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Dear Edna,
Your mother's condition seems to have progressed very rapidly. May I ask
if she sees a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders,
preferably in PD? That is very important, as it is possible that she has
conditions other than PD, or another disorder entirely, such as Multiple
Systems Atrophy.

The fact that she is so weak in the middle of the day could be due to
undermedication, in which case the physician might want to change her
medication regime; again, a movement disorders specialist would be much
better at this than a general neurologist or a primary care physician.

Her weight loss is another concern. I recommend you ask her physician
for a referral to a registered dietitian, preferably one who specializes
in PD. The RD can perform an assessment to determine the cause of your
mother's weight loss, and help you solve her problems in ways that are
appropriate for her.

You might also want to pose your question to neurologist who specialize
in PD, and who answer e-mail questions. I would add your mother's age,
her medications and their timing, and any other information you think
might be helpful.

Here are the websites at which you can e-mail your question:

1) Dr. Abraham Lieberman,
a leading specialist in Parkinson's disease, answers
e-mails at no charge on the National Parkinson Foundation
website at:

http://www.parkinson.org/

Scroll down the page to:

 Ask Dr. Lieberman, NPF Medical Director

Click on this, and follow the directions. You can then
e-mail your concerns to Dr. Lieberman. He usually answers
within 48 hours.

2) University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve
U., and  Ohio State U. Click on  the Ask an Expert section,
then click on Parkinsons in the list of diseases. Dr. Arif
Dalvi, a specialist in PD, usually answers within two days.
http://www.netwellness.org/

3)Parkinson's Disease Foundation's website -- Ask the Expert
 http://www.pdf.org
May take 2-3 days

My very best regards,
Kathrynne

edna tietze wrote:
>
> Can anyone help?  My mom was diagnosed with Parkinson's a couple of years
> ago.  Since the summer of 1998 she has lost 45 pounds, and suffers from
> debilitating weakness between about 10 am and 2 pm every day.  If she lies
> perfectly still on the couch, she suffers no tremors, but if she even reads
> the paper, she shakes.
> Help with information please.
> Carol
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

--
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
Author: "Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Constipation and Parkinson's" --  audiocassette & guidebook
"Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy for Parkinson's
disease" & Risk Assessment Tools
"Risk for malnutrition and bone fracture in Parkinson's
disease," J Nutr Elderly. V18:3;1999.
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/