Tony Schoonenberg, Editor of the Loma Linda "Movement Disorders Team Report"
in the Volume 1 Issue 2 reported that, "various studies have been conducted
on eye blink rates, with the finding that normal, healthy people blink their
eyes on the average about 15 to 30 times per minute, depending on what they do".
Parkinson's patients tend to blink less and less as their medications 'wear
off'. Tony Schoonenberg, reports that, "blink rate varies with the amount of
dopamine activity in the brain. Less dopamine means fewer blinks, more
dopamine means more blinks".
The newsletter describes two novel methods of determining if your levodopa
dosage is adequate by counting the blinks just before it is time for your
next dose or sixty to ninty minutes after taking a dose.
METHOD ONE
If your blink rate is 12 for example and 15 is normal, Schoonenberg suggests
that you divide the 15 eye blinks per minute, which is 'NORMAL', by 12 eye
blinks just before your next dose you will receive a value of 1.25.
15/12 = 1.25
Schoonenberg, suggests that your next dose could be increased by 1.25 which
if you regularly take 25/100 Sinemet would be one and a quarter tablets for
the next dose.
METHOD TWO
Sixty to ninty minutes after the dose, count or have someone count your
blink rate. The standard release Sinemet reaches its maximum theraputic
benefit at that time. If your blink rate at that time is over 30 blinks per
minute, Schoonenberg states, "you may be overmedicated". To determine the
amount of the dose that is causing the 'over medication', divide 30 by your
actual observed blink rate.
30/40 = .75
Schoonenberg, suggests that your next dose could be 3/4 of what your normal
dose is which if you take 25/100 Sinemet would be 3/4s of a tablet.
Schoonenberg in keeping with Dr. Iacono's philosophy that the patient and
care-giver should be in charge of the management of Parkinson's, states,
"This procedure is not intended as a method to change the dose amount every
time you take your medication, but only as a way of changing your usual
condition if you always find yourself undermedicated before it's time for
your next dose, or overmedicated when taking your last dose. Rather than
just taking a standard dose of Sinemet at standard times, you can tailor
your medication to suit the way your body uses it, just by counting the
number of times your eyes blink in a minute. It's a guideline that has
worked well for many people, and may work for you".
The "Movement Disorders Team Report" is a quarterly publication of Dr.
Iacono's. Tony Schoonenberg, CRTT, CPFT is the Coordinator, Patient
Education Specialist, Movement Disorders Team.
The Loma Linda Movement Disorders Team can provide information on how to
receive the newsletter by calling (909) 478-8649 or by sending email to:
[log in to unmask]
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