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Henry Spielberger asked about estrogen replacement therapy with PD. He has brought up a very important point that is of concern to women with PD. What dosage and form of estrogen was involved? The lowest concentration of conjugated estrogen, 0.625 mg, is the conservative, relatively safe replacement level of therapy for the protection from bone loss and atherosclerosis that women enjoyed prior to menopause. Whether or not progestin is added for some 7 days during the cycle, depends on a number of factors. Its function is to encourage normal endometrial maturation, reducing the risk of cancer. If a woman has had a hysterectomy, for example, it may be unnecessary. I do not have PD, but during the months, a decade ago, when my doctor took me off of the estradiol I had been taking for years, I learned what it was like to feel like ones body is full of writhing worms. So when my husband tells me that is what he feels like in the night, I can really understand. (His Restless Legs Syndrome extends full length at times.) I put up with this discomfort until I attended a medical seminar where the cancer risk was put into perspective. Now, this safer form of the hormone, and the minimum 0.625mg. dose of Premarin (conjugated estrogens) takes care of the bones and arteries, and the worms are long gone, thank goodness. It seems to me that a woman with PD has enough to contend with without adding the estrogen withdrawal symptoms and the problem of increased bone loss. It is also clear that this is adding a powerful hormone into the mix that is already so tricky to deal with. Ideally, one should be able to bring an endocrinologist into the picture to consult with the neurologist. Since this is unlikely to happen, a family practice doctor should be able to assist in balancing the hormone replacement with the PD meds. Martha CG for Neal,76/11