I am responding to your excellent letter. In addition, I am too incompetent
to address an original message and so, in my role as a handsome and dashing
leech, I am hoping you will carry me to the group. To date, I have not put
on an inspiring performance. Upon joining this august group, I thought I was
saving the messages which greeted that event so I could read and treasure
them later. But I cleverly erased them instead. And so it goes.
I am 61, a lawyer in Wyoming, a recovering alcoholic, a PD (3 years) and
have high blood sugar and assumed that my swollen feet were a sign of
terminal diabetes until I read the messages about the others with that
symptom. It probably is diabetes, but the messages gave me another
rationalization while I try to bring the blood sugar down with diet.
This is intended as a message of hope -- spelled "Ropinerol" I have been
exceedingly lucky--was diagnosed at Mayo's in Scottsdale and put on Sinemet
for one month with Eldepryl (2.5 Mg.X2). Lucky again -- the timing was
perfect and I was given a chance to join a study group of Ropinerol
(manufactured by SmithKline of King of Prussia, Pa.) which was only open to
people who had not been on Sinemet for more than a month. Lucky again, I got
the medicine and not the placebo. Lucky again, the program led me to a
superb doctor at the Colorado Neurological Center in Denver (Dr. O'Brien).
Lucky again, when I concluded the year long test -- I was allowed to
continue under a compassionate exemption by FDA. I was on Permex for several
months while the protocol was developed after the study ended and had severe
back pains -- which went away when I got back on Ropinerol. But, in
addition, I didn't do as well on Permex either. Both drugs work the same
way, but it is hoped that Ropinerol will have less side effects. Dr. O'Brien
told me at my last examination that they are putting on a full court press to
get Ropinerol approved by the FDA as soon as possible. For all of you, I
pray this is true. As far as I am concerned, Ropinerol is a miracle drug.
I am on the following (Ropinerol 7mg X 3; Eldepryl 5 mg x 2; and
Glucotrol 2.5 mg X 2). A doctor friend of mine persuaded me to start on
anti-oxidants about 10 years ago -- and that may have helped. I'm still
considered "mild".
But, in looking back, I was especially lucky to have been through the AA
alcoholism bit before I was diagnosed (some 18 or so years ago). As a result
I was somewhat prepared for the bad news of PD. But the best weapon in our
arsenal as we wander down the path still has to be the AA "Serenity Prayer":
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things I can -- and the
wisdom to know the difference". The last is the key.
I know it makes a difference if I think about it whenever I am down -- and
we all are down at times. But we just have to get up again. Bless all of
you.
Jack Stanfield ([log in to unmask])
