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Marling McReynolds wrote: > I went to the store alone today (something I nearly never do any > more) and thought, I will be slow, but ok. > I finished and was walking across the parking lot. Then my steps > slowed down and I realized in a panic that I was about to freeze up. > I swung my arm and started counting and literally willed myself to > get to my car. As soon as I sat down I began to cry. I hate to be > so helpless. > Ok, I will stop crying and get out of this pity party. But I am glad > you all are there and can understand how I feel. Marling, your emotional breakdown upon 'freezing' in a market parking lot is so typical I'm impelled to comment. As a NON- medical expert I observe, in other postings on this list as well as among my local PD friends, that PWP in general tend to be more labile emotionally than normal people. I think this effect is neglected in the professional community, and doctors when presented with such a complaint may be too quick to diagnose 'depression' and send the patient off with an Rx for Prozac, Soloft, or the like (it happened to me) instead of merely bumping the levodopa intake a bit. My layman's explanation of the effect, below, is from my personal files describing all the various minor symptoms of PD that I have read or heard about: Mood Swings: The reason why cocaine, nicotine, and chocolate evoke psychological dependence is that they all contain elements that bind to dopamine receptors related to the sensation of pleasure. No surprise then, that dopamine itself has a similar effect. I'm not clear how the effect can be virtually instantaneous, since dopamine by mouth has to go a long way to enter the brain, but it's true. PWP in the fluctuation stage very often feel depressed as their levodopa dose nears exhaustion, and get a quick lift immediately on taking the next dose. This is so common that the onset of gloomy thoughts may serve as an indicator of the best dosage interval. It seems that many patients and doctors don't recognize the difference between this short-lived depression and true "clinical" depression, and therefore choose antidepressants such as Prozac or Zoloft, which may not be really needed. In contrast to clinical depression, the mood swings from fluctuating dopamine supply are not nearly so severe, and are quick to come and go. The depression may arrive within seconds, like a big wave on the seashore, and recede within a few more seconds, after taking the next scheduled dopamine-enhancing medication. This may not alter your sudden crying spells, but it may help at least to know how they arise. Cheers, Joe -- J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013