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Debbie, dystonia type cramps is my "indicator" of too litle levodopa left in my system. Actually, I have a cramped left foot now - up to the calf. I took the first med of today about 45 minutes ago, so it is about to be relieved. I should have eaten a bit more to move it into the small intestine, I suppose. I took an alternative "method" - a quarter glass of cranberry drink to wash some down the small intestine. The effort of walking and getting it - exercise - helps a little. However, I am convinced that my blood pressure is lowered peripherally while my blood-flow to the lower intestines is increased by the process of digestion. I believe the other "trick" I can get relief via doing - is validating the conjecture of the blood flow. The other "trick" is to reverse the position of orthostatic (standing upright) which induces "hypo-tension" (low-blood pressure) in most of us who do not do enough exercise to have large, healthy hearts that have extra-capacity to maintain good flow. There are several ways of doing this: standing on one's head as "Mr. Belvedere" (eccentric British butler in very old movie) did is one. Another is the yoga position labeled "candle" which (my recall does not bring the woman list-member's name to cognizant mind right now) first brought to my attention; this is accomplished by balancing oneself nearly upright on the shoulders and neck and head via lying on the mat on one's back and rolling to then kick both feet high and get the elbows to assist and hold the hips so that one is - if still somewhat athletic - able to then hold this position and add the balancing required to put both feet high and the legs straight up so that the feet are pointed up like the flame atop the candle which "is" the legs. Fainting is another method that can put the blood pressure back up. Since I have been embarassed by fainting upon blood-letting a couple of times in my 60 years of experiences, I choose to prefer getting the benefit without the "fall" - I can kow-tow in the muslim prayer position of kneeling on the mat and putting my head on the floor - forehead touching - and achieve relief sometimes. If I pump blood out of the legs and feet by either keeping my forehead on the mat and lifting each leg alternatively and straightening it and lifting the foot as high as I can and holding it there briefly, I get faster relief. This pumping can also be done by getting the head off the mat and putting the derriere near the heels, then putting the head as far forward with the derriere up high; then back down; then up; down again ... until tired or the cramp is relieved. For completeness, I will include the one thing I taught Alan Bonander. He liked this last method. Lie on the back on a mat; lift the legs and pedal a bike that is not there. If you cannot "pedal", you can rest the legs on the sofa or a chair seat cushion to keep the feet elevated. If bedridden, this can be done via the hospital bed raising the feet (or putting a 4 x 4 block of wood to raise the foot end of the bed). Alan found he could use this position with a pillow to support the head and fall asleep even in the afternoon once in a while. Sleeping does provide complete relief of dystonia - but, it is very advanced re-training of neurons to be able to relax the tension in the dystonic muscle - which is in spasm (twisted/distorted) because of lack of neurotransmitter that would tell that muscle it is already too short. hope this helps .. it is basic/elementary/ may be trite to some and gibberish to others (for the 3 who are interested, my foot cramp has been gone for the last half hour of my typing this.) -- ron 1936, dz PD 1984 Ridgecrest, California Ronald F. Vetter <[log in to unmask]> http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter