Internet Message

[MRS BEV K STEWARD <MXWW92A@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Manfred,
I, too, would question the need for medication, unless the symptoms
that took you to the doctor are bad enough to warrant needing
attention.  Until your quality of life is definitely impaired, leave
well enough alone.  There is, however, one thing that you possibly
could consider:  taking Deprenyl (or Selegeline)as you have mentioned.
.  Otherwise, if I were newly diagnosed these days, the first and
most innocuous but possibly effective (in 60% of PD cases) medication
I would ask to be started on would be Amantadine (Symmetrel).  It is
a drug developed as a flu virus deterrent about 1969 and when given
to some PWP it was found to improve their symptoms. The only side
efffects are swelling of the ankles which can be corrected sometimes
by reducing the usual dosage of 2 (100 mg) capsules daily to one a
day.  For those who respond it can put off other PD meds like Requip
which can be possibly more toxic.  I have been taking it for some
twenty-three years now along with other meds, and unbelievably, it
still helps.  I am a long-term PWP.  We welcome you to our PD family.

                Bev (74yrs/1953)