Imark-
No, I have little trouble with tremor. My big problems are gait and freezing. As to symptomatic relief, I would give it a definite "yes". This is not a clean cut experiment that I am running here, so let me sort it out here for a moment....
As I mentioned at the start of the quercetin thread, a few weeks ago I was in rough shape and growing frankly desperate. I keep a rather long list of things that should, based on published research, offer some relief - assuming that the reports are accurate. High on that list are the phytochemicals - the plant produced herbs that seem to offer so much. But research is spotty on most of them unless you read Chinese or Russian.
But, being desperate as my legs became more and more of a problem, and having the American skullcap on hand, I tried it and the results were too positive to be dismissed. This led me to a renewed determination to look at these botanicals. I tried Melissa officinallis (Lemon Balm) briefly with nothing to note in the short trial (although I will revisit it). It was at that point that I ran across quercetin which did have some interesting research published that seemed to be directed at my freezing problems. Further reading brought hope of improving mitochondrial function. So, I switched my focus to the greener pastures of quercetin and again experienced quick gratification.
This is the point where I posted my initial report. In the weeks since, I have formed the following opinions about the two herbs-
Quercetin has given me a great improvement in stability. While my initial response seemed to promise a longer time "on", it has instead kept me on a two-hour schedule that I can count on - something that I didn't have before. Also, and most importantly to me, I have completely eliminated the 24 mg of Requip from my daily diet. I am also undeniably stronger when I turn in bed. I have more stamina and heat tolerance, as evidenced by the three days I spent doing yard work in the hot sun last week. In addition, I have a sense that I have yet to have finished with what the quercetin is doing. The admittedly limited research points to an ability to increase mitochondrial biogenesis. Since poorly functioning mitochondria are considered to be critical to PD, it would be reasonable to expect a gradual improvement if this were happening and that is, indeed, just what I think that I have been seeing. And it would be reasonable to expect to see a heightening of mood as the mitochondria improve. Again I think that that is becoming more and more noticeable as I observe the passing days.
As if that weren't enough, two days ago I turned my attention to the American scullcap. While there is little research on it, it does have a strong historical base in that it was listed in the US Pharmacopia as a "nerve tonic". And it had shown promise in dealing with the tetany in my legs earlier. So, I began to introduce it that afternoon. Nothing earth shattering that first afternoon. Yesterday, I began my day with it as an ominous storm front began a march north across several states that killed over 200 people in the next 24 hours. I spent yesterday from about noon until midnight monitoring the series of tornadoes that were spun off and that required a quick response in the form of herding my wife, cat, and three dogs into the presumed shelter afforded by the enclosed four foot vertical space beneath our home. This task is not as simple as it sounds, requiring a "duck walk" posture that quickly exhausts even one who is in better shape and sans PD. It was necessary to repeat this exercise seven times, each with the expectation of a tornado at any moment and with the last three being enhanced by the addition of eight inches of cold, nasty water in the space as heavy rains brought flooding. Add in the darkness, the roaring wind, hail the size of golf balls, thunder, lightning, etc. and you have twelve hours of Hell to rival one of Dante's outer rings.
And I sailed through it so well that it startled me. I managed to keep reasonably on schedule on pills (I think) but if I had had to deal with that a week earlier there would have been no way. I would have been catatonic in the first two hours. Once I get back to base line, I will know more.
