Hi! Debra: Presumably I am still in the early stage of PD, eventhough I am sure I had 'facial mask' for at least thirty years. I am not sure how to define 'facial mask'. Some people define 'masked face' as an expressionless face or a sofrt of seriusness in the face. When you take a still photograph of your face, you may have to specially try to put up a smile; normally, it might look rather sad, even if you are feeling happy inside. I know I have to make special efforts to put up a smiling face for photogaphs, which might even look artificial sometimes for no reason of my own at all. This phenomenon is highly visible now days, such that a friend of mine, when he met me after a few years, came annoyingly close to my face and had a an up close look at my face and asked me what was wrong with my jaw. Of course, this came to me as surprise and I don't think I gave him any reply. Speech impediment is something I am worried abut too, although I am sure I am still in a very early stage of the phenmenon, I think. In 1998, I first experienced some sort of slurred speech, when I was giving a lecture in my class. If I am careful, I can still avoid it. Other thing often people complained about me was that my voice is very low, although I am putting the same energy in speaking. Also I tend to speak way faster than I use to do a few years ago. Therefore, I very conciously, speak with a louder voice and slow pace now days. That reminds me. Does anybody know of a trined speech therapist in Canada? Raj [log in to unmask] ****************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debra Sutton" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 12:32 PM Subject: Fw: Re: Introducing myself > Dan, and others, > Yes there are a wide variety of response to meds, and everybody is > different. It is good to hear different people's responses I think so we > can maybe figure out just what is going on with us. For example you > mentioned the "off" effect of not being able get the right word out at the > right time. I have been experiencing this more and more lately but I never > really associated it to with PD and the meds,but now I am wondering. > Yesterday I was trying to share in Sunday School and try as I may the words > just wouldn't come out right. It's like the thoughts were there in my brain > but somehow they got short-circuited between there and my mouth. Something > else new that has been going on for about a month or so that may be related > to the 'word thing' that I could use some feedback on. Lately when I talk > it seems that my lips move and nothing else on my face does. It seems like > I'm trying to get words out through this little opening that won't widen > like it is supposed too. Really hard to explain. I know that a masked face > is sometimes a symptom of PD but just how does that start. I can still > smile, it just seems to take a little more effort than it used to. I > certainly don't won't to imagine any symptoms (I have enough already) but > new things can sure be frustrating especially when trying to decide if you > should chalk it up to PD or not. So, I guess what I'm asking is if anybody > out there would be willing to share the history of their "masked face" (or > whatever it is officially called) . Thanks, > Debra > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan W Scott" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 2:56 AM > Subject: Re: Introducing myself > > > > Commenting on Debra Sutton's remarks: > > > Raj, > > > My opinion would be to take the sinemet. There is some debate as to > whether > > > Mirapex and Requip might slow down the progression of PD but right now > > > nothing has been proven and the truth is, the side effects of Requip and > > > Mirapex are rotten!! Actually if you lived in Europe or Canada, you > would > > > not be allowed to legally drive if you were prescribed either of these > drugs > > > due to the incidence of somnolence. The side effects of the Sinemet (at > > > least for me) have been pretty mild and it works much better than the > > > agonists. > > > Debra > > Debra: very interesting, the wide range of responses to medications. > > 1. I am unaware that I have ever had side effects from Mirapex, > > certainly not negative ones, I thought. However, you have raised > > doubt in my mind: sometimes I do get severe muscle pain, immobilizing > > me for 2-3 days at a time. I wonder now if this was caused by Mirapex. > > Thanks for the alert, I will try to isolate the Mirapex effect from > > the Parkinson's next time it happens. Thanks! > > 2. I sometimes take Mirapex in the afternoon without Sinemet CR > > and it seems to be effective if I am physically inactive, not > > exercising. > > 3. Sinemet has never affected my state of alertness, that I can tell. > > Not taking it in time, I get 'down' or 'off'; I get confused, bothered > > by complexity. Also I sometimes can't say the precisely correct word > > for something, 'close, but no cigar'. > > > > Dan W. Scott > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > 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 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn