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hi all At 12:59 1999/06/23 -0500, sue wrote, in part: >...diagnosis last december. i am 51 yrs old. i just had my second >visit with my neuro last thursday. he thinks its time for sinimet. >he has prescribed 25/100--one tablet in the am for one week, then >one tablet twice a day thereafter... i need to ask you some questions... welcome to the jaNET INTERrogation!! 1. why does your neuro think it's 'time' for sinemet? 2. what are your symptoms - other than tremor? 3. what other meds are you on, if any? 4. am i correct in deducing that you have seen this neuro only twice - once in december and once last week? 5. what were his recommendations in december? 6. how did you react when you heard the diagnosis? how have you been coping since? have you found a support group? >i filled the prescription and it has been sitting on my kitchen >counter next to my vitamins and hormones for a whole week. i >guess i need some hand holding... nothing wrong with that fear is good too it's self-protection to an extent but can be crippling if solely based in ignorance in a way, i felt the same fear in re starting the first ever addition to my 'med cocktail' last year i still have my tasmar prescription, which i held onto for a couple of weeks, until hearing about the ban...! i think you are wise in being cautious i think you are wise in asking for input from others when it comes to our brain chemistry i don't think we can be 'too' cautious if you haven't been on other meds, i wonder why? there are lots of options now, before taking the big step to sinemet however, having said that, the step into sinemet is not irreversible it's a matter of your preference; give it a fair trial and then assess how you feel with sinemet compared to without in order to give sinemet a 'fair trial' a newbie ***and her neuro*** need to consider a couple of critical issues: 1. really low and really slow titration - e.g. 1/2 a tab once a day for a week and then increased by 1/2 a tab a day for the second week, etc. 2. take it with food to avoid stomach upset till your system gets used to it i hope your neuro has considered all other 'starter' med options [pramipexole, budipine, ropinirole, selegiline, pergolide, bromocriptine, amantadine, artane, etc] viz the latest pd overview in the harvard newsletter posted recently >how do you start taking something that (in spite of being the >gold standard) is apt to cause all kinds of nasty side effects? i took it because i was feeling absolutely miserable stiff as a board, slow as molasses, scared all to heck, couldn't walk right, couldn't write right, and therefore couldn't do my work right my neuro thought i was 'beyond' the dopamine agonist stage at that point and there were fewer choices ten years ago i was also lucky because i got really good titration advice from day one and never went through any 'big deal' side-effect-wise starting either sinemet or selegiline >i work full time in a gift shop where my tremor is affecting >my fine motor skills. there has been marked progression in the >last year. ... and i will bet that the stress of maybe feeling like 'a bull in a china shop' has been making your symptoms worse >you guys give great advice, and it's always given with >such love and concern. i know you understand how i feel. >so i'm hopping you'll be able to give me the kick in the pants >i need to get started... if you've read my recent messages about starting on sinemet i will bore you by repeating something: i have never felt worse physically than when i was 'pre-sinemet' [even now with on and off fluctuations etc after 14 years] you have nothing to lose but your fear try it - you might like it! your cyber-sis in silliness janet janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada a new voice http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/ [log in to unmask]