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Ervin, It is unusual to have dyskinesia without meds. I had it for a while when my stimulator was turned up too high. Also tardive dyskinesia which can occur when one takes neuroleptics for a long period of time produces- by a different mechanism than levodopa induced dyskinesia- dyskinesia which actually gets worse when the offendinding drug is withdrawn!! Charlie ERVIN J MCCARTHY wrote: > Dennis, is impossible to have dyskinesia and not be using drugs? Thanks > [log in to unmask] > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Dennis Greene <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 5:56 PM > Subject: Re: what is dyskinesia?/experiments > > > Tom, Brian, Ida and others, > > > > Brian wrote: > > > > > I believe that a pallidotomy, > > > effectively turns down the gain of the feedback signal, thus making a > > > better match to the feeble signal from the Parkinsons-affected brain. > > > Similarly, closing your eyes frees the brain from having to cope with > > > another possibly conflicting signal. Note: If you have had a Pallidotomy > > > the eye-closing routine might have a quite different effect, since the > > > Pallidotomy and the eye-closing may be additive, subtractive, or simply > > > the pallidotomy may swamp the eye-closing effect. > > > > In my experience mild to medium strength dyskinesias (not to mention many > PD > > symptoms per se) can be reduced by a range of comfort giving activities. > > These include emptying the bladder, putting on sunglasses on a bright day, > > taking off uncomfortable footwear, getting out of the heat in summer, > > getting into the warmth in winter, adding or removing clothing as > required > > by temperature changes. NOTHING, other than waiting it out, helps with > > strong dyskinesia. My speculation as to why this is so runs along the > lines > > of Brian's 'conflicting signal' comment. > > > > Since reading Tom's question I have tried a few experiments on myself and > > one other person, with the following results. > > > > In my own case (and like Ida I have had a pallidotomy) I found that > closing > > my eyes resulted in a distinct pause in the mild dyskinesia I am > > experiencing at present during my short 'on' periods. However, within 30 > > seconds the dyskinesia re-established itself and continued on its merry > way. > > It is clear that closing the eyes has some effect on dyskinesia but just > > what mechanism is at work is a moot point. > > > > The results of my experiment with my friend were very interesting. He is > a > > man of +/- 50 years of age who has had PD for over 10 years. He has not > had > > surgery and, not being a member of this list, had no knowledge of this > > discussion. Seeing him experiencing medium level dyskinesia I asked him > to > > close his eyes and keep them shut. This he did - with no discernible > change > > in his dyskinesia. I then told him about this discussion and of course he > > immediately tried again. This time, to my amazement, his dyskinetic level > > dropped to mild. He opened his eyes soon afterwards so I have no idea how > > long the change would have lasted. I am well aware that the response of > one > > subject to one brief experiment is hardly definitive but it does introduce > > the possibility of a placebo effect. > > > > Dennis > > > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Dennis Greene 49/dx 37/ onset 32 > > There's nothing wrong with me that a cure for PD won't fix! > > [log in to unmask] > > http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -- ****************************************************************************************** Charles T. Meyer, M.D. Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin [log in to unmask] ******************************************************************************************