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Dear Ervin; You wrote: > To all list members, > > I am curious to know if there are any members who have chosen to do without > drugs in early onset of PD. If there are it would be interesting to know > the results. I see so much controversy on the list about the various > drugs. Is it possible that anyone has been successful by not starting the > drugs in the early stages. It may sound like a silly question but I would > like to see some discussion of the matter. Thank you. > > Ervin > I was diagnosed with early onset pd at age 50 in 1994. I was given a prescription for selegeline (eldepryl) but declined to start a lifetime of drugs on one neuro's say-so without any personal knowledge of what this drug was or indeed what pd was. Reading up on PD at the library I discovered that we have a very good Movement Disorder Clinic right here at the University and that we have Neuro's whose specialty is Parkinson's. I demanded and got a referral (from my GP) and changed neuros. This second Dr. was excellent. He answered all my questions and parried with his own until I understood a little about PD and the limited benefits and potential side effects of the available medications and he was aware of my background * leading up to diagnosis. We decided I could cope a little longer if I wished and that drugs could be a future option. Two years later (July '96) I was starting to run out of gas and needed more energy to continue working. We discussed the available meds & side effects and I started on Sinemet CR. In Feb. '97 I asked to join the study on Tolcapone (Tasmar) and have been on Tasmar & Sinemet CR since. *My background prior to diagnosis............................. (I had lots of symptoms for many years and had coped without drugs successfully for at least ten years prior to diagnosis. I had had at one point or another, numbness and tingling sensations, dizziness, blurred vision, tremor, extreme fatigue, slurred speech, co-ordination problems including several unexplained falls. These symptoms varied in severity, appeared intermittently in various combinations and in 1986 I was thought to have early onset MS. I declined drugs then and eventually MS was ruled out. I coped by taking Vitamins C & E and by doing physical therapy) . I am confident in my drs., confident in the diagnosis of PD, and feel my current meds are working very well for me. I still work full time as an elevator/escalator mechanic with few problems. From this experience I think drugs should always be optional unless you really need them. If there's any question about diagnosis shouldn't there be a little reluctance to start a lifetime of drugs? Read today's post on "Healthful Reminders" and add a solid positive attitude. Best regards ................... Murray 53/4 . [log in to unmask]