because i am. i''ll try to be more polite but less skeptical? never. that's my right. why don't i just mind my own business? because seemingly harmless, anecdotal posts may influence people to try things that may be harmless or may have a detrimental affect. there are a lot of desperate pd'ers. a lot more readers than posters.
often opinions get posted as fact. and i read posts from people suffering because they are terrified to take meds, likely from what they read on this board.
i may take things more seriously than you do. my apology if this is just a social networking board.

Soccertese: What ties your thread to this one is that many of us seem to be confronting things deep inside, such as in the anecdotes about inner conflict you recounted in your thread. You posit that illness may be the body's rebellion to service to others, sort of "enough is enough." Fiona's thread talks about working through those stressors, finding out their meaning for us, and seeing possibility.

I am very careful not to post often here. I do not see this as a social networking site, as you will see by my low number of posts. But I do sometimes respond when something has meaning to me.

Fiona: Your response is helpful to me, not only in my work with people with PD but also as a hospice volunteer. Even as they are dying, some people manage to be the master and commander of their journey. Your focus on what is possible is refreshing and uplifting. Thanks!

Judith

judith,
again, that's not my thread. my last post was responding to trixee

Soccertese-
you can be as terse and to the point as you want, doesn't bother me. It takes all kinds here, of course, and I appreciate different voices such as yours. My own path comes from deep skepticism about a lot of the stuff I was told. In terms of people being afraid to take medications - well, all we can do is put our experience out there and trust people to make up their own minds about what resonates for them at any given time. However, I would ask that people have the presumption of seriousness granted them - even if you belittle the content of their comments.

"well, all we can do is put our experience out there and trust people to make up their own minds about what resonates for them at any given time. However, I would ask that people have the presumption of seriousness granted them - even if you belittle the content of their comments. "

you belittle my belittling. i have to defend myself. just as you do. and i take everything seriously otherwise i wouldn't respond. i have a science background and am skeptical of any anecdotes, especially with pd which may or may not exist in the poster and if it does, manifests itself differently in every pd'er, even daily. it's goes with anonymous posting.

Ok, so now we're veering OT - or maybe not - but while I have you in my clutches, I would be most interested to know what characterizes an anecdote as opposed to....??? (I'm well aware my tale is anecdotal, I'm interested in getting your sense of definitions and parameters...)

This is an interesting conversation. Even though Fiona's experience seems less "scientific," she is just as skeptical as the most rigorously trained Western researcher, and has led a life of real experimentation. I find soccertese's opinions and posts to be just as informative, enlightening, and skeptical.

Although Fiona's path has been more "alternative" from a Western point of view (others in the world would consider her "mainstream"), it is just as serious as those who take the Western approach.

Aren't we really at the point in living and dealing with this disease that it comes down to whatever works? I don't think that is giving bad advice (none of us would advise going off meds cold turkey, or trying things without professional advice - we are pretty careful of who might be lurking and reading; we don't want to harm anyone). In fact, most who post here are skeptics of the first order - skeptical that dopamine is the answer; skeptical that positive thinking can make a difference - and we're not charlatans or snake oil salesmen. We're living seriously with a serious disease and trying to make the most of our lives for as long as possible. No one has the answer - or maybe one of us does. Who knows? (I know, I know - the Shadow knows!)

But, really .....

I read awhile ago that 10% of PWP recover. I have no idea if that's true or not, and have never read that anywhere else. But I really liked the idea, and since then have told myself frequently that I'm recovering. It always cheers me up, makes me move better and feel better.

I know that those few words 'You may have Parkinson's Disease" just tore me apart and changed my life for a long time for so much the worse. If I'd been told that I had a little dopamine deficiency problem that would be helped by meds (as mentioned in a previous thread), and I'd believed it, would my life have changed that much? How much is physical and how much is the mental part? I exercise, eat as well as I can, keep working at a job I enjoy, have a great family and friends, take the meds and supplements I need, and would really like to know of anything else I could throw in there. I mostly stay well into denial, but having a father in the very late stages of PD in a nursing home can make that a little difficult.

Please keep posting, Fiona. I made the decision when I was diagnosed that I would try anything that I had reason to think would help, and wouldn't distress or bankrupt my family. My efforts are mostly on the physical side, and I'm very interested in what would help mentally.

fiona,
i'd rather drop out of this thread. if you want my opinion, drop me a private message.

NP. Thanks for your participation....