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Ivan.... ya might take a stab at taking vitamin-E for relief of the"night cramps." I've had outstanding results with it for years. I initially began taking 2000 I.U,'s per day which stopped the terrible cramping I used to get in it's tracks within 36 hours. I took that dosage for one week, than began decreasing it in 400 unit reductions, staying at each level of dosage for one week to see if the cramps came back. I eventually settled at 800 i.u.'s as being the dose my body needed to keep the cramps at bay. Two things I'll point out to ya: 1. every so often (maybe 2 or 3 times a year), for some reason, I get a return of toe and leg cramping, albeit fairly mildly. I simply return to 1600 i.u's a day for a week, then reduce it back to 800 i.u.'s once again and the cramping stops. 2. I found the vit-E capsules to be the size of horse-pills <grin> and had trouble swollowing 'em (darn Parkie swollowing problems!), so use the 400 i.u. sized capsule which is 1/3 the size of the larger dosed capsules. Of course, that means I take a coupla vit-E's each day rather than just one. A small sacrifice for getting such good relief form that awful cramping! Barb Mallut, [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of [log in to unmask] Sent: Sunday, May 19, 1996 2:13 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: sleep disruption from end-dose cramps My toes curl and i am painfully dystonic every threeand a half hours while trying to sleep. My muscles become rigid and cramped in my legs, arms and neck. I am trying taking a larger than usul dose at bedtime----a whole Sinement CR 50/200 plus a 1/2 Sinemet 25/100 chewed up, with o.j., if I can stand the acidity, or apple juice (more mellow than o.j.). This gives me an extra 45 minutes sleep. Absorption is 30 minutes or so. Therefore, I am in pain three time a night and wait through 3 half-hour periods of great pain and difficulty. My doctor has suggested Klonotin(sp?), a valium-like sedative. My concern is that I will wake up with just as much pain once the Sinemet has worn off, but be too groggy from the sedative to take my medications properl! Suggestions and advice would be most welcome. I live alone, alas, and must do all this myself. I wonder if adding parlodel or permax at bedtime would be helpful, extending the period of effectiveness of the Sinemet to get more rest. What bedtime combos do people like?. I am perpetually flagging in energy at this time. Thanks, Ivan ([log in to unmask]) 46, PD 9 yrs, May violets bloom like an ocean on my lawn, gill o'er the ground and bluets add highlights supreme, and dandelions intermingle with bees in the evening light.