 |
 |
Have been lurking for about a month and picking up all sorts of information. Now need some specific. Have posted this twice before so am trying a different address. My husband is 71/12. 2/12/96 Bill entered hospital for a "drug holiday" (something I have not seen mentioned here). At admission he was taking 8 - 25/100 Sinemet and 3 - 1mg Permas daily. After 8 days without any Parkinson meds he was restarted on 6 - 25/100 Sinemet and 2 - 1mg Permax daily. Within a few days we put Permax back to 3 - 1mg daily. On that dosage and through several adjustments upward on Sinemet, he was func- tioning almost as if he was on NO meds. On 3/29 Dr increased Sinemet to 1 + 1/2 every HOUR. Ask Dr about dissolving Sinemet in orange juice like Bill Bell's mother. Dr said fine, it might get into the system faster, so that's what we did. Bill main- tained that dose 3/29 and 3/30. Dr called early AM 3/31 and when told meds were finally working for the first time since hospital he told Bill to cut back to 1 + 1/4 - Sinemet every hour. He did for the rest of that day but by bedtime was beginning not to respond. AM 4/1 he was almost immobile so has gone back to 1 + 1/2 - Sinemet every hour. Is anyone else out there taking Sinemet in this quantity? If so, how long and with what results? We live in Reno, NV. Does anyone have any information on PD surgeries being done in Salt Lake City, UT? What hospital? What doctors? Read in message several days ago that Aetna had approved pallidotomy at Emory, Ga. and 8 other states for Medicare. What about pallidal stimulation and thalamodomy? Our Medicare administrator is Aetna in Arizona. Does anyone know if the Ga. decision would bind Aetna nationwide or if each regional Aetna office makes its own determination? What a BOON this service to us. Much wonderful information and lets us know how NOT alone we are. Bill & Bobbie Cotter ([log in to unmask])