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Even tho I've had PD for 22 years now, I still find myself sometimes
thoughtlessly doing really dumb things that which are contra-indicated for a
person with Parkinson's.  What's more my family members have also done the
same dumb things when they were trying to help me.

This was brought home to me last Sunday night when I first came down with a
heavy head cold.  My daughter came over bringing me a bag of tasty (mostly)
edible goodies, some magazines, and some over-the-counter cold medications.

I couldn't take the Nyquil 'cause I break out in hives from it, but I DID take
a Sudafed 'cause I REALLY needed something to curb the sneezing and sniffling.
 (It didn't help at all...)

It's been so long since I've had a cold that I have no memories of ever taking
Sudafed, but it's none-the-less one of those "household words," like aspirin,
Tylenol, Alka Seltzer and other popular over-the-counter medications, and I
suspect I'd had it 'round the house in the past, if not for myself, then when
my kids were growing up.

Because it was such a familiar drug, I never even so much as glanced at the
"Warning" on the  Sudafed box when I took the drug.  Later on, I picked up the
box to see how often the drug can be taken and THEN I casually read the
"Warning" on it.  It said:

"Do not use this product is you are taking a prescription monoamine oxidase
inhibitor (MAO) (certain drugs for depression, psychiatric or emotional
conditions, or Parkinson's disease), or for 2 weeks after stopping the MAO
drug."

Dear Friends - while nothing (that I know of) happened to me THIS time, I
consider that just a lucky accident.  An accident that I won't let happen
again! Please, PLEASE all of YOU have a care when buying over-the-counter
drugs, and DO read that "Warning" on the box FIRST!

Barb Mallut
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