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Welcome Patti Zapf. Don't give up. Of course there is no cure for PD, but all the "tweaking" of our drug cocktails, all the "holistic" alternatives we try, all the staying abreast of all the news that we do, all are signs of hope. We continue to hope for better times ahead. Sounds like Alan's other health issues complicate things quite a bit, especially regarding his sum total of drugs that he must combine every day. Have you ever been to a pharmacological expert to consider what may be the better combinations, between the heart meds the PD meds, etc? Just from your letter, that's where my thoughts first go, but I'm no expert either, just another PWP. I exercise, even tho I'm no athelete, and I try to eat for health, and I just don't try to cram a whole lot of activity into any one day. The only thing I do with the meds is to try to be consistent in my dose schedule. Good luck! Rick McGirr -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of PATTI ZAPF Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 6:54 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: new subscriber i have joined this to learn all i can to help my husband, alan, who is 63 and been diagnosed with pd for the last 15 years. we live in dallas and have been seeing a neuroligist at ut southwestern. he has not been to the doctor in over a year. he feels he will just get more medication or tweaking of his current meds. this is our 5th doctor over the past 15 years. alan's sleep is interrupted with hallucinations occastionally. wish those would go away. i googled comtan and sinemet which have these side affects. his current regime is all medications. comtan, carbidopa-levadopa, amantadine, plus he takes heart meds crestor, metropolol, plavix he supplements with magnesium (constipation), vitamin e, aspirin. he recently has fallen twice and i think it may be from the crestor, as he just started this 4 months ago, instead of lipitor. i am trying to encourage him to be more wholistic with a statin. anyone with any ideas, please pass on. he said the other day he wished he could go to the doctor and get a cure. wishful he knows. dbs does not interest him. i am massaging him and he does stretches. he is extrememly hunched over from back pain. i wonder if that is from the drugs he is taking??? any suggestions are appreciated. his voice is so soft, we are trying to find a portable microphone that could be used in social settings. any suggestions would be appreciated. he has tried Lee Silverman training. alan has a great attitude mostly. he doesn't like to rock the boat, but makes profound statements at the right time, that amaze me and teach me how to handle things differently. i have heard alot about a neurologist, dr. jankovich in houston, tx that i would like to take him too, but it is 4 hours away and expensive. (he is not a Medicare provider) anyone seen this doctor? we have not been impressed with our past neurologists as time goes on, because it is the same thing, more drugs, different combinations, more drugs. the drug companies are making a killing. we did attend a week long over night session this past summer here in dallas ($2750), with a fellow from australia, noel batten, claiming parkinson's is the biggest medical blunder, and positive results can happen with a week long visit. it was a highly anticipated week , we learned alot about our own selves and strengthened our marriage. chiropractic care, massage, mental soul searching of past traumas were most of the routine. did we see physical improvement, yes, some, after the chiropractic treatments of this wonderful chiro doctor we found during this week. results were not long lasting.. alan went one time a week for 6 months, which ended in dec 2008, as driving was difficult for him to get there, and i have a job that kept me from taking him. i am trying to help my husband live a quality life. thank you for your suggestions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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