Greetings!
To some of you I am a stranger and others know me as a somewhat regular
on Sparkle. I have been just a lurker here and not even a very active
lurker at that. I'll have to make the time to check in here more often,
as my Parkinson's seems to be taking a new direction.
Diagnosed some seven years ago, I trace the beginnings to the late 80s
when I mysteriously lost my sense of smell. I then visited a
neurologist who did a CAT scan and pronounced that there was nothing
amiss. The diagnosis came with the increasing right-hand tremor which,
in 1997, interfered with my work as a graphic designer. But this still
was not too bad and I just readjusted my lifestyles to take this into
account. My neuro put me onto Mirapex and Selegilene.
In the past few months my back muscles have been seizing up, affecting
my ability to stand straight and intefering with walking and other
exercises. It seems to get worse as the day wears on and some days
really requires periodic horizontal rest. I have also started swimming
to try and strengthen those back muscles. I have also severely
restricted my food intake and have lost some thirty pounds to take
pressure off the back from my stomach. But all of this appears to be of
no avail.
Since I also suffer from osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, which affects
my knees and hips, I am more than a little concerned. My body
apparently does not absorb Vitamin B12 and calcium properly and my
rheumotologist is addressing those conditions with Actonel and regular
bone density scans.
Okay, to cut to the quick: I am wondering if there is any link between
the osetoarthritis and/or osteoporosis and PD. And since I am going to
see my neuro this week to see if he can do anything to alleviate this
worrisome back pressure, I am soliciting any wisdom from this list. I
apologize if this has been well covered in the past and I am being
redundant but having to make a living alongside increasing difficulties
from PD has forced me to be less active as I may have once been... (I
also don't sleep well, as evidneced by my being here on line in the wee
hours...)
Oh, and some of you may have heard from me about six weeks ago when I
was in Europe and was prescribed a new therapy supposedly new from a
firm called Lab O Life in Belgium. It is called Park L2 and appears to
be a homeopathic mixture of various interleuken ingredients. It is a
bit expensive and I was fortunate to have friends who have supplied me
with a three-month supply. I am half-way through this period and
certainly haven't noticed anything dramatically different. Of course, I
may have suffered even more debilitation without it but since it runs
at approximately Cdn$175. per month I don't think I'll renew. Hope
springs eternal, though. Fortunately I live in Canada where my
medication costs are limited to $42-46 monthly (US$33.) and without
having a comfortable nest egg and without private insurance I sure am
grateful to be living here.
I think I have abused you all enough and will reciprocate any like
experiences related by trying to be a little more active. My
neurologist here in Montreal is the chief neurologist of a major
hospital and I believe he is head of the movement disorders group. I
will relay anything I learn of significance here but am not expecting
anything this week other than perhaps something to release those damn
back muscles
Thank you for your reading this far and I'll try and be more active
(both here and in general!)
Best regards, Murray K
Never argue with an idiot.
They drag you to their level and then beat you with experience.
-- unknown (probably an idiot...)
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