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------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD81D.079B4A00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD81D.079B4A00 Content-Type: text/plain; name="NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTION.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Subject: NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTION It's great to meet other folks who are experiencing the same "trials" = and may have answers to some of my questions... =20 >From the beginning it has been confusing and embarrassing. I knew = something was amiss but no physician could recognize it until we moved = to Alaska. =20 I had worked as a secretary for a major chemical company in South Texas = for 20 years; so as soon as we settled in our new location, I started to = look for work. I suppose the stress of the move amplified my problems: = I could not even pass a simple typing test because I shook so badly. = My handwriting got harder to read and in general, I was a mess! I saw = a couple of doctors but no help. Finally, one ordered an MRI & had it = sent it to a neurologist for analysis. Again nothing. The MRI was = sent to another neurologist. This time a closer look was taken and on = 6/30/86 I was diagnosed with "a movement disorder". In our discussion = we determined that I had had PD symptoms for at least 10 years! As I = remember, the doctor did not actually say "PD" until almost a year = later. Of course, I could not accept it and immediately decided to go = back to Scott White Clinic in Temple, Texas for another evaluation. = When I arrived for my appointment (I was on medication by this time) I = had no symptoms and again I was almost laughed at! I asked that I come = back later "unmedicated" for another look. They reluctantly agreed; and = when I came back a few days later, they were "elated" with all the = symptoms I displayed. So I went back to Alaska still not 100% = convinced of what I had! I was given Inderal, Desyrel, Sinemet, = Benadryl, Amitriptyline, Symmetrel, Tranxene, Amantadine, Prozac, = Chlorazepate, Zoloft and perhaps others I have forgotten. Not all = medications were taken together but an alarming number were. (Could so = much medication so soon have accelerated my disease?) This continued = until I had an "anxiety attack" while driving in Anchorage traffic. I = felt that I was addicted and sought another opinion. This time (April = 1993) I traveled to Virginia Mason Clinic in Seattle. The diagnosis: = "She has minimal parkinsonian symptoms, and most of her symptoms seem to = be related to dopaminergic effect." I had already stopped taking most = of the medications and my symptoms were under control - so well, in = fact, that few knew that I had a problem. When we moved back to Texas in 1994 I postponed finding a neurologist = until July 1995. The doctor I chose (from our insurance list) was the = worst experience of my life!! He inferred that my problems were = invented. (One of his comments was "Have you ever seen a = psychologist?") I got=20 so upset that I wrote a letter to the next doctor I tried. I included = all my previous doctors' notes and explained that I did not want another = humiliating experience! =20 That about brings me up to the present. The doctor that I found is in = Dallas, Texas and is one of the top men in the PD field. He is very = busy and I guess, to him my questions are trivial; however, they are = mighty important to me! =20 I currently take .50 mg Permax and 1 Sinemet CR upon awakening, .50 mg = Permax 4 hours later, 4 hours later .50 mg Permax and 1 Sinemet CR, etc. = I just started this schedule today. I was also told today by the = neuro nurse that I was a Stage 3 (where a Stage 5 is completely = bedfast!) Quite a shock! I am not ready to accept "his" judgement! We = own a Quarter Horse Ranch and I ride and work every day (It is excellent = therapy!) Now I need your input! o Does anyone know anything about biofeedback? =20 o What about nutrition and PD? I was told by my doctor to eat 7 times = as many carbohydrates as protein. (I've lost 20+ lbs but still = have a good appetite.) =20 o What about extra vitamins? =20 o What about magnets? =20 o Is there any connection between being an overactive "hyper" child = (and grownup) with the development of PD? Diskensis is my primary problem but I guess that's typical for my = "stage"! I feel that the inheritance factor plays a big part in PD. I = think my Mother had some of the same symptoms that I do. My sister had = polio when she was 12 and now at age 67 has Post-Polio. Could there be = any connection there? =20 I'm sorry to have written so much but I've had almost 12 years to think = about this "stuff" and no one to talk to... =20 Thanks for listening. Joyce C. Waldron 55/11 [log in to unmask] ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD81D.079B4A00--