My experience is that EFEXOR is an SSRI type anti-depressant -- like ZOLOFT and Prozac -- and therefore serves a different purpose from Levadopa. You will get a good (better than mine) definition on this list-service.
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Lanny D. Weddel
[log in to unmask]
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----- Original Message -----
From: Jane Koenig
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, August 09, 1999 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: help???????
Dear Emma,
Welcome to the list. Your efforts to help your mother's friend are magnificent. This IS the place to learn!
I am a caregiver for my father, who actually has a Parkinson's Plus disease. I don't claim to know a lot about all the various drugs--others on the list will be more knowledgeable. However, I can share something I recently learned from one of my father's neurologists.
There are four substances in the brain (enzymes???) that direct and affect movement and moods. They are: dopamine, serotonin, neurepinefrin, and acetocholine. Parkinson's is the result of dopamine deficiency and levadopa, along with the variety of dopamine agonists, works on this.
Effexor works on neurepinefrin. It has traditionally been used as an anti-depressant. In fact, my nephew, who is bi-polar, takes it. However, since my father's condition does not seem to respond to the drugs that work on dopamine, and his experience with drugs that work on seratonin resulted in hallucinations, the doctor is now trying (alternately) two drugs that work on neurepinefrin. He is currently taking Wellburtin and has not yet tried the Effexor. We haven't seen any effect yet. He is on an extremely low dosage, and he refuses to let me increase it. Plus, I'm told that it can take as long as 6 weeks until any effect is noticed.
That's about all I know on these drugs. I'm sure others on the list can add more.
Jane Koenig
Marietta, GA
(daughter of Fred, 80/MSA/2)
At 05:57 PM 8/9/99 +0930, you wrote:
>>>>
i was wondering if anyone could tell me which drug is most comonly taken in the early stages of PD. My mothers friend takes 'EFEXOR - XR' (VENLAFAXIN). However, I have been reading that 'LEVODOPA' is common. Can anyone tell me the difference betweeen these two? Maybe a little about LEVODOPA? is the drug she is taking an anticholinergic drug? Help me please????? Thankyou
Kind Regards
Emma
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