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Harry Davis <[log in to unmask]> wrote: <<<My wife has same problem. Toes
on left foot bunch up at middle joint. Big toe O.K. Only discomfort is when
toes rub on shoes when walking. When she increased her sinimet it helped
but she is trying not to increase doseage further as her other symptons are
not bad. Our Dr. did not call it restless leg.>>>
and
Ron Reiner <[log in to unmask]> wrote <<<According to my reading, there
is a slightly higher incidence of PD in people with RLS (or maybe vice
versa)?  Some doctors think that it is dopamine related since so many PD
medications seem to help.  Of course, anti-convulsants also seem to help -
so who knows?
Meanwhile, your symptons don't sound like RLS.>>>

I agree with Ron Reiner, the great toe curling up or down or both is
dystonia - cramping/spasm of foot muscles.  My experience was firsst with
the great toe on the PD affected side curling up and then the larger
muscles of the foot and calf eventually getting involved.  I like to think
I did some "biofeedbask" re-innervating via much rubbing, attempting to
relax each muscle, et cetera over some months.  This resulted in some
ability to focus on and relax the right foot.

Later, however, my progression involved my formerly little-affected left
side.  The only thing that has sufficed to stop the foot curling down and
inward with painful spasms in the foot and calf is getting medication as
soon as I get up - and resting with enough food taken after 15 minutes to
get the med into the intestine so that 15 to 30 minutes later, the
peripheral and/or CNS neurons in my networks know not to pull those muscles
apart.

If I take too little levodopa (and now a little Permax) or wait too long,
the dystonia will occur during the day.  Earlier, it was only a first part
of the day difficulty.

I suggest that levodopa early is likely to negate the symptom, but you do
ot need to take more dopamine, just earlier.  Or, if you use only Sinemet
CR, substitute part of regular levodopa/carbidopa for your first dose.  My
home page has some on this medicating if you use the "click here" at the
end of the Parkinson's paragraph.

ron      1936, dz PD 1984  Ridgecrest, California
Ronald F. Vetter <[log in to unmask]>
http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter