To John Bjork,
While we're on the subject of SHOW (I show symptoms) & TELL (they tell
on me,) one of the first lessons I learned about PD happened one evening I
was on duty in Respiratory Therapy at the hospital and was assigned a
patient, a mildly retarded 18 year old girl, according to her chart. She
took her two treatments 4 hours apart and after the 2nd one said, "Jim,
you're limping!" (Obviously concerned, quite observant, and more indiscrete
than retarded.) I drew a blank and could only mumble back, "Yea, I tend to
favor the right side when I've been on my feet all day."
Later the same evening on another floor a friendly RN in charge of my
patient made the same observation, same statement, same concern. (She was
definitely not "retarded.") I gave her my same response, this time with
more practiced suavity.
When I thought it over, asking "why didn't the Sinemet kick in after
supper?" I realized the meds were competing with the supper protein for
uptake. I had been taking the evening dose (TID) within 10 minutes after a
6 pm supper, and was taking the afternoon dose around 2 pm when I left for
work. (classic example of protein competing with levodopa for uptake.) The
fix was simple: take the 2nd dose at 1 pm and the 3rd dose at 5:15 pm, eat
supper at 6 pm.
Voila!
I wonder how many other people saw me limping (read: doing the PD soft
shoe one step.) The first one to catch me doing that spontaneous routine was
my son who extracted a promise from me that I would go see a doctor about
it. Which resulted in the diagnosis (hemi parkinsons, right side.)
(Thanks, Jeff, I needed that.) Now, I'm on Sinemet CR 50/200 and Eldepryl
both bid & brand name.
Recently I met a fellow Parkie for the first time who told me, "I
wouldn't have guessed you had PD if you hadn't told me." That, to me, is the
epitome of taking the prescribed meds.
BTW, John, if you put your red wine in your car's traveling no-spill
coffee mug
(with the little hole in the clamp-on top) who would be the wiser if you
carried the mug out of the car?
Cheers & good luck! ] 8<{ ) Jim
