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Hi Jeannie, I could and will attempt to answer your questions but more importantly it sounds as though you don't have a lot of confidence in your new Primary Care Physician and he doesn't know your husband very well. In addition, unless he is unusual he probably like most PCP's does not have a vast knowledge of the fine points of treating PD patients. In fact a good number of general neurologists are not awfully sophisticated in PD treatment. I suggest your husband have at least a consultation at a Movement Disorders Clinic. This will connect your PCP with experts in PD and give both of you a back-up if symptoms get out of control or there are any complications with other treatments he receives for other medical conditions. If you need info about where to go in your area post a request on the list with your location.. Regarding your questions- the speed of progression of PD varies widely. Different symptoms progress faster or slower depending on the individual. Usually symptoms are able to be reasonably well controlled for the 1st 5 years or so (from diagnosis) with medications. How old is your husband? It is unusual to use that low a dose of carbidopa (I think) the carbidopa increases the amount of levodopa that gets to the brain and prevents it from being metabolized before getting there. Not enough carbidopa sometimes can cause GI upset (from the levodopa). Early in the course of PD carbidopa-levodopa can last 4+ hours but that decreases the longer he takes the drug. The time can be lengthened with sinemet -CR or possibly by increasing the carbidopa. Addition or substitution with an agonist such as Requip is also often helpful. Also for a lot of people decreasing protein intake during the early part of the day is helpful. There are a lot of things that can be tried & I strongly recommend that you consider consultation at least with a neurologist and better with a Movement Disorders Specialist. Good luck and keep us informed about how he (and you) are doing. Charlie Jeannie Leroux wrote: > We are rather new to this disease so we may not be up on the > vocabulary and terms. I have been on the list for about 3 weeks > now. My husband was dx with Parkinson’s in 1996 and started > Sinemet in Oct. of 1997. In retrospect, he had symptoms a couple > of years earlier. At that time he had quite a tremor on the right side > (dominant side) and the right leg was stiff, dragged, and did not > move well at the ankle. His shoulders were pulled down and > forward. His face lost much of his expression. He had difficulty > eating, getting in and out of bed, and getting up from sitting > position. After a couple of months on the medicine, his symptoms > improved. He takes carbid/levid 10/100 three times a day 5:30 am > ( pills) 11:00 am ( pills) and 3:00 PM (pill) . He goes to bed early > and gets up early so much of the medication is taken in the > morning. From what I have read from the list, it seems as if he is > taking quite a small dose of medicines. > He has a lot of tremor when he gets up, but it gets better when > he warms up and takes the pills. He is often cold and his hands are > like rubber gloves filled with ice water. Is this a PD symptom that > is common or is it maybe left over from his chemotherapy 11 years > ago? He sometimes will have tremor in between pill time. How > long does the medication usually last? His PCP is new to us as the > other one went into administration. We were not impressed but > will give him a time or two for us to get used to him. We asked if taking one > pill at a time would be helpful. The doctor said to just try different > schedules. We would like some suggestions and input from you. > Our question is how long does the pill last? Is it different > different days? He is really still doing quite well unless he gets > cold, upset, angry, or excited. > Also, it there a site or something that gives more of a timeline of > the advancement of the disease. We have both battled cancer and I > have diabetes and heart rhythm problems, so a part of me wonders > how quickly this usually goes to be really debilitating. I know > everyone is different, but a general idea would be helpful. > > Jeannie WA -- ****************************************************************************************** Charles T. Meyer, M.D. Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin [log in to unmask] ******************************************************************************************