In a message dated 96-11-25 18:43:14 EST, you write:
>We're both considered his going off all the drugs for PD and seeing what
>happens. What I'm afraid of is that any good the drugs have done will never
>be regained should he return to them. I'm not sure what these drugs do
>anyway. By getting the dopa into his brain again, does it retard the
>progression of the disease, or is it just supposed to eliminate the
symptoms?
>
>
These are important questions. The L-dopa only functions to improve the
symptoms by providing some of the dopamine the brain needs to function
normally. In no way does it retard the progression of the disease. There is
some evidence that Eldepryl slows the progression of the disease by about 9
months, but more than half of the people in our support group have quit
taking it because of various side effects.
I don't believe there is any harm that can be done by getting off the
Parkinson's
meds, at least temporarily. There are some people whose doctors have advised
them to take a "drug holiday," to "cleanse" the system or whatever for
awhile. Overall, this has fallen out of favor. But those who warn of severe
reactions to a "drug holiday" are speaking of people who have had PD for many
years, and have been on meds for a long time. This wouldn't apply to your
husband. My husband, Dick, recently underwent testing in which he had to be
off all meds for about 48 hours, and aside from not liking to put up with the
increase in tremor, he had no ill effects.
Try reducing the Sinemet doses to 1/2 dose each time, and see what
effect that has. You could keep a diary and chart the results. Of course, at
any time this seemed uncomfortable, he could resume the regular dose. You
could start with either the Sinemet or the Artane (for tremor, if I remember
correctly), but in order to find out what meds cause/relieve what symptoms,
it's best to start with one.
Another option down the road is to see if the Zoloft can be withdrawn
gradually. It works wonders for some people, but there are some who react
badly to it. That should be worked out with his doctor.
At the risk of again practicing medicine without a license, I would tell
you that you can experiment with gradually withdrawing the Parkinson's meds
on your own. If being off a med for even one dose feels worse instead of
better, he can immediately resume taking it. Meanwhile, call Atlanta and
make an appointment! Some neurologists who are not Parkinson's specialists
can be dangerous! (That's true of course of any doctor, but is not meant to
be an indictment of the whole medical profession). But you do have to take
care of yourself. Margie Swindler (once more) Lawrence, Ks
