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Debbie W.... Ohh pooh! I just hate this damn disease! <Barb stamps foot in frustration> Your mom's suffering from our all-too-common "Parkie Brainfog," and "Parkie-in-the-ZONE-OUT-Mode," Debbie. <rueful smile> Well, actually, those aren't "official" names, but a great many of us with PD suffer from one or both problems, I'm sorry to say. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange On Behalf Of Debbie White Sent: Friday, April 25, 1997 6:14 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Questions I just returned from a 4-day visit with my mother (who was diagnosed a few months ago). She is on the following drugs: Sinemet 25/100 (1 tablet 4x/day, except the first dose is 1.5 tablets) Permax .25 mg. (2 tablets 3x/day) She has been finding it difficult to sleep at night and called her doctor while I was visiting. It turns out that she was taking twice the amount of Permax that was perscribed at this point (she's still gradually building up to it) (the above dose is the correct one). What I found more interesting that this was that she said she doesn't think the Permax has made a bit of difference, except perhaps made her balance problem worse. She has been working up to a full dose (not yet achieved) for over a month now. What I'm wondering is: should she feel some benefit at this stage if she'll feel one at all? Her doctor wants her to stay with the current dose (not increase) for the next three weeks, at which point she'll see him. Also, she mentioned a symptom that she is unable to describe adequately. She says it's a headiness — not a headache or dizziness, but a sort of haziness that is always present. I'm wondering if anyone else knows has this symptom? If so, is is a PD symptom or a side effect of sinemet and/or Permax? (She doesn't recall if she felt this way before taking medication for PD.) Finally, she must rest later in the day and in the evening. I could swear that she's sleeping during these times (she certainly looks it), but she said that she's not. She rest in bed on a pillow with eyes closed without movement for 1 to 2 hours. Does this sound familiar? Again, thanks for all your help. I feed all info back her way. Debbie White