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Barb - You wrote,

>Since I stopped working last July, I've been able to cut the amount of
>Sinemet
>I'm taking to less than a third of the amount I took while employed.  This
>means that since mid July I usually take 1/2 a Sinemet 25/250 twice a day
>(along with a multi-vitamin, additional vitamin E, and CQ10).  Sometimes I
>may
>take an additional 1/2 Sinemet if I'm out late in the evening.  That's IT.

You wanted to know if you should add Mirapex or leave well-enough alone.  My
first response was to agree with you:  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

You sound as if you're doing quite well on your current, rather minimal doses
of Sinemet.  However, you didn't really say whether you now have 100% good
"on" time with no dystonia or no dyskinesia as a result of the Sinemet.  And
you don't mention whether you have any trouble with slowness or balance.  If
the answer is that you have none of those symptoms, and no "off" times, then
the answer is clearly, "it ain't broke."  The only symptom I can tell for
certain you don't have is mental slowness!  <grin>

It seems to me that Mirapex will prove particularly beneficial to people who
can't get enough dopamine in their systems to avoid major PD symtoms without
having severe side-effects from the Sinemet.  If your current regime allows
you to function almost normally, then I don't know of any particular reason
to switch at this time.  It is said that Mirapex may have a slight
neuroprotective effect, but I don't know how significant an effect they're
talking about.

Finally, if a patient is complaining to the doctor about adverse symptoms and
asking him to help "fix" them, then he has a right to get huffy if the
patient then refuses the meds he's offering.  But it doesn't sound as if
that's the case.  At that point, in my opinion, he should respect your wishes
as the patient.

Let us know what you decide.  Warmly, Margie           [log in to unmask]