Debra, thanks for the e mail. I really feel good that I'm not alone here. I'm anxious to get a support group going here, but for the time being the list is going to fill that need quite well. I'm also lucky that I have a great helpmate, my wife. Fortunately or unfortunately I bought a new book a few days ago, When Parkinsons Strikes Early by Barbara Blake-Krebs and Linda Herman. I have to say, the book scared the heck out of me, and it led me to give a lot of thought to the future... what do I have to look forward to? What do my wife and children have coming down the road at them? I think all my talk to my wife about my fears really scared her. She was happy on the one hand that I was finally sharing how I feel psychologically but was blown away by the worry I was carrying around. I've always been a "manly-man" who didn't share his fears but I thought she had a right to know. Now that its out in the open I think we can make some realistic plans. I'm going in to my neurologist this week. I'll ask about the overdosage question (several people wrote and said they thought my levadopa/carbidopa levels were very high for someone so young. I'll let you know what he says. On Sunday, March 10, 2002, at 01:16 PM, Debra Sutton wrote: > Scott, > Welcome to our little family. I think you'll love it here on our > list. I > can't provide answers to your questions but I sure am interested in > reading > the responses you get. I have wondered at several of those questions > myself. I am 46. I have been symptomatic for over 3 years and finally > went > to a neurologist in january of 2001. A diagnosis of Pd followed and I > went > to see a specialist at Duke for a 2nd opinion who confirmed the > diagnosis. > I am currently taking 5mg Selegiline a day, 9mg of requip a day (3mg > 3xday) > and 3 tablets of Sinemet CR 25/100. Sounds very similar to you. But > if you > are still working on those meds then I truly applaud you because i > can't. > Well let me take that back, I could handle a job I guess but my 3 > children > would have to raise themselves. The honest truth is even now I > sometimes > feel like they are having to do that. My husband is wonderfully > supportive > and does everything he can to help. The fatigue seems to be the biggest > obstacle. I don't know whether to blame it on the Pd or the requip or > both. > I was managing to work some until my requip was increased. Now between > the > overwhelming sleepiness, the fatigue, the nausea and of course the > stiffness > and the "turtle walking" from the PD I just don't have it in me to hold > down > a job. I'd probably get fired anyway - my brain doesn't seem to think > very > well these days. I'm really glad you brought these questions up > because i > have often wondered if that seemed terribly unusual. i have always > been a > hard worker, I have liked my jobs and i certainly haven't "surrendered" > to > this blasted disease but i just am wiped out! I never even make it > through > my to do list. I may have a few really great days where i feel > "normal" and > move "normal" and i take advantage of them but then I can have several > rotten days when shuffling from room to room is a real accomplishment. > The > thing is i never know which one of those days it's going to be until i > get > up every morning which certainly makes planning things rather > difficult. To > be honest i have even been thinking about applying for SS disability, > but i > just part of me refuses to think that i can be disabled at 46!! But > then > realisticall I know this disease is going to get worse over time and > since > it takes a year or more usually to ever get approved for disability > then I > guess I need to get the process started. I guess really it all boils > down > to a pride thingas much as i hate to admit it!! Anybody ahve any > feedback > on the pros and cons of going ahead and filing for disability? > I am also interested in knowing at what dosage of Sinemet do the > dyskinesia > and things start? I don't think I can handle any more requip, which > just > really leaves increasing the Sinemet. > I have the toe curling thing going on sometimes too. What is that about > anyway? i don't have any swallowing problems yet, and i have mild > balance > problems but they are controlled well by the meds so far. > Well Scott, i apologize for taking up so much time and space. Your > letter > just really opened up some things for me that I just had avoided asking > for > myself. Maybe we can both get some answers. I hope so. Take care! > Debra > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Scott Burnett" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 2:13 PM > Subject: FIRST TIME USER > > >> My name is Scott Burnett. I am 44 years old and was diagnosed with PD >> at the age of 40. This was after the usual MRI's, bone scans, etc. >> ruling out MS, Ankylosing Spondelitus (I had a marker in a blood test >> that made this a possibility,) and other equally scary diseases. To >> make a long story short, I'm now diagnosed with young onset PD, and I'm >> taking 4 tablets of Carbidopa25/Levadopa 100 CR, 3 mg of Requip, 5 mg >> of >> Selegiline and 800 IU of Vitamen E. >> >> I have some questions that I'm hoping to find out answers >> to... I >> know that each PWP is different and their case progresses on its' own >> timetable, but generally, >> 1. At what dosage does the Carbidopa/Levadopa side effects outweigh >> the >> benefits? >> 2. How long do people work after their initial diagnosis? >> 3. I have several odd movements going on: rocking from foot to foot, >> clenching/curling my toes while standing, clenching my teeth, and >> catching myself with my left hand raised (my wife calls this my "Gumby >> pose.) Are these examples of Dyskinesia or side effects of the >> medication? >> 4. Looking toward the future, how hard is it to get the California >> State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) to okay disability >> benefits? >> >> I'm also trying to start a young onset Parkinsons support group >> here in Stockton, California. I'll be distributing flyers to my >> Neurologist this week, and I'm hopeful he'll be willing to pass them on >> to his patients. Any other ideas on how I can get the word out about >> the group? >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >