 |
 |
Dear Listfriends, We're back from the very excellent Multidisciplinary Conference on PD in Sydney, a bit jet-lagged but very happy to meet dear Australian friends once again (didn't see John Cottingham, though, darn it!). The Conference was very energizing, and I'm happy to say that this time there were dietitians present, also one who had prepared a poster presentation on nutrition and Pd -- which made me very happy, indeed! As I feared, my notes aren't nearly as comprehensive as I would have liked. However, I pass on what I was able to write down: Dr. Fahn (New York) spoke very well on all the current PD medications currently in use. He mentioned two new ones, rasagiline and lazabemide, which are enzyme inhibitors, like selegiline, but may be preferable for some people. Unfortunately that's all my notes say, no date on when they'll be available. He states that at this time, no meds have proven to be neuroprotective, and feels that neuroprotective treatment should be given top priority, over other drugs or surgery. I was very impressed by the work of the nurse specialists who spoke. They help to assess the medical regimen, problem-solve, provide referrals, and develop treatment plans, among many, many other things. I'd like to see dietitian specialists as well as nurse specialists working similarly in the U.S. Dr. Iansek, a leading neurologist, believes that Tasmar could be helpful to many people, and that liver problems, if they occur, are apt to occur within the first 12 months, with decreased likelihood after that time. I very much wish I could have gotten more information, however, I'm not able to write, either very quickly, or very well, any more (due to arthritis), and many of my notes are not legible enough for me to be confident in re-writing them. I was very pleased to see more allied health professionals turning out this time (it seemed like more, anyhow) than in Perth two years ago. And I spoke to other groups of dietitians in Melbourne and Concord, and was happy to note that there is now a PD clinic at Concord, and a dietitian working with Dr. Iansek in Melbourne's Kingston Centre. There seemed to be many dietitians enthusiastic about working with people who have PD, and great interest in learning more about nutrition-related matters. I think this will greatly increase awareness of special needs for people who are hospitalized in future. I will be onlist, but probably will not be able to monitor posts closely for the next couple of months, as I'm working on two overlapping PD projects, both with October deadlines. But after that, I look forward to much closer communication! My very best regards, Kathrynne -- Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Medical nutrition therapy Author: "Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease" "Parkinson's disease: assessing and managing unique nutrition needs" http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/