ \__ _ _ _ _ _ ___| |_| |_ ___ .Westchester........| ,;`( )42, ) ~ | >| _/ _` | '_| '_/ -_) _| _/ -_).OH 45069-4012......| // //---'--; | >|_| \__,_|_| |_| \___|\__|\__\___|.513/779-0780.......| ' \ | ^ | >..... http://w3.one.net/~wap/ .... [log in to unmask] .......+----- ^ -- ^ -----+ ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com