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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------7DF075713487 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hope this is okay. It's hard to see your own writing as others do. If someone could let me know if I've expressed myself clearly I'd appreciate it. E-mail me at [log in to unmask] Thanks. Janet. --------------7DF075713487 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii; name="ANAPHY.HTM" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="ANAPHY.HTM" Content-Base: "file:///C|/JANET/ANAPHY.HTM" <Bass HREF="file:///C|/JANET/ANAPHY.HTM"> <P> (From: Janet) PLEASE NOTE: Please disregard if you are only interested in News Bulletin or Announcement type information. This is more a open frank unfiltered presentation of ideas & opinions of near the bottom layer of the lay - me. Please feel absolutely free to disagree - you're in very good company if you do. Please debate, prove me wrong if you can (gently if you will, I'm admittedly not too tough-skinned). (I will try to be as accurate as I can when relating events & citing other sources.) <P> As all but the newer list members probably remember, I believe that my "idiopathic Parkinson's disease" is actually a secondary result of "multiple system" or anaphylactic or whole body reactions to airborne allergens. Because of some of the recent posts I thought that I would try to restate the basics of my case as clearly and in as logical a manner as I could so that it would be easy for everyone to understand, and also to update it. <P> I don't want to repeat everything, so if you're new and interested in reading my earlier posts to fill you in I can send them to you. <P> The following explains why I have Parkinson's Disease in my opinion: <P> I have a long list of things that I test positive to on allergy tests. They cover such a wide range of substances that I am exposed to some number of my various allergens to some extent every day. <P> I no longer have localized reactions to my known allergens - (sneezing, etc.) Instead, because of long exposure to a great many of my known allergens, and probably the "rain barrel" or cumulative effect of all of my allergens, I now have "multiple system", anaphylactic, or whole body reactions when exposed to them. <P> My IgE blood test shows that I have the potential for producing lots of histamine when I an exposed to my allergens. <P> Since I am exposed to some of my allergens daily, I produce histamine & lots of it every day. <P> Histamine is a POTENT vasodilator. Therefore I believe histamine is responsible for my swelling (edema) in my hands & feet. I believe it is also the cause of my low blood pressure (hypotension). I believe this effect of histamine is potentially dangerous and could under severe enough circumstances cause anaphylactic shock, but since I take dopamine daily, which is used to treat anaphylactic shock, it counters this potential threat. I believe the palpitations that I experience are a result of my heart's effort to compensate for the vasodilation and keep my vital organs (brain,etc) perfused, to prevent cell damage or death in a very severe reaction. <P> Histamine also causes muscle spasm and I believe it is responsible for the chronic, sustained cervical (neck) muscle spasm which is shown on my MRI (or just looking at it for that matter). I believe this neck muscle spasm in turn is responsible for my Parkinsonian symptoms, and plays a very crucial role in my condition. I believe this because during an 8 week period when I was taking NO medication at all (due to pregnancy) I could make ALL my Parkinsonian symptoms GO AWAY briefly, simply by massaging my neck muscles a very long time with a hand held heat/massager. (It is also interesting to note that I became dyskinetic right before the movements became normal - like a bad electrical connection - jerky movements then normal - there was NO medication involved, I think this sheds some light on dyskinesias.) I think that the following research that I have cited in earlier posts: <P> http://hypnos.m.ehime-u.ac.jp/Congress2/CNC.HTM <P> also confirms this because the researchers found that under ischemic conditions, (which I believe exists in my case because of compression of the carotid arteries due to neck muscle spasms) histamine concentrations in the striatum rise. Histamine regulates the concentrations of other amino acid neurotransmitters in the straitum - GABA, glutamate, etc - and although dopamine was not specifically mentioned, if it has the same effect on dopamine, the amount of dopamine in the straitum is reduced by 50-60%. This would explain why all my Parkinsonian symptoms went away simply by massaging my neck muscles: -no muscle spasm = no ischemia =reduced histamine levels = increased dopamine levels = alleviation of symptoms. This also would seem to provide the ingredients for a vicious, ever