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Barbara Haege wrote: > > This is the first time I've written to the list since joining in May. It's a > great source of information - so thanks to Barbara and John as well as the > contributers > > A little personal history - born in Ireland 47 years ago and have lived in > England since age 2. I was diagnosed with PD in 1988, gave up work in '92, > currently on Madopar (sinemet), eldepryl and propranolol. > > With the L-dopa and a very slow pace of life I manage quite well but I wonder > have any of you have also noticed a connection between fatigue and > daylight. I first noticed increasing fatigue with winter about 5 years > before diagnosis. It lasted a couple of montha a year - but it worsened with > the PD so now only in mid summer do I feel reasonably unfatigued with when > not too active. > > It seems like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and I'm going to try bright > light treatment soon to see if it makes a difference. But, does anyone know > if this is a usual part of PD, or am I a rare person with both PD and SAD? > > I've failed to find any literature which mentions a link. By the way I don't > feel very 'depressed' in winter, but people often think I am. > > John Meagher, Preston, UK > > [log in to unmask] John, Seasonal Affective disorder affilcts I believe about 10% of the population with the percentage of those affected directly related to the latitude where one lives the higher the latitude North or South, and ther shorter te daylight period the higher the incidence. Because of our disordered neurotransmitters we with PD have a high incidence of clinical depression. In my experience SAD is often superimposed ove preexisting or coexisting clinical depression. Light therapy and/or antidepressants are usually useful. I would assume that in the UK because of your latitude you would be a SETUP FOR SAD. Talk to your physician and you may even wish to see a psychiarist with experience with affective disorders, PD and SAD. Good luck, Charlie Charles T. Meyer, MD -- # Netscape folder cache