In a message dated 96-12-14 18:57:50 EST, you write:
>I must comment on the mention of surgery: To someone as young as you it
seems
>to me that surgery should be the last thing on your mind
Brian, I appreciate where you're coming from, but I wanted to tell Jon that
in our opinion, surgery is certainly an option once quality of life has
deteriorated and meds are no longer yielding a significant amount of good
"on" time - i.e., without major Parkinson's symptoms or incapacitating side
effects. Pallidotomy or pallidal stimulation can improve both primary
symptoms and adverse side effects of medication, and I think it's important
for people to have a further treatment option to look forward to when they
reach a point that it's clear to them the meds are doing less well each year
at maintaining quality of life. Young people in fact do quite well with
these surgeries, although of course one doesn't go into surgery until the
quality-of-life issue demands it. I don't know of any doctors who will
perform a pallidotomy until the optimal time in the progression of the
disease.
Respectfully, Margie Swindler Lawrence, Ks
