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Hello, My name is Manfred Heiderich. I am a retired academic, 65 years old and was diagnosed with PD 5 weeks ago. I joined the list on Dec. 20 and have been following the messages and exchanges with great interest. I have several questions: 1. My symptoms are mild. I feel hardly handicapped at all. Why then should I start drug treatment (with Sinemet CR)? My understanding is that no PD drug (with the possible exception of Selegiline) actually checks the progress of the disease; they merely mask the symptoms. If that is true, why should I risk getting drug side effects (I espedcially dread nausea) before my symptoms pose significant problems? 2. My prescription (which I have not yet taken) is as follows: one tablet of Sinemet CR 100/25 a day in the morning after a meal. If the release time of Sinemet CR is 2 to 5 hours what happens for the rest of the 24 hours? Isn't it better to take Sinemet CR before a meal? 3. Isn't Requip designed for a person like myself in the beginning stages of PD and without previous intake of carbidopa-levodopa? Your responses are appreciated. My thanks to Barbara Patterson for her warm welcome. Manfred [log in to unmask]