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On Sun 03 Nov, Marty Rose wrote: > I have been suffering with severe depression lately. Tears are always > right at the overflowing point and no matter what I do I just can't seem > to shake it off. I have not been a depressed person until PD. It was > one of my early symptoms but only recently has it become so severe. I > am considering asking my neuro to put me on an anti depresant as I > cannot handle this much longer. I realize everyone is different, but I > would appreciate any comments from anyone who has tried medication for > depression. >=20 > Marty Rose > [log in to unmask] >=20 >=20 Hello=A0Marty, I was sorry to read that you are feeling so depressed. I think almost all of us PWPs find that our emotions are very close to the surface. I don't know whether it is because of the levodopa, or whether it goes=20 deeper, but I find a lump in my throat at the first sign of a bit of love, or even kindness. - I suppose that to a degree it is no bad thing, but I found myself sniffling at a dog food commercial the other day!! Now I know that what I have described is a long way from what you must be feeling, and I wonder if it may have some physical cause which you can change in some way. Let's consider the possibilities : =20 1) Your depression is caused by your medication. When we last conversed, you told me that you were taking 6 25/100 Sinemet and suffering quite a lot with on/off and diskinesia symptoms - You didn't mention any other=20 meds ; are you taking anything else ? It is impossible to be 100% right with this stupid PD, but in my experience levodopa (or Sinemet) is unlikely to cause depression. 2) You have clinical depression caused by PD. Well I suppose it is possible, but I recall a presentation by a psychologist from the University of Leeds by the wonderfully appropriate name of Professor Mindham. In a study of 250 PWPs, over a five year period, he concluded that there was no relatioship=20 between PD and clinical depression. To sum up, his final words were: "Of=20 course, some people with PD get depressed - they have every right to - PD is a bl...y depressing illness, but it is not inevitable". I thought that=20 seemed to be quite a sensible way to look at it. 3) Your depression is caused by the difficulty which you are having in regulating your meds. I can certainly see that as a possibility, and we can do something about it. In the last email I sent to you, I suggested that you read the information on my page at Ron Vetter's Web Site. Have you managed to do that yet? Be assured that I will analyse any data that you can produce and we may be able to beat this problem. - It's worth a go!! I hope to hear from you soon. Regards, Brian Collins =20 --=20 Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]>