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Dear List-family.... Yesterday I braved 70 m.p.h. winds and pouring rain (saintly halo gleaming over Barb's head) <grin> to attend a discussion by neurosurgeon and Parkinson's specialist Dr. Robert Iacono of Loma Linda University Medical Center, at Encino Hospital in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley. ASIDE: FYI Dr. Iacono will be holding his PD clinic every Monday at Encino Hospital as well as performing pallidotomies and other PD-related surgeries at that facility.. (YEAH! That's two minutes from my home!) Once Dr. Iacono began speaking, I wrote as fast as I could (fast writing from a Parkie?) and managed to get what I consider to be some interesting information. 'Cause of my teensy-weensy handwriting even tho I have pages and pages of notes, only a small part of those notes are actually readable to me now (groan). For what it's worth, I'm sharing the notes with ya here: - For hallucinations, there's a new drug that has had outstanding results in ridding one of PD-related hallucinations. It's called "Olanzapine." (phonetic spelling so check with your pharmacist for the correct name if you're interested in this drug) - IF you or anyone you know has Parkinson's symptoms but doesn't respond to PD meds, it's suggested their MD do a standard blood test for hypothyroidism. It seems the symptoms of an underactive thyroid mimic PD symptoms. - On selegaline (Eldapryl). Within 2 hours of taking selegaline it turns into methamphetamine in your body. Methamphetamine causes nerve death, and cell and neuron death. It also causes hallucinations. Dr. Iacono no longer prescribes this drug to his patients because he believes it's harmful. - On seratonin: Dr. Iacono's research is showing that seratonin may play such a large part in Parkinson's Disease that it is possibly as important as dopamine. Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac are used to get your seratonin level up, as are bananas. (Yes...bananas!) <Humming "I'm Chiquita Banana and I'm here to say..."> (smile) IF you're craving something SWEET (bell ringing over a buncha List member's heads - does THIS sound familiar?), that is because your seratonin level is falling! EAT A BANANA! <honest.... it works> IF you exercise your seratonin level will go up. If you have the very best of INTENTIONS to exercise but DISLIKE exercising, your seratonin level will go down and you won't exercise - despite those good intentions. - On vitamin B6 Complex: This is very good for the PWP (despite legend saying B vitamins are verboten to Parkies).. Taken before bed, it will help you fall asleep. B6 complex comes in 2 sizes,... 50 and 100 (mgs? ICUs?) take the 100 size. - IF you're an "A" type PWP - a person who is very STIFF... rigid, but has no tremor, your PD will have been caused by a series of major life traumas. After doing over one thousand pallidotomies on PWP's, Dr. Iacono SWEARS this has been proven countless times over to him. - Mohammed Ali: Doesn't have "classic" Parkinson's Disease. HIS Parkinsonism is caused by being struck in the head repeatedly during his boxing career. The Pope? Yes. Janet Reno? Yes. Billy Graham? Yes. M. Ali? No. Not a Parkie... Barb Mallut [log in to unmask]