My friend has Parkinson’s. I’ve known him since 1986 when he was working with a large multi-national company and traveling all over the world. He played regular tennis, loved to go for long walks and had a full social life.
In ’90 he became the representative of an American company selling banking infrastructure. He worked hard and his success didn’t surprise anybody.
In’96 when I had a major depressive episode, he’d take me out for a walk every evening. During those walks I began to notice that he was dragging his left foot. There was a slight tremor in his left hand. He went to a neurologist who told him he had Essential Tremor.
He told me that the doctor said it was Essential Tremor and not Parkinson’s because the gait was not typical of Parkinson’s.
I remember we’d gone out for coffee when he told me and I tried to make light of it and held his hand.
He was started on Artane.

He’s got progressively worse. Dopamine agonists and Sinemet were addeed. Different timings, titrations and combinations have been tried. He has been to the U.S., and the U.K., but not much has come off the meetings with renowned specialists. He does all the recommended exercises. We don’t know, perhaps things could have got worse if he hadn’t.

It started with unilateral tremor, now it is on both sides of the body.

For the past few months he had his left toes curl up. Walking became difficult. He was looking forward to a holiday he had to miss.

On the 15th of this month he went to see a new movement disorder specialist mainly for help with his toes. She suggested a gradual addition of various drugs. The first to be added was Comtan.
From the 21st the tremor changed to literally a shake. He has been waking up shaking.

For the first time I have heard fear in his voice.
For the first time he appears vulnerable, in need for demonstrative affection.

I read up yesterday.
It seems that for 3% of patients this is a side effect.
This morning he spoke to the doctor and stopped the Comtan.
The doctoctor suggested that he was taking too little Sinemet.
But the tremors got worse only after adding the comtan. The Sinemet had been left as it was.
The toe-curling 'though is much better.

I wanted to check his drug schedule by you incase you have sugestions.

Yesterday it was as follows:

07.15 - Artane
08.15 - Sinemet 25/100 X .5
09.00 - Ropinerole 1
11.30 - Sinemet 25/100 X .5 + Comtan .5
12.50 - Sinemet 25/100 X.5 - extra because he had a meeting and was shaking badly.
13.15 - Artane
16.15 - Ropinerole 1
16.30 - Sinemet 25/100 X .5
17.15 - Sinemet 25/100 X .5
19. 30 - Sinemet " " " " + Comtan .5

Next week Azilect will start.

I am so worried.