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I'm wondering if some of you might venture a best guess as to what's going on with me. I was taken down to 5/50mg reg. Sinemet 4 times per day to determine if I have PD. At that low level, after 2 weeks I was extremely weak, had severe breathing problems, cogwheel rigidity, & could barely do the finger/thumb together test on the left, a little better on the right. My doctor's determination is that I have parkinsonism stage 2.5. This, minus the breathing problems, is where I was when diagnosed 6 yrs ago. The psychiatrist who recently became involved at first seemed quite convinced that my problems could be due to taking BuSpar for several months before the initial diagnosis, then immediately starting Paxil when BuSpar was discontinued, and that the Paxil could be maintaining the parkinsonian symptoms. He then changed his mind when the neuro disagreed with him. Mayo also questioned the PD diagnosis, but they didn't see me at the lowest Sinemet point. What they all do agree on is that I have a major anxiety disorder, with depression. I am thinking of replacing the Paxil for a number of months with some other sedating antidepressant to see if the symptoms resolve. I am aware that they could have become chronic due to the BuSpar; or that this is indeed Parkinsons Disease. How would you advise that this be sorted out? The psychiatrist now wants to increase the Paxil instead. As for the present dosing, it is rather interesting. As long as I'm taking Clonopin, I'm almost OK on 10/100 reg Sinemet 4 times per day, plus 25/100 CR at bedtime, which is less than I was previously taking. This should be increased just a little; offs become a little intrusive to my functioning especially later in the day. Brian Collins & Ron Vetter seem to have good ideas on how to maximize the effects of minimum meds, & I'd appreciate some suggestions along these lines. Interestingly, when I'm not taking Clonopin, my symptoms are out of control, esp. breathing & a vise-like muscle spasm in the back of my neck & shoulders. This starts 2-1/2 hrs after taking the Sinemet, & lasts at least an hour after. I tried the l0/l00 every 3 hrs one day, but things got worse & worse as the day progressed. Can anyone venture a guess as to what is happening here? Does this indicate that the symptoms, esp. the breathing & muscle spasms, have their origin in anxiety? I'll look forward to your thoughts about the above, & what to do about it. My doctors say "hmmmmmmm", but I get no explanations. M.Dawn 56/6 P.S. Is weakness caused by the rapid decrease in Sinemet?