worsening cycle or progression of the disorder. More histamine (increasing sensitivity to allergens) = more muscle spasms = more ischemia = more histamine = less dopamine = need more Sinemet, but because of ever worsening muscle spasm less is getting through to the substantia nigra. <P> I believe that many of the mental symptoms that I have experienced: bradyphrenia, anxiety, uneasiness, agitation, confusion, somnolence, lethargy, insomnia are due to anaphylactic reactions because many of these are specifically named out in Merck Manual's description of an anaphylactic reaction & anaphylactic shock. I also believe this because I have these symptoms when I am exposed to the things that I am most allergic to (cat dander, or actually a protein in the saliva of cats) (No, I don't think cats OR pollen are devious) <P> Here are some things that the Merck Manual says about anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock that parallel Parkinsonian symptoms: (Merck Manual l6th ed/Merck Research Laboratories copywrite 1992 by Merck & Co. Inc.) pg. 438 ..(Sudden Death Syndrome??) .."Tachypnea and hyperventilation are present, but apnea may be a terminal event when the respiratory center fails owing to inadequate cerebral perfusion." pg 438 .."Mentation may be preserved, but lethargy, confusion, and somnolence are common." Pg 330 "Vasodilation and escape of plasma into the tissues causes urticaria and angioedema..."Pg 331. "Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and cardiogenic shock may develop if the reaction is prolonged." Pg 331 "..the patient feels uneasy, becomes agitated and flushed, and complains of palpitation, paresthesias..." It also mentions laryngeal (voice box) edema, bronchospasm, & incontinence. Can all of these symptoms be attributed to a lack of dopamine as we are told. Are not many of these symptoms LOCAL symptoms, rather than CNS symptoms, since many are resolved when treated locally - collagen injections for voice problems? <P> I believe this explanation accounts for the WIDE DISPARITY of symptoms and course of the disease among Parkinson's patients,and variations under different circumstances for the same patient. It accounts for age related, toxin (only to certain people), environmental, hereditary, and rural reasons for a cause. It also explains,as noted previously, "paradoxical kinesias". <P> Expecting someone else to find the cause is, in my opinion, somewhat like smelling something and asking someone who has no sense of smell to find out what you are smelling. As an example my daughter, Ginger, one day suddenly began to loose the ability to speak and was beginning to wheeze and have difficulty breathing. It was very sudden and she had no respiratory infections. I realized after observing when she did this that it happened whenever she put on clothes that had recently been washed, but if she got something out that had been in the closet awhile, it didn't happen. I figured it was either (1) Fiberglass insulation since my husband had been finishing the basement and maybe I had washed her clothes with his, or (2) Some ingredient in Purex Ultra laundry detergent which I had never used before but had recently bought on sale. I called Corning (the insulation manufacturer) and they said it was highly unlikely that it was insulation since it is just glass fibers, so I threw out the Ultra Purex and rewashed her clothes several times and the problem was resolved. If I had taken her to a doctor and said test her and find out what it is, I doubt that we would have EVER found out, we had all the clues. He had none. <P> I have received a little validation of my beliefs - I now carry an Epi-Pen, a preloaded syringe of epinephrine-with instructions to use it if I feel I need to. So a couple of weeks ago I got pretty bad, chest tightness, etc so I used it and as directed reported to the ER. When they learned I had used my Epi-Pen they knew precisely what to do. I was brought in in a wheelchair and I walked out afterward feeling fine. I also take desensitization shots and I credit them & the drastic measures we have taken to reduce my exposure to allergens with my continuing improvement. <P> There are many, many personal incidents that confirm to me that this is "my cause", though we already know it is not everyone's, I firmly believe I am not an isolated, one person only, case. <P> For the benefit of new list members I will retell one. While being evaluated at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville by Dr. Platts-Mills, I went from totally disabled could hardly speak think or move when put in the room with someone who had a cat at home and their clothes had been worn around him to being completely normal within ten minutes of being taken to a patient sensitive area. An experience like that leaves little room for doubt to me. Thanks, Janet ([log in to unmask]) --------------7DF075713487--