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On Fri 02 Apr, E. Jack Savely wrote: > Brian and All: > > > Jeannette too responds opposite to Brian's suggestion of reducing > the Sinemet prior to stress related situations. > We have found that knowing when a stressful situation is to occur > is helpful, BUT, Jeannette increases her dosages rather than > decreases it, in order to cope successfully. This is also true > when physical exertion takes place....she needs more Sinemet. Hello Jack. Nice to hear from you again, even if you don't agree with my findings (!) You were about the only people to reply to my appeal for comments so it seems to be rather low on the list of things which comcern PWPs. I seem to be on my own on this one, actually decreasing my Sinemet intake to cope with a stressful situation. Possible explanations : a) Have I found a specific mechanism for overcoming Stage Fright? - one form of stress which may be diffferent from having a row with your neurologist perhaps? b) This is my best bet: I think it depends where you are coming from. Am I dreaming, Jack, or am I remembering correctly that you are one couple who use the technique of a swift overdose early in the morning, then coast along on this crest until evening when you come crashing down through some heavy dyskinesias. I actually tried that system out so that I could speak with some real experience . In short; it was a living hell for several hours. I have noted a quite distinctive sub-set of PWPs ,who respond in the classic fashion to low and medium dosage levels, but above that level, they just seen to withdraw into their shell, and sleep the day away. I think they are ideally tailored to tolerate the 'overdose route' as I call it, but I still have my worries about possible long-term effects. Since this type of PWP is outside my experience, I cannot fully integrate it into my 'model' which is how I interpret the funny world of Parkinsons. You made another passing comment Jack: "This is also true when physical exertion takes place....she needs more Sinemet". Now that one was beaten to death a year or two ago, and the fact is- you DON'T need more sinemet when exercising - and I have the research papers to prove it. Remember that the Dopamine which the brain manufactures from the levadopa in the Sinemet tablet is used to provide a conductive path across the synapse for the electrical nerve signal, The message to Run, walk, fall over etc. is a part of the Electrical signal, not the Dopamine system. Comments please Regards, -- Brian Collins bjc@glo balnet.co.uk>