For what they're worth my PD history and so-forths and so-ons are:
George Andes dob 2/34 DxPD 8/82 Educ Admin & Teacher
Partial Disability this year and last. Next ??
Medication:
Initially, (c.1985) Sinemet 10/25 a couple/day MAGIC!!
Since then, many different schedules, I always promptly forget the last so I can
remember the latest.
Now:
On getting out of bed, or soon thereafter (6 AM)
1 Sinemet, 25/100;
3 Parlodel, 2.5 mg;
1 Entacapone, 100 mg, an experimental drug;
1 Eldpreyl, 5mg;
1 Oxybutynin, 5 mg.
Every two hours thereafter, eight more times altogether,
1/2 Sinemet, 25/100;
1 Parlodel, 2.5 mg;
1 Entacapone, 100 mg,
[ at 6PM & 8 PM only,1 Oxybutynin, 5 mg]
{What a routine. As for gettin PD, only mathematicians need apply!}
Current symptoms. I have given this a lot of thought. It is important but not
always easy to distinguish between symptoms and side effects. [The LIST will
hear more on this matter from me later.]
Symptoms:
1. Tremor, mostly confined to left side. The Worst.
2. Freezing
3. Slowness
4. Nuisance cramping in left foot.
5. Some loss of bladder control
Note: 1 & 2 together can last for an hour or more.
Side Effects:
6. Full body twisting and writhing. This dystonia occurs as my dopamine level
rises and passes from not-enough to just-about-right. To a lesser extent also
on the way back down. The fancy name for this is diphasic dyskinesia.
7. Bobbing and weaving. Random uncontrolled dyskensia as a result of too much
dopamine.
8. Dry mouth from medication. A subtle disaster.
One or the other:
9. Rapid on-off switching.
10. Muscle cramping as a result of #2 above.
11. Insomnia
In a class by itself:
12. Anxiety. Not panic. Not depression. Anxiety and its child, anxious about
being anxious. My description of this is: "I can answer the telephone anytime
-- except when it rings."
GM Andes 1/8/96
