It is rather poor logic to think that of all body systems, the only one that is incapable of healing itself under any circumstances is the one that is most important, isn't it? Question everything.

reverett says: "Question everything." That is my mantra. And Lindy, you have just written a huge part of the "alternative therapy" theory in your reply.

This placebo issue is huge to curing Parkinson's. (Thinking theyself well.) Just as the greatest asset to selling real estate is "location, location, location;" the greatest asset to curing a neurological illness is "attitude, attitude, attitude." I am defining "cure" here as controlling symptoms; i'm not sure we can think away something pathological . . . or can we???

Our own radical Rick123 says "Question everything."
May the circle be unbroken: before the science department was placed under the control of the marketing department, the objective of science was NOT to find more ways of deceiving people into paying large amounts of money for slip-shod or dangerous products. Before science became part of the advertising campaigns; "Run it up a flagpole and see who salutes".
Before science dedicated itself to coming up with new flavors of toothpaste or sinemet CR (which originally was promoted as causing 50% less vomiting - an outstanding feature in any product); before Pharma even existed (so no bribes were available to falsify medical research;

... before all of that, science was understood to be what Rick says: "Question everything".
It seems that us vitamin popping dancing tree huggers are actually NOT the ones who strayed from science.
Physician, heal thyself.

the more complicated the system, the more difficult it is to repair, especially with the BBB.
as brain injury recovery shows, we are born with a surplus of brain neurons. same with those in the nigral area. maybe the natural repair mechanisms are overwhelmed.
but just think if the wide range of vitamins/supps mentioned here had an affect on neurogeneration, everytime you ate something you'd have your brain affected. life would be chaos.
there's some basic biology going on here. it makes perfect sense to me why the brain doesn't repair itself like a broken bone.
http://hdlighthouse.org/research/bra...urogenesis.php

You guys all continue to blow me away, all of yous, with your insights and contributions. I am truly so grateful for the conversation, for all the individual viewpoints.

A couple of things on the issue of what the brain is capable of:

1) First, I personally never believed it that my brain cells were dead. Something was going on, but not dead. And they have never proved their death, because the only way to really see what's going on with that is when you're, well, dead all over. And Scientists have surmised that they might be dead because of the level of dopamine activity reflected in scans of live people. But that is a very different statement, and most of PD theory has been based on the assumption that these brain cells thought to have died because they didn't seem to be engaged in dopamine activity actually were dead. Precision counts, because otherwise things have a way of accumulating their own energy, and raveling up into a tight ball of bad assumptions.

2) Some people with multiple personality disorder have discrete personalities that are so different that one can have clinical diabetes requiring treatment, and another personality within the same person does not have diabetes.

3) Tests have been done placing leafy branches on subjects' arms where they were told it was poison ivy, when it wasn't, but rather something innocuous. Many of the subjects in that test developed blisters and raised rashes anyway.

4) There is a phenomenon where young student doctors studying pathology suddenly develop all kinds of illnesses because now they know about them...

The list goes on. The brain is very primitive in some aspects - that's why in my dance company rehearsals with professional dancers it was often necessary to yell "Right- right-left!!! Turn -throw - turn - pike and fall!!" Sometimes the brain has to be treated like almost a small child in order to be able to learn new tasks. And yet it's very subtle and sophisticated, too. Who has not felt symptoms worsen unexpectedly, and you suddenly realize you have conflicted feelings about somebody in the room that you weren't aware of.

So I truly believe almost anything is possible. And we are going to find out how to harness or shall I say integrate the power of our own brains and bodies to the good of us all. Call me a romantic.

However, I do know that it is one thing to know this conceptually and another to work with it. And I do know there are so many people suffering with PD who don't have the discretion to try what I've tried, and I so feel for everybody. And yet I also really believe that transformation of some kind is possible in any place, in any level. But you must remain open to the results.

