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Joan... See bellow for my interlaced reply.... Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Joan Dykstra Sent: Thursday, February 12, 1998 4:32 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Barbara M.'s slow progression of PD Barbara M. wrote: "I've had PD for about 22 years, was diagnosed 14 years ago, have been on Sinemet for 10 years,..." Barb, this suggests your PD was quite slow in progressing in the beginning. Yup... In that respect, I've been very lucky. PD, as I had it before my unilateral pallidotomy in Oct. of '94 was very slow moving. It's "doing it's thing" a little faster now on the side that wasn't operated on. You had PD 12 years (Did I figure that right?) before you started Sinemet. Something like that. (Always was slow at math and since I use my fingers as a calculator I can't count past ten) <grin> I like to read reports like this. Did you do anything to keep it slow? What symptoms did you have in those years before diagnosis and before sinemet? Nope... I didn't do a thing to keep the disease in check over those initial 10/12 years. In fact, during the first 7 years I didn't KNOW that anything could be done to help me feel better. My MD and my then hubby kept telling me I was imagining things. The symptoms were "all in my head." (If they ONLY knew!) Symptoms were first a numbness in both elbows every few weeks and lasting 2 or 3 days. I drove a Porche (with "5 on the floor") <stick shift for them that don't recognize that term> for 5 years and after a coupla years noticed my right arm would have a little tremble in it after I'd driven just a few blocks. Eventually I got rid of the car on my MD's advice as he felt the shifting was causing the arm-problem. (early PD, of course) <and BOY - do I miss that car!> THEN eventually, 'round 1982, I was no longer able to swing my right arm when walking nor would the fingers on that hand unclench from the steering wheel by themselves. I hadda use my left hand to PRY them open and to lift them off the wheel. YUCK! What was the final straw that sent you to Sinemet? Just curious. I'm I got tired of being told I was imagining things as I felt worse and worse. One day I left work early, got into my car, drove to the neuro's office - with no appointment - barged right up to the MD and screamed "WILL you tell me WHAT is wrong with me, and FIX IT!" He looked me right in the eyes and said "You have Parkinson's Disease, and no one can "fix it." After I was done crying, I said "what's Parkinson's Disease?" To which he replied, 'It's an 'old person's disease." I was 42 years old at that time. He gave me a sample of Sinemet 10/100 and said "Here... see if this does any good," and sent me on my way.... And so it goes.... hoping to get along without it for as long as possible. You are an inspiration. Sincerely, Joan 57yo/PD9yrs Thanks, m'dear... I suspect I'm not so much an inspiration as a "virtual big-mouth." <grinning> Ohhh.... and if I were you (and I'm not so feel free to ignore this) I'd dive right into taking Sinemet or any other beneficial PD drugs ASAP after diagnosis. I see absolutely noooooo reason to feel lousy for years and THEN start taking the drugs. The drugs are here NOW and ARE meant to HELP us! @%#& DISEASE!!! Barb Mallut [log in to unmask]