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Because it works. For me. PD is a designer disease, and what works for one of us may not for another. I write now that I can no longer practice as a psychiatric nurse, and I need to be mentally alert, creative, etc. The Sinemet does that for me. I remember the first time I took it. I could almost hear those dormant brain synapses buzzing. I also take Mirapex as an adjunct med, and while it helps, it leaves me foggy and forgetful. I am now beginning to have some dyskenesia, which is a b---h, but I am dealing with it because the drug enables me to write, and walk. A last thought-L-dopa has been around a very long time. We know its side-effects, etc. As a nurse I saw many new meds marketed as having no s/e's. Prozac is a good example. Then a few years down the pike they are blaming it for everything from suicides on down. We have also seen good old reliable drugs turn out to be toxic, i.e., Tylenol and liver damage. So, I think its pretty much like life. You pick your poison, and you take your chances... Peace, Carole Hercun --- m power <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > hi all, > > in what i am about to say, i am speaking in general > terms - i do not mean to minimize anyone's experience of > the side effect of obsessive behavior. > > In the study that came out in 2003, 1.5% of the people > who were put on mirapex developed serious gambling > addictions - that is "only slightly higher than the > reported rate in the general population, which ranges > from 0.3 to 1.3%." does anyone know if that is even > statistically > significant?(http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_922460.htm) > > by contrast, 100% of early onset folks put on l-dopa > will develop both dyskinesias and on/off fluctuations > within 6 years (see Quinn, Young Onset Parkinson's > Disease, 1987, Movement Disorders, Vol. 2, no.2, p. > 73-91) and 75% of people put on l-dopa "will no longer > have a smooth, stable and effective response" after five > years of treatment - in other words, 75% overall will > develop dyskinesias and on/off fluctuations within five > years (see Fahn, Parkinson Disease, The Effect of > Levodopa and the ELLDOPA trial, Archives of Neurology, > 1999) > > i am curious - i do not experience on/off fluctuations > or dyskinesias, having never taken l-dopa, because > looking in from the outside, it looks like somewhere i > would do everything i could to avoid going. and yet, > people rarely talk about them (and they certainly don't > get the press 1.5% gambling does, but of course that > could be because these other statistics have been well > known in the research community for at least 20 years) - > are they just not as bad as i think they are? or are > folks resigned to experiencing them because l-dopa is the > only thing that works (or worked) for them? or do folks > not know that the risk is so high until it is upon them? > > if anyone has any thoughts on the subject, i would love > to hear them. i simply cannot understand how a drug that > has such a gargantuan chance of leaving people with > disabling side effects has been "the gold standard"' for > about 40 years. > > mackenzie > > > Beverly Forte <[log in to unmask]> wrote: I too stopped > Mirapex because of some compulsive behaviors and my > neurologist refuses to give me Requip. I had dbs brain > surgery in Dec 2005. > After stopping the mirapex i went into a deep depression > which does not seem > responsive to antidepressents. My energy is also > extremely low. Obsessive > behaviors now? Nope.. I am lucky to get out of bed every > day. Has anyone had > this experience and any suggestions? I have a doctor's > app Jan 16th and hope > to have my own suggestions. > > Thanks...for sharing. > > Bev in Tex > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Automatic digest processor" > > To: "Recipients of PARKINSN digests" > > Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 11:32 PM > Subject: PARKINSN Digest - 11 Jan 2006 to 12 Jan 2006 > (#2006-18) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Photos � Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > Photo Books. You design it and we�ll bind it! > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn