Hallucinations are well documented as a late stage part of PD, and that knowledge predates the use of levodopa. Rick had been suffering from unpredictable off times, and probably would have considered himself late stage. Sadly I think it was PD, though sinemet is of course a co-factor for any long term user, it's such a potent medication with such side effects that it can be hard to tell whether it is medication or disease that trigger events.

This may be less evident to people who started taking it after doctors got wise to the damaging effects of high doses. In recent years they have advised newer patients to stay below certain levels, it was not always this way, as many older members of the forums know. Still it is the best we currently have in terms of drugs. Advances in the role of exercise have been an eye opener, but came rather late for some of us.

Thank you, Bob Dawson, for the reminder of what Rick posted earlier this year, with hindsight there were intimations there, but it was also a forward looking post, and a reminder of the wealth of experience in the archives. We have a little left of Braintalk on the Wayback Machine, if it had of been intact what a record that would have made, of the true long term impact of PD. We tiptoe round the realities, but this surely is why we raise awareness, that PD is much more than most of us want others to see.

It is devastating when we lose one of the potent 'voices in the dark' who become a part of our mutual support system, and companions on our journey. I've been totally unable to voice my sadness over losing Rick in my day to day life, people wouldn't understand why or how a person I never got to meet became so important to me.

Lindy