 |
 |
Bill.... While I had a successful unilateral pallidotomy 4 1/2 years ago, I was told by the neurosurgeon to NOT stop taking Sinemet, which was the only PD-specific drug I was taking then (and now, too, come to think of it). The reason he gave to continue taking the drug - even if, post surgery - we had no symptoms of PD at ALL - was we all (with the exception of those not yet taking a dopamine replacement drug) have been flooding our respective bodies and brains with excess amounts of dopamine, usually for several years prior to biting the bullet and going ahead and having the surgery. To suddenly STOP - to "eliminate," as you suggested you'd like to possibly do, would cause you GREAT physical harm, or maybe WORSE! Post-pallidotomy, one CAN usually reduce the drug dosage, however, that should be done gradually, and in small amounts. I was told that by Dr. Robert Iacono at Loma Linda Hospital immediately post-surgery, because I felt SO good at that time, that I immediately thought, "YIPPEEEEEE! No more PILLS!" I was able to reduce the daily dose of Sinemet by about 1/4th of what I took prior to the pallidotomy, and have pretty much been able to stay right at that reduced level since then. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Joao Paulo Carvalho <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tuesday, February 09, 1999 9:30 PM Subject: Re: Avoiding Sinemet >Hi Brian , > >I have some questions : > >Brian Collins wrote: > >> I have always felt a little sensitive about the fact that my Model >> defines dyskinesia as being the result of the Dopamine level exceeding >> a critical value, and perhaps getting to synapses which were not the >> original target, thus sending the electrical message to the wrong muscles. >> >> My point is that I can produce plausible explanations for most of the >> phenomena which we associate with dyskinesias (including the dreaded >> Di-phasic Dyskinesia) > >How to explain the fact that in SOME well done Pallidoctomy (destrying some >brain cells and neurons) there happens a elimination of the tremors and a >reduction or even the elimination of the need of taking levodopa ?? > >> I am beginning to wonder..... You know the old saying: >> >> If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like as duck, >> and lays eggs, then maybe, just maybe, it IS a duck. > >BTW do you know what looks like a lion, walks like a lion, roars like a lion >and does not lay eggs like a lion , but is NOT a lion ?? :-) > > Cheers, >-- > +----| Joao Paulo de Carvalho |------ + > | [log in to unmask] | > +--------| Salvador-Bahia-Brazil |------+ >