On Sun 23 Mar, Joanne M. Nuzzi wrote: > My mother was diagnosed with PD about 8 years ago. Since then, I have > seen her get progressively worse. She is on two types of medication: > one is Symmetrel(?) and I'm not sure of the other. However I have seen > no noticable or unnoticable improvement with the medication. >=20 > Lately she is beginning to lose her balance and fall. This bothers me > as she still works and takes public transportation to and fro. Several > years ago my sister and I both purchased pagers, should an emergency > occur. I believe they have been used 3 times to date. Money well > spent. >=20 > Mon has refused to let us go with her to the doctor's, but Sis and I are > planning on attending the next visit. We just don't feel she is telling > him everything. Or, are all these symptoms normal? Shouldn't the > medication help with the 'shakes' and balance control? >=20 > Thanking you in advance for any insight you could give. >=20 > Joanne >=20 >=20 Hello Joanne, It is always risky talking about what 'should' happen in=20 the case of an individual PWP, because there are so many subtle and not-so -subtle differences between us. At 8 years, I would say that your mother=20 is still within the theraputic range of the tablets, but it is no longer a=20 case of 'swallow a couple of tablets and forget about it. I could write so much about the subject, but to avoid repetition I have written a paper which Ron Vetter has placed on his web Site, which describes how I have managed to stretch the effective range of levodopa to 17 years. I suggest that if you are interested you read it and then come back to me. I am aware that some people find it quite daunting, perhaps because I go into the way that the program works at some length.=20 Remember: You don't need to know how the program works=A0to use it - its=20 really quite straight forward. = You will find the description on:- http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter/brianspd.html =20 If you get no response, split the URL in two: Go to http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/ - This gets you into the site. =20 Then go to ~rfvetter/brianspd.html This finds my page. Regards -- Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]>