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Dear Barb: There are many interesting things happening in the world of visual cues. This is both in problems associated with akinesia, freezing and festination and in problems of dyskinesia. What you saw or didn't see on the NEXT STEP program was actually taped about three months ago. Since then some very interesting observations have been made including putting on a pair of glasses when in dyskinesia and have your dyskinesia disappear almost immediately. Not only does the dyskinesia disappear but the facial mask disappears, arm swing returns, walking is normal, and mental acuity returns (that caused by dyskinesia). What is being raised are a lot of questions that the research community has never been asked. Our eyes may be the source of much of our problems. As you already know, our eyes need dopamine. It is thought that this dopamine is also reduced in PD. How much and the effects are under study. Wouldn't it be wonderful if someday we would start the day with some eye drops? As to SSRI's I am not very knowledgeable. We hear a lot of negative and possitive results of the use of Prozac for non-PD patients. If one looks on the medical BB on AOL you will find many people commenting on the use or abuse of Prozac, Paxil and zoloff. We do know that seratonin is out of order in PD. We also know that lowered seratonin levels may cause some PD symptoms and may cause depression. With these being the cases, it would make sense to take a medication that raises the levels of a deficient neurotransmitter. I take Paxil, 20 mg, daily. It lowers my sometimes angry temper and makes me more tolerant of my PD symptoms. Here is the results from one user of Prozac. "HI ALL! I just wanted to add a good word about the wonderful effects I have gotten from Prozac in the last 3-4 months. I am always UP and sometimes I run into a situation that use to throw me into a depression. I can recognize the trigger but I no longer follow up with the old result. I only take one a day I really am acting more like a normal person. I have become enthusiastic about walking. DON'T FAINT! Whenever my husband asks if I want to walk down at the beach, I am not grumpy about it but cheerfully say yes and we have stepped up the length of our walks even. Today we walked 4 miles. My husband is so proud of me and I am proud too. I know Prozac has received a lot of bad publicity but my Neurologist said it is the best medicine that has come out in 50 years and I'm a believer. But I think the best medication in the last 50 yrs is Sinemet signed _________" As to the use of cyproheptadine hydrochloride for the control of tremor. This is a very low profile study. This drug is dirt cheap but still requires a prescription. So far it is showing about an 80% success rate. Following is an E-mail from an excited user. "Dear Alan, _____ is having some success with the cyproheptadine-the first med in a long time other than Sinemet that he's found useful and that seems to have mimimal side effects. Thanks so much for the suggestion! Do you know exactly how it's being administered? He's been taking it, under the tongue as you said, 2-3 times a day, a.m.,p.m. and in between when he remembers. Gratefully, ________" There is a lot in the newsletter. Some information is implied because I was not able to say directly the true statement. There are people in this world who think they are doing a great service to the PD community. From the inside looking out, some of these people are actually doing a disservice. However, when confronted with facts they run for cover. My objective is to enlighten the PD community about the problems and ask the PD community to vote by their pocket books. This is very difficult to do without hurting someone. Sometime ago on the PD list service a lady wrote from England about the allocation of money between "to find a cure" and "to ease the burden." We need to help those suffering from the disease and their families and at the same time search out the cure. The lady from England did a very find analysis of the problem and I will refer those interested to read her message. (I think it was a lady. If I am mistaken, I apologize.) Yes, I am tried after putting out the newsletter. Messages like yours and the many calls I get tell me it is important, well read by patient, carepartner and researcher. It is not always the popular point of view or the sugar and candy side of PD. I have been told for ten years that a cure was just two or maybe three years away. I no longer believe it. The cure is maybe five to ten years away; however, in the mean time, new drugs, surgery, treatment will be available. This is important in easing the burden. Regards, Alan Bonander ([log in to unmask])