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Julius and Doris.... I know this sounds kinda crazy, but after having PD for almost 25 years as I have had, I guess I'd at least CONSIDER just about anything provided by conventional medicine (which means I still might consider alternative practices, but would take a much more in-depth look at the later than the former) <errrr... or something like that> So for your consideration, I've had 6 pairs of collagen injections into my vocal cords (one in each of my 2 vocal cords), since May, 1997. One sets of injections worked very well on both my speech (made it nearly normal) and ALL helped me to breath MUCH easier, as they apparently stopped air leakage out of my vocal cords whenever I breath in or out. (This is what it SEEMS to be doing to ME - not necessarily exactly, or medically what ACTUALLY is happening within me) <I'm not an MD - just another Parkie> I got the first and the last (done in early July 1999) at UCLA Med Center by Dr. Gerald Burke (phone: (310) 825-2023 <--- Dr. Burke's nurse, leave message. She WILL get back to ya, tho it might not be for a day or two) <feel free to use me as a referral> By the way, injections 2 the 5 were performed at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles where I live. At this point I don't feel Kaiser's L.A. med staff is up to the same capability as Dr. Burke, nor do they perform this procedure anywhere near as frequently. One last thing - I no longer seem to benefit - VOICE-wise - from the collagen injections (sadly said), but consistently have had good results with the breathing assistance. ANOTHER "one last thing." UCLA's Dr. Gerald Burke will be the guest speaker at the PD support group I coordinate - the Encino Tri-Valley PD Support Group - on Oct. 16, meeting at Encino Hospital, 16237 Ventura Blvd.., at 1 to 3:00 p.m. Ya all are welcome to join us (REALLY!) Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Julius Margolis <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thursday, August 19, 1999 11:32 PM Subject: Respiratory Dysfunction > My wife, Doris, 76/6, has had severe difficulties in breathing during her >off periods. The neuros tell us there are chest muscle rigidities and as a >consequence breathing is more "labored." Better drug management will >reduce her off periods and that is all that we can do to improve her >breathing. I think much more is involved and I hope that some of you have >been plagued with a "breathing problem" and may come up with better advice. > Her labored breathing, especially at night, results in severe contractions >of her diaphragm which has to compensate for the chest rigidities. This >pumping of the diaphragm, I feel sure, is a major contributor to her >irritable bowel syndrome. Certainly, it keeps her awake for many hours. > I have searched through many books on respiration as well as Parkinsons >and I am amazed how there is barely any attention to respiratory problems. >In the Parkinson literature there is attention paid to the soft voice, but >very little to breathing dysfunctions. > Have others found a better resolution or is better drug management our >only path? > I believe, only supported by intuition, that the respiratory problems are >a developmental sequel to her "internal tremors." We were first told that >the internal tremors were not parkinsons related, but later neuros told us >they were. However no neuro has shown much interest in internal tremors and >how these may create a different package of problems Doris does not have >external tremors. Do those of you with breathing problems also have >internal tremors? > Jules, cg for Doris 76/6.