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Hi Folks! Hope we're doing this right. Since we're new, please send advice and corrections if we step on any group or net etiquette. PLEASE. Don was diagnosed with PD 4 years ago. He now takes 4 1/2 to 5 25/250 Sinemet CRper day (suddenly upped by neurologist last summer from 5 25/100's) plus 2 .5 Eldepryl plus 2 Artane (Trihexesomething). He works full-time in an executive position, is doing well with his job, loves working, will be 70 next month, has no thoughts of retiring. He was doing okay with careful attention to his meds, diet, rest, relaxation etc. I believe he has shown a decline in several symptoms since he began the higher doses of Sinemet and we have been working in a vacuum this year trying to find ways to lessen it and its effects on him. A lot of additional fatigue led to physical, which led to diagnosis of prostate cancer with probable metasis but no other site showing yet. He is with a nationally renowned urologist/oncologist and is undergoing pre-surgical treatment with a total testosterone blocker. The urologist feels that he is responding extremely well to this cancer shrinking treatment. Tests show cancer has now apparently limited to just the prostate - perhaps the nodes. With this response, the prognosis for successful surgery and cure is good. Surgery is scheduled for mid-August to remove the prostate, lymph nodes. Advanced surgical techniques should protect him from urinary incontinence as a previously common side-effect of this surgery that we understand could cause a lot of problems with PD. We are very grateful and hopeful now of his chances for a complete "surgical cure" or certainly at least several years of cancer symptom-free living according to the surgeon . PROBLEM: As his body is devoided of all testosterone (for the next few months), his Parkinson's is getting worse and worse. He seems to be in complete "on-off" tremor pergatory along with new balance/falling problems, "fogged/like I'm in a trance" symptoms, "can't think of the word I want" and some "why am I awake and unable to sleep suddenly in the middle of the night" symptoms. The internist is concerned about a weight loss and is trying to get him pumped up for surgery on a complete vitamin, mineral, fiber regimen. WITH HIS PD SLIPPING SO BADLY, HE IS WEARING DOWN, NOT RELAXED OR BUILDING UP FOR THIS SURGERY. We are concerned. We were relatively uniformed about Parkinson's before last fall when his symptoms became so much more pronounced and his meds no longer seemed to hold them. He was put on Permax briefly but had severe involuntary twisting, facial distortions, and jerking on it. Then he was prescribed the ARTANE which affected his concentration so we have him down to only 1/2 tablet once a day or twice if nothing else stops the tremors (it no longer really works well either). Now nothing works for longer than an hour and a half -- except of course for blessed sleep. We are trying 1/2 Sine. every 2 hours, 1/4 every 1 hour, considering cutting back on the 2 Eldepryl per day, contemplating the vitamins, Don is trying to "feel" his need for meds, exercising on his treadmill, and working on meditation, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE ARE DOING and things seem to just be getting worse. The neurologist has not mentioned any problems with surgical drug interactions or surgical complications caused by PD and offers no assistance or affirmation that the testosterone blocker would cause Don such problems. The internist hasn't mentioned anything about vitamin/mineral interactions. The urologist is great for what ails Don "below the waist" but has expressed no concern about what ails him "above the neck". We live in a snall central Florida town and travel to NY for the neurologist (Mt. Sinai) and go to Sylvester Cancer Institute in Miami for the urology/oncologist. The internist is local. Other than the PD, he has been totally healthy and physically fit all his life. So have I. We were ignorant of patient responsibility and just trusted that he should do exactly as his neurologist (whom he saw every six months or telephoned with extreme problem) told him. We know better now and, since last fall, are trying to take the responsibility for his treatment back where it belongs -- with us. We have read a lot and are trying to learn but one day of reading the net resources material and now reading today's 55 list entries from you all has shown us that we know absolutely nothing! HHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP! We need to learn. Things are really falling apart with the PD. We worry how a post-surgery recovery can be successful with these increased PD symptoms. We know that many of you have lived with far more for far longer than he is trying to live with and we truly are grateful for all of the good health we have enjoyed all our lives. We realize our problems could be much worse--and that with PD we can expect them to get much worse. But we would really appreciate any information, wisdom, and direction that you would share with us now. It is such a blessing to have found out through a friend that you exist -- especially right at this point in time. Don and Glenna from Kissimmee, Fl.