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I was diagnosed with PD in 1988 at the age of 45. right of the bat an incompetent neuro prescribed too much sinemet. I wasn't complaining because everything seemed great in those first two years. i did not at that time know any better so i kept taking much too much Sinemet. By the time i was seeing a Competent neurologist I was already experiencing dyskinesia. The new Neuro greatly cut back the amount of Sinemet I was taking. I was also taking selegoline. All the while my Dyskesias kept geting more intense. Finally by about 1994 I would have Dyskinesias that would have me on the floor flailing about for up to three hours. By this time i was hearing about Dr. Iacoca an the successes that he was having with pallidotomies. Then at a Parkinson's symposeum I heard Dr Steven Gancher say that a pallidotomy would relieve Dyskinesia. Wait, here is somthing I wrote about the experience a ew years ago. in fact this was shortly after my Pallidotomy. First I am 52 years old and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD)i n early 1988. It was devastating to me than as I was 45 years of age. I was in denial for the first year after my diagnosis. I was from the first over medicated partly due to my ignorance and partly due to an incompetent neurologist. So from about the second year I was troubled with involuntary movements caused as a side effect from the main PD drug Levodopa . This movement is called dyskinesia. After several years parkinsonians develop distinct on-off effects. That is when the medication is working for the person, he/she is said to be on. When the medication is worn off they are said to be off. Sometimes this line between off and on is very narrow. Going from on to off can happen very quickly like a light switch. I finally got to where I was either off or dyskinetic. There was little middle ground. I was to the point that I was going to go on disability. But, thank God for Dr. Kim Burchiel. I now have an excellent neurologist, Dr. Sheila Sund. She referred me to the movement disorders clinic at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland for evaluation. The Dr. there, Dr. Stephen Gancher, agreed that I was a good candidate for a PVP. He referred me to see Dr. Burchiel on July 18, 1995. This was the middle of May. I could hardly wait. When the day finally came Dr. Burchiel discussed the procedure with me and agreed that I was a good subject. The scheduled time was August 21, 1995. I anticipated that date like a little kid anticipates Christmas. Time wouldn’t pass fast enough. When the surgery date came I was first fitted with a steriotactic frame on my head. It was fitted with an MRI localizer and sent to MRI (should I tell about the insurance screw-up and the almost postponement of my surgery? Then after some waiting the surgery began (it was about 9:30 am). I felt just a little pressure when the Dr. drilled the insertion holes, but no more that that. During the procedure they kept asking me questions like what was my name, where did I think that I was at, count to ten. Then when the first lesion was placed the Dr., told me to raise my leg and to raise my hand and hold them steady. I was able to do it with out any trouble. Then in less than 30 minutes the other lesion was placed. The frame was removed and I was wheeled back to my room. I slept soundly for about four hours. I had hardly slept the night before. After the PVP I have had no dyskinesia, my medication works for me (5-25/100, 6- 25mg Permax per day) I have full use of my hands and legs with very little. Stiffness. I just feel like I’ve been given back my life. The one down side is that my speech is affected to a small extent. I will take that. In the morning prior to taking any meds I still shuffle when I walk. Would I recommend it. YES!, for anyone as plagued with dyskinesia as I was. This was some of my experience. David Moreland