[no subject]

[John Cottingham <jcott@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:24 AM 1/10/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi everyone!
>My Dad was diagnosed in June with Parkinson's.  He has a few questions he 
>would like me to ask.
>#1 - He is taking Sinemet but he is not noticing a difference.  They have 
>changed his dosage twice but still there seems to be no difference.  Any 
>suggestions or thoughts?
>#2 - He has a very stressful job and is trying to get any information at all 
>regarding the affects of stress on Parkinson's.  Does anyone have any info?
>

Mya, if your dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's and he doesn't get a response 
from Sinemet, it could mean either of two things. He does not have Parkinson's, 
or he may have one of the Parkinson's Plus syndromes which do not respond to 
Sinemet. In either case....a second opinion by a movements disorder specialist 
is in order.

Tremor excaserbated by tension without ridgity or slowness of movement may 
indicate essential tremor....which can be minimized by proper medication. The 
two mainstays of essential tremor treatment are propranolol (Inderal) and 
primidone (Mysoline). Folks improperly diagnosed with Parkinson's have been 
known to have their tremor intensify when given parkinsonian medications.

There are two items available in the Current Topics messages which can 
enlighten one in the quandry of, "are my symptoms consistant with the diagnosis 
of Parkinson's or is my tremor essential tremor".

Doctors, Joseph Jankovic and Mark Stacy, examined the records of over 900 
patients that had Parkinson's and Parkinson's Plus syndromes. In table 3 of 
that study, they outline what symptoms that may or may not be present and 
whether they were or were not responsive to Sinemet.

In order to receive that study send a message to:

jcott@xxxxxxxxx

On the subject line of the message put:

CT:091

Nothing is required in the body of the message, since I don't read it but just 
attach the requested article to the reply.

Marjorie Gillespie, wrote a definitive nursing article on the treatment of 
tremor and the differences among tremors.

In order to receive that article send a message to:

jcott@xxxxxxxxx

On the subject line of the message put:

CT:094

Nothing is required in the body of the message, since I don't read it but just 
attach the requested article to the reply.

Mya, I wish you and your father well.

jcott@xxxxxxxxx      That man may last, but never lives,
                        Who much receives, but nothing gives;
HomeBoy #Parkinsons         Whom none can love, whom none can thank,--
                               Creation's blot, creation's blank.
John Cottingham           Thomas Gibbons (1720-1785): When Jesus dwelt.