Hi, I haven't forgotten you--last 2 days not good--will give you a better reply soon--please understand that I am not a health professional but I pay close attention. Therapeutic dose of requip starts about 6-7 mg/day, which is more or less equal to about 1 and 1/2 mg of Mirapex per day -- 1/2 3 t/day--I would start requip lower than 6--may just 1 3 t/day, but again I'm not the Dr. Mirapex and REquip both have starter kits which get you started slowly--why not do that--if it's too rough, as the Dr if you can adjust it and go more slowly--or you/she may be able to tolerate Requip or another agonist right from the start. Don't expect it to have much if any at doses lower than about 7mg/day, but Patience is the name of the game. That's all for now, but that's pretty much what I have to offer. Be glad to answer questions to the best of my ability and experience. good luck, Charlotte On Sun, 4 Aug 2002 17:16:29 -0500 patandpaula <[log in to unmask]> writes: > Charlotte, I am talking to my mothers dr about requip, would you > mind > telling me what is the lowest dosage to start out with? that way > she can > get used to it hopefully. i doubt if she will be affected with > diahreah, as > she has been severely constipated her entire life, so hopefully she > wont > have too bad side affects. thanks paula > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "charlotte A mancuso" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 5:13 PM > Subject: More ideas--Fw: Re: ALTERNATE DIAGNOSIS? ANY IDEAS? > > > > I forgot to say--agonists are hard to get used to, but for me, > they were > > well worth it--try again slowly and stick with it--it may take 2 > or 3 > > months. Side effects are a price you pay on the way to > improvement, > > within reason. I was doubled up with cramps and diarrhia on > Requip--I > > got over it, and wouldn't give up my Requip for anything! Also, > when I > > got worse, I dropped Comtan--(Tasmar alternative, but not stored > in > > liver--no blood tests); Dr. had me go back on Comtan, increased my > > Sinemet--(we were sparing simemet as much as possible so as not to > > trigger dyskinesia)--and I improved, though I wasn't as advanced > as you > > describe your friend. However, it seems to me that lots of > mainstream > > meds are not being tried--also he may be experiencing > dystonia--the > > turned in hand and curled fingers?--try Baclofen--it's an MS drug > that > > works for PWPs with dystonia. I use it successfully for hand and > foot > > turning in and my toes going upward. PWPs do get dystonia, and it > worked > > for me. > > > > Good luck, > > > > Charlotte Mancuso > > > > --------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: charlotte A mancuso <[log in to unmask]> > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 14:22:38 -0700 > > Subject: Re: ALTERNATE DIAGNOSIS? ANY IDEAS? > > Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> > > > > Is he taking large quantities of vitamins containing vitamin A or > > drinking lots of carrot juice? I believe too much and it will turn > your > > skin yellow/orange--one literally starts to look like a carrot. A > friend > > of mine did this many years ago. And I think vitamin A is stored > in the > > liver. > > > > My memory of this is a little sketchy. Katherine Holden: can you > weigh > > in on this in case my memory is failing me? > > > > Charlotte Mancuso > > > > On Sun, 4 Aug 2002 13:03:19 -0400 WILL JOHNSTON > <[log in to unmask]> > > writes: > > > There is a young onset PD man in our support group who has had > PD for > > > about > > > 10 years for sure, probably longer (current age 51). > > > > > > He has been taking Sinemet for years, and it has usually been > > > effective. He > > > has taken various agonists in past years, and they produced > > > undesired > > > side-effects. He had a palidotomy about 5 years ago which > produced > > > favorable > > > results for about 3 1/2 years. > > > > > > About a year ago he took a considerable turn for the worse: > > > > > > He was also taking Tasmar [and getting liver function tests from > > > time to > > > time which were uniformly negative for problems] when, > > > over a period of about two weeks he gradually lost his ability > to > > > stand > > > alone or walk. The fingers on one hand curled in, and the > fingers > > > will not > > > extend out even with considerable force. The changes seemed > much > > > too fast > > > for PD, but much too slow for a stroke. He is still mentally > sharp. > > > When I > > > helped take him for an MRI [no problems seen in MRI pictures], > his > > > arms and > > > hands were yellow. [For those who can remember when > oleomargerine > > > was white > > > and came with a yellow-orange dye packet: The color was just > like > > > the dye > > > when the margerine was partly pale yellow and partly orangey - > the > > > orangey > > > color.] I immediately thought juandice, but his eyes were very > clear > > > and the > > > eyeballs were very white. {This symptom disappeared in a very > few > > > days.}. > > > > > > There are deer and ticks in his yard. I thought Lyme disease. > Lyme > > > disease > > > is seen frequently in our area. I understand he was tested for > Lyme > > > and > > > test was negative. The MD's are stumped? Any ideas? > > > > > > Will J. > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn