Tag Archives: Sinemet

Developing Our Plan of Attack

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by  

In order to understand my approach to having a chronic illness, you need to know a little about me and my side of the family. My grandmother had and my Daddy has Macular Degeneration. My Daddy has been legally blind now for over 30 years, gradually losing more and more of his sight, but never doing anything to prepare himself for being blind.

I’ve said for years that if I were ever diagnosed with the beginnings of MD, I’d immediately start learning Braille and take classes on how to take care of myself from a low vision standpoint.

My approach to any illness is to search the Internet for every bit of information I can find. I have a Chemistry major, with a strong background in Biology and Biochemistry, so the technical papers usually make at least some sense to me.

With that said, it shouldn’t be so surprising that I’ve spent almost all this week researching everything I can find about Parkinson’s Disease. I’ve found bits and pieces of information on various sites that I’ve bookmarked for myself, but the links that have the most information, presented clearly, I’ll be listing in the right hand column.

DH and I are working together, bouncing ideas around as we try to understand how to balance the medicine with the foods that interfere with the medicine, but are necessary for good health. I did my first set of the PD exercises today, and DH bought a different cereal for me, based on the nutrition information I found.

By the time I see the Neurologist again, I should have a good idea what I need to ask him about. Of course I’m still assuming the DX is going to be PD, but at least I feel like I’m doing something besides waiting for the next appointment.

I Don’t Want to Jinx It, But ….

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by  

I think I’m better! I didn’t dare write anything yesterday. In fact, I was in a bubble of enthusiasm all day, afraid to say the words out loud, for fear it would burst the bubble, and my legs would feel like two ton weights again, slogging through mud.

I’ve been on the Sinemet since Monday night, and I woke up yesterday walking amazingly better. I wouldn’t call it normal, but for me, it was a vast improvement. I was also aware of being happier than I have been in quite some time, but then who wouldn’t be! I noticed that even my upper body movements were faster, which I really hadn’t realized had slowed down.

I think I spent every spare minute all day long thanking God for this miracle. I really over did the physical work, though, as there were so many things I’ve put off doing, because I just haven’t been up to it. I’d work for awhile, and then rest, and then work awhile longer. My leg muscles are telling on me today, for sure, but I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish yesterday.

We didn’t tell anybody at church last night, and I still used the walker. I don’t want to say anything until we get an actual diagnosis, and that will be on my next appointment. From what I’ve read, Parkinson’s symptoms can fluctuate, so one moment can be better or worse than the next, so for now I don’t want to have to explain.

We have decided that if we don’t find one of those adjustable canes with the extra legs on the bottom at an estate sale tomorrow, we’re going to buy one. At the rate I’m going, I may not need the walker much longer. My balance is still not good, so I’ll use the cane, and we’ll keep the walker in the car, in case this doesn’t last. That’s the plan for now, anyway. The balance thing is probably from the Peripheral Neuropathy, anyway, and I don’t think he can do anything about that, except to monitor it to see if it progresses or improves.

If I Could Dance … I Would!!!

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by  

I went to the Neurologist today, and I feel like I had a very productive visit this time. He is agreeing with the diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy, but he thinks something else is going on at the same time, as not all my symptoms seem to fit that diagnosis. First of all, the heavy metals test came back negative, so we don’t have to worry about the EPA site, at least. All the other blood tests came back OK, too. One test is having to be done again, as the lab goofed on that one.

Anyway, he’s given me a prescription for Sinemet to take for three weeks and then see him again to see if it makes a difference in my walking. This is a Parkinson’s medicine, which is what I’ve thought he was thinking all along, since Mama had Parkinson’s. She didn’t have tremors, and I’ve only had some shakiness when I was weakened by the colitis or really tired.

I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere!!! At least in 3 weeks we’ll know if it’s Parkinson’s or something similar, and I really think it is. I’m looking forward to being able to walk better. I know I shouldn’t be getting my hopes up so, but right now I’m almost ecstatic!