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Dear Barbara, I read with much interest your note on incontinence below. Aliza has similar problems but has resisted up to now taking suggested medications since she already takes so many. We would be interested in info on your experiences with the drugs you mentioned. In the last month,she has also lost her voice and has difficulty swallowing. Could you explain the collagin injections and the vocal chord implants? Gil Lieberman,CG for Aliza PS I tried to send this directly to you at the address given,but my server said it was not valid.So Im sending to trhe list. -------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 21:24:06 -0700 From: Barbara Mallut <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Incontinence Charlotte.... Funny you should happen to bring up this topic, 'cause while I don't actually have a complete incontinence problem, I KNOW I must've set a world's record over the past year or 18 months for urination frequency. <GROAN> It got so I was running to the bathroom every six or eight minutes on the GOOD days... and as frequently as every 3 to 5 minutes on the bad ones. And this was going on 24 hours a day! It has been HELL! And also an embarrassment.... I finally saw a urologist last Wednesday, and he's got me on three different drugs - Bacterium, which is an antibiotic, Impramine (generic name), which is a tricyclic antidepressant (weird, 'cause I already take Paxil, tho this isn't being taken for depression) are taken once daily before bed, only. Oxybutynin (generic name), an anticholinergic agent used to treat certain bladder conditions, is taken three times daily. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES! I can now go for several HOURS without feeling that sense of urgency! It's SUCH a relief!!! The Oxybutynin leaves me totally stoned the first several hours each day, and I don't like THAT feeling at all! Today, since I was meeting a friend for dinner, I omitted the mid day pill and was fine by the time we went out. But there was simply no way I'd have been able to handle an evening out in someone's company while that drug was doing it's thing! YIKES! Talk about a creepy feeling? WHEW! The urologist has got me scheduled for a kidney ultrasound and also a bladder check - up just to be on the safe side, and I'm appreciative that he's being thorough. As he commented to me, "It's all too easy blame the PD for everything, even if my complaint of IS a common problem for those who have Parkinson's. Sooo... there's another skirmish fought and won in the war against PD, at least for NOW, anyway! And NEXT thing I plan on having done is to have permanent implants inserted into my vocal cords by Dr. Gerald Burke at UCLA... just as soon as my Medicare kicks in. No more collagen injections every few months! Just my normal speaking voice! YOUSA!! By the way, I wouldn't have known about this surgery being available had Judith Richards not posted an article about it 8 weeks ago. THANKS, Judith! <smile> Barb Mallut