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It sounds like your husband's condition is similar to my husband's. The Clozaril has been a life-saver!!! Have you discussed the possibility of anti-depressants with his doctor? My husband has found Zoloft to be very helpful in making him feel happier. Miriam L. Denham [log in to unmask] On Thu, 2 May 1996, Vesta Buetow wrote: > >Date: Thu, 02 May 1996 22:12:34 -0500 > >To: [log in to unmask] > >From: Vesta Buetow <[log in to unmask]> > > > > I would like to thank everyone who gave me help and good advice. > It is really good to know one is not alone. > > My husband has always been a pessimist--his glass is always half > empty while mine is always half full--and having PD is no help. > > Do your patients have problems thinking straight some times? We > were farmers and Art still wants me to do something with calves in the > middle of the night and we now live in town. He relates with TV too much > and it is hard to find a program he can watch that does not become living > real--even a western with John Wayne! > > He is also on a drug called Clozaril which is an anti-hallucinator > most successfully used with schizophrenics. Before he took this medicine, > Art would beat the bed trying to kill the bugs. > > Clozaril is a very highly controlled medicine that affects the > white blood count. Art has blood drawn every Tuesday, the blood is sent to > the lab at the local hospital and the results are faxed to the pharmacy and > the doctor. If the count is 4.3 or above then on Wednesday I am able to get > 7 pills for the week. The next week the same thing happens and again I get 7 > pills. The control is coming from the company that produces the drug. The > doctor says it is because they are afraid of a lawsuit. If the blood count > is low, I cannot get the medicine for 4 weeks! > > His only PD medicine is Sinimet CR and he takes this 3 times a day. > He was also on Eldepryl but when we did not notice much difference, the > doctor stopped it as it was a very expensive medication to be doing little > or no good for Art. > > We take advantage of the Home Health services of the local > hospital. Art gets a bath 3 times a week as well as the nurse coming to > draw blood. We also get meals on wheels which is a big help. > > I am classified as totally bionic--I have 2 artificial hips and 2 > artificial knees--all surgery needed because of advanced Osterarthritis. I > get along fine but I need lots of exercise. So I get it in the form of > Water Exercise Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I lead the group at > 8:00 every morning and I have a lady come in to stay with Art. It is my > only time to be with others and I need that as much as I enjoy it. > > Thanks for letting me get so much off my chest. I will wait and > watch to "hear" from more of you > > > > Vesta > > >