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Barbara J. Thanks for the information about Ritalin, Barb. I'll definitely ask my MD about the possibility of heart problems or other potentially dangerous side effects of the drug (and also how taking it might interact negatively with Sinemet, if at all). I was shmoosing with a friend over lunch today and he commented that it was nice to see me awake. (GROAN) <grin> Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Barbara A. Jarjoura Sent: Monday, August 18, 1997 12:04 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: drowsiness Barbara, You have to be careful with Ritalen. Fuad was taking Ritalen when he had his stroke. The doctors feel that it may have been a contributing factor. Is it really worth the risk. Also, try a sleep disorder specialist first. You might have sleep apnea.(sp?) because of the lose of muscle control in the throat. Barb Barbara Mallut wrote: > David M... > > David, if your really-important-meeting (as opposed to the > average-general-not-so-important-meetings) isn't till November, that > gives ya > a few months see if the there are any medical or other alternatives > available > that'll keep ya awake throughout that meeting. > > The first thing I'd do if'n I was in your shoes (errrrr.. I guess I > already > AM, so to speak, huh?!) <rueful smile> is get my MD to cooperate in > helping to > keep me awake. > > In my own case, I recently asked the new neuro I went to at Kaiser to > prescribe Ritalin - which HAS worked for some of our List-friends. > Since his > response to my request was "I don't believe in Ritalin," (Doesn't > "believe" > in the drug itself or just for a PWP? Never could get him to respond > to THAT. > He just doesn't "believe!") <&@#^% on all closed-minded MDs!> > > I've gotta appointment towards the end of Sept. with my primary Kaiser > > physician (an internist) in order to ask HIM for a RX for Ritalin. > Since he's > usually cooperative when it comes to my PD-related requests, if I can > get the > drug from him (and I'm expecting to) , I'll report to the List any > positive/negative results. > > Over the past coupla-three years the drowsiness has been SO disruptive > to my > social life, that I found I was beginning to avoid going out with > friends or > on dates because of the embarrassment of falling asleep in public. > Since I > just HATE to give into this steeeeenkin' disease, I began to > experiment with > whatever was at hand in my medicine cabinet, hence the Viviran > (caffeine) and > additional Sinemet combo. > > I'm going to push to get that Ritalin,. but if THAT doesn't work after > a > reasonable test period of a few weeks, I'm going to push Kaiser to > permit me > to see whatever type of specialist handles patients with narcolepsy > (sleeping > sickness), because this profound drowsiness is surely as disruptive to > MY life > as THAT disease is to those who suffer from it. > > Barb Mallut > [log in to unmask] > > ---------- > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of David Moreland > Sent: Saturday, August 16, 1997 9:34 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN > Subject: Re: drowsiness > > At 11:56 PM 8/16/97 -0400, you wrote: > >Drowsiness happens to be one of the most aggravating and frustrating > PD > >symptoms I deal with each day. IF I'm very busy physically, it can > be > >forgotten about. However, if I'm relaxed.... sitting talking with > someone or > >am at the keyboard, well, I begin to feel myself drift in and out of > deep > >sleep. > > > >GAWD! THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!!!! It's SO embarrassing to fall > asleep while > >sitting on the sofa and talking with someone, or to doze off while a > passenger > >in a car! > > > >I noticed that at about the time the drowsiness first strikes me each > day > - at > >3:50 p.m. (not 4 p.m. - but 3:50!) <weird!>, my feet and ankles > become > >icy-cold (even tho the weather here might top 100 degrees I still get > that > >icy-feet-thinggee!). If I immediately lie down and put a heating pad > on my > >feet, while dozing for 45 minutes or an hour, I can usually cut the > time I'm > >so drowsy down from it's regular 3 or 4 hours. However, if I try to > work > >thru that down-time, it easily takes me that full 4 hours to once > again feel > >fully awake. > > > >What's even stranger about this is I have been getting a full nite's > sleep > >for about 5 or 6 months now due to FINALLY biting the bullet and > taking a > >sleeping pill before bed each nite. (FYI... I'm taking the generic > of > >Restoril," and while I initially began taking an entire capsule, per > the > >directions, I now open each one and empty OUT slightly more than > 1/2. THAT > >works just as well for me!). Yet I STILL become profoundly tired > almost > every > >day! > > > >AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!! <--- Barb has a tizzy-fit in exasperation!) > > > > >Barb Mallut > >[log in to unmask] > > > >---------- > >From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Albert Young > >Sent: Saturday, August 16, 1997 7:34 PM > >To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN > >Subject: Re: drowsiness > > > >On Sat, 16 Aug 1997, "John F. Mccabe" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >>David, > >> > >>I am currently taking Amantadine and Mirapex and also experience > drowsiness. > >>I have fallen asleep in church, at dinner parties, at the movies, at > support > >>group meetings, etc. > >John, > > have no answers but sure can empathize with your sleeping > problem. > If > >I'm active, OK, but if I sit down, forget it. It's onset is so > rapid. In > >public, it's an embarrassment, in private, a nuisance, especially > when riding > >a > >lawn mower or sitting at the computer. > > > >As you, I feel it's the meds. I take 200mg Amantadine, 4 - 25/100 > Sinemet > >daily (Mirapax didn't work for me, unfortunately). > > > >Joe Young (65/5). > > > You mean there's nothing that can be done about it short of taking a > maga > dose of NO-DOZ, and I don't want to do that. I think the best approach > is > to inform the other people at the meeting that I might be in and out > due to > PD medications. Then have a Dr.Pepper just prior to the meeting. > > Its just that there are meetings scheduled in November where there > will be > representatives from all the Major Cellular Telephone companies to > come up > with the best way to value them. I am the appraiser who does all the > Cellulars each year for the Department of Revenue. Those are the > metings > that I am most concerned about. > Yours and His > David L. Moreland > [log in to unmask] > http://www.teleport.com/~davelm