I also feel bound to give a "kids, don't try this at home" warning, because I went through a lot to be where I am at this moment. Read Peg's thread about Stalevo and heart attacks, and the danger of stopping the meds suddenly. In past experiments I have almost annihilated myself going too fast, etc. When I went off Mirapex, I did so against my doctor's advice. But I did it anyway because I got to the point where I would rather die than be on it anymore. It was real, real tough, but it worked out in the end. BUT I AM NOT RECOMMENDING ANYTHING - I am just giving my experience.

I just came home from seeing one of my massage therapists whom I hadn't seen all summer. She was amazed -she said my legs were becoming more even in length, so much so that she thought I had had "work done." She said my face shape was changing because the TMJ tension was disappearing so fast from my jaw. She was crying because she said she had known months ago that this would be the hardest time of my life this summer - and it has been. (My sweetheart of four years left me literally overnight last winter, with no explanation and not to be seen since.) I've got a long, long way to go still, but I did feel some kind of security in the pit of my stomach today, a feeling of strength and safety that feels different from that always on the edge of a cliff sensation I have had for so many years. And I am willing to wait patiently for the true healing, because I know that does take time, and changing literally every aspect of myself. I think that I will be different from how I ever was before - but that needed to happen because that person got PD. And I want something else now.

Peg, by the way, I understand your fear on the inappropriate drugs for years thing - yes, it could be scary, and if you read some of the stuff on the internet - yikes!! BUT I think that can be mitigated to some degree at least also - there are neurostimulatory and neurogenerative things around....and also I think we are more resilient than we think.

http://www.isnvalladolid.org/pdfs/Braak_MH.pdf
some evidence that neurons are irreversibly damaged in pd.
doesn't disprove that neurogeneration can occur or other pathways implemented to reverse pd symptoms. just never been proven in a case of verifiable pd.

fiona, trying hypnosis keeps popping into my head when i read your posts.

Soccertese, beneath your economy of expression, I suspect you are a sweetheart...a worried sweetheart, perhaps - but I am glad you're here!

Now then. Well, I could prolly go on all evening about what constitutes a verifiable case of PD, at least in the US, and I could show you even scarier stuff about neurodegeneration in the disease and neurotoxicity from Sinemet - However, I think I won't.

Hypnosis, though - excellent. I have started to work with it some to good effect, and would be very interested in hearing other experiences - and organized data - dare I say a study?

I suppose it is irreversibly damaged after an autopsy. ...who knows if it is irreversible while we are still alive.

Robert

Just a simple, straight forward question for the people that believe Sinemet is poison........why do you take it if you believe it does more damage than good? I expect your answer to be "to control symptoms." Grant it, we need "better" knowledge of the cause of PD, therefore better and more appropriate med's, but this is all we have right now, and no discussion will change that (if one truly has PD, that is).

One other thought......yes, medical students can develop psychogenic symptoms of diseases they are studying. How many of you knew all the symptoms of PD before you developed them? I didn't.......

Ok, it is my thread, so I guess I am Resident Tree Hugger on call right now.

Hello, Invisable - welcome.

No, I had never heard of PD when I was diagnosed. I was just giving an example with the med students about one way the brain can work.

Now the question about Sinemet - actually it is inescapably complex. One reason people take it is because they are not presented with alternatives - and you are right, few have been developed in terms of pills. Let me point your attention to one of my mainstay info go-to's, a patent application made by some enormously prestigious doctors/researchers for the use of Mucuna Pruriens as a far superior alternative to Sinemet. http://www.freshpatents.com/Pharmace...0060165822.php
This is a commercial document to be sure, but then most studies are, in essence, these days. I find the research voice authoritative and compelling, the scientfic qualities impressive and elegantly put forward. I particularly direct your attention to Sections [0017] and [0027]. Now this is a plant - but I feel like if a drug company could design a product with these attributes, it would be heralded as a major breakthrough. But have you ever received information about this? By the way, you can get it at Vitamin Shoppe, amongst other places.

Also, Sinemet is incredibly addictive -not easy to change these horses even on dry land.

But your question holds even more in it... If what we believe affects us so much, should we not be trying to encourage a trusting faith in Sinemet, instead of undermining our own experience with it by harping on side effects? You didn't ask it but it is a good question. I don't know the answer for sure, but like most things here, it's a mix.