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Henry: Yesterday you may have read a message I posted. I informed members they might not hear from me until after my appointment with a new doctor in two weeks. After reading your letter, however, I must take the time to offer my thoughts. I may be wrong, but I read several messages "between the lines" in your letter: 1. YOUR WIFE'S DOCTOR: He may have a great bedside manner, but when was the last time you saw "BEDSIDE MANNER" listed in the yellow pages as a medical speciality? I can' t imagine any doctor responding to the question, "Are we treating her for Parkinson's?" by replying, "Possibly." I know your wife refuses to change doctors. But I see little hope for a solution until you get her to agree to at least see someone else for one consultation. 2. YOUR WIFE'S ATTITUDE: I found several telling statements in your letter. "My wife replied she needs the medications to live." . . . "My wife has always been sensitive to medication." . . . "If she has a bad day, she will blame it on the new drug." . . . "DOC: We have tried you on all the anti-depressants and you claim to have side effects. WIFE: Well, let's try Effexor." . . . "Next visit, another symptom and some other medication." Reading those statements edited together paints a picture for me. Henry, have you considered that your wife may be addicted to medical treatment? (There's a proper medical name for it. Sorry, I can't think of it now. People with Munchausen Syndrome have the same problem but transfer it to others, such as a child.) Your wife is sensitive to medications, claims medications keep her alive and visits a physician regularly and tells him what drug to prescribe. Seems like a pattern to me. Have you ever discussed this aspect of your wife's behavior with a competent psychiatrist? 3. YOUR WIFE'S ORIGINAL PROBLEM: The symptoms you described that started in 1988 are very much like what my wife experienced about 10 years ago. It started with a bad case of bronchitus, but she spent almost a month in bed, unable to do anything except lie there reading or watching TV. Slowly, she started gaining strength again and was able to return to work. However, it took about a year before she could go back to running (she ran in a marathon once) or her other regular activities. Her problem? No one seemed to know. Then one day, she stumbled across several volumes in a book store that described her situation perfectly. CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME. It virtually incapacitates the victim. Extreme weakness, no energy, unable to perform the simpliest tasks without becoming exhausted. After that, she found a doctor who recognized CFS as a legitimate illness and was able to help her anytime it returned. (Many physicians do not know about CFS or recognize it as legitimate.) Of course, these are just my opinions. But maybe they will add some new information to the mix so that you can eventually find a solution. Good luck. Best wishes to you and your wife. Stan Houston [log in to unmask] Cat Spring, TX 78933