Fw: Re: My Dad was just diagnosed

["Charles T. Meyer, M.D." <cmeyer2@xxxxxxxx>]

Not sure whether you got this so I am resending it.  Responses to this by
hitting reply to sender will also likely have been lost
----- 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Charles T. Meyer,MD 
To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network 
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 11:43 AM
Subject: Re: Re: My Dad was just diagnosed


    Dan,  

    Where is your father and where are you?  We have a reasonably active PD 
support group here in Madison.

    Your question about Mirapex and l-dopa is a good one.   Most (many) 
neurologists feel that the longer one can hold off the use of l-dopa the 
better.  Mirapex is an agonist of dopamine.  It acts as dopamine (to which 
l-dopa is converted to in the brain.)  But it is supposedly less likely to 
cause dyskinesias 0-- which are random movements which are difficult to control 
(except by surgery).  If the Mirapex is helping a lot he should stay on it but 
if he has any significant problem with the drug he should consider adding 
l-dopa.  It sounds as though he is getting some reasonably good advice.  

    Charlie


    From: Daniel Wachula 
    To: PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 10:58 PM
    Subject: My Dad was just diagnosed


    My father was diagnosed about a week ago.  He is taking a drug called 
Mirapex.  I guess that this drug is about 2 years old.  He lives in Illinois 
and he needs to be active all the time - he worksout every other day.  My 
question is - does anybody have any information about this drug? and what about 
the drug called levodpa?  I have heard that l-dopa wears off after a few years 
which is why he is taking Mirapex?  Any comments will be great.  
     
    Thanks for the newsletters on Web sites for PD.  My Dad does not have a 
computer so I need to gather as much information on this as I can. 
     
    Thanks!
    Dan in Wisconsin