http://forum.parkinson.org/index.php...mine+%2Blevels
how many millligrams of sinemet is he taking daily and what is the formulation? it has a pretty short duration in the blood. i take between 700-800mg/day, more if needed.

That's the key- some type of instrument that you can tell at a glance what your level is. That would be like a blood glucose monitor for a diabetic.

Patti, I would hesitate to say that your husband was misdiagnosed based on the changes when you got him off of mirapex. That is the medication from HELL! I almost lost my marriage from it. The moodiness, compulsive behavior and all the horror stories of gambling, etc are beyond belief. I even went to a center for excellence and they specifically asked about compulsive behavior, etc. and told us of someone they saw who gambled away their entire life's savings. Thankfully and I don't know how but by the grace of God I realized these changes I was having and stopped taking the medication on my own. I could clean the house, do whatever and not sleep for 2-3 days. I was sexually compulsive, to the point that it bothered me! I am so happy for you! May you and your husband have many more years together!

Aunt Bean, do you mean that Synthroid contributes to your resting tremor or is it more like essential tremors? Just curious because I've been taking Synthroid for a long time and my only PD symptom is resting tremor. Wondering if there's a connection. Thanks!

Synthyroid for low thyroid seemed to give me an internal tremor when taken in a dose that brought my levels up to what the doctor said it should be. I told him I couldn't take that much and I would rather be alittle low. Synthyroid also caused lumps to develop in chest...which was not great. When I found out there was a natural precription called Armour Thyroid (animal thyroid dried/ ground and made into a pill form.)..I made the switch and immediately felt better. I can't take as much of it as they want me to either (taking the lowest dose available 3 mornings a week to get by). Too much of it will make tremor also for me. Everybody is different ...what works well for one person will go against someone else's metabolism. I try to stay away from doctors and do herbs as much as possible to keep well. Hope this helps.

Thank you for your posting. I have been unable to be back on for awhile. Yes, my husband going off the MIRAPEX was the best thing I could have done for him, I would never want to relive the horror of over a year of what we went through, as soon as I got him off that dreadful stuff he no longer was violent etc, I also took him off the sinamet, this being after his Neuro Specialist , early in December he told me that hubby built up an intolerance to the meds so give him two sinamets every two hours eight times a day, that really did it for me. My husband is doing so much better from the horrable side effects being off both these drugs. We now face difficult times from his falling and suffering a severe head injury, this happened while he was on the meds, we got another ct done today a spinal tap will be done wendsday to see how he does, if there is improvement then a shunt will be done to help release the fluids. I appreciate postings back to us and please know I am so happy to find this site, I keep very busy caring for him and the days seem to go right from one to the other. Aunt Bean if you see this thank you for the information on the book, I was unable to get that one I did get another, I also have added Lecithen, Vit D, B complex and Vit B 12 along with his nutritional support, along with coconut oil, all of this also,through a new family Dr. our family Dr. Of many years called Hospice the first of January to contact me, needless to say I told them, God doesn't give up on us and we must not give up on God. I will come back and post update soon on how my husband is doing. Keeping all others in prayer, please keep us in your prayers too. I still believe my husband was mis diagnosed years ago, how I wish he had not been so quick to go on the meds in accepting the PD dx's. It might have proven the Neuro's wrong.
Thanks, Patti

If your husband is receiving a shunt, has he been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus? It is a condition that presents as Parkinson's but is not.

How do you get your dopamine level checked?

Yes he has Hydrocephalus, it is why the spinal tap is being done tomorrow morning , the Neuro Surgeon yesterday said it is to see if draining the fluid will make a difference before the risk of having a shunt put in. I will post back again as soon as I know more. Thanks to doing my own research and continuing on to find out if it is Hydrcephalus and to get Dr.s to listen. I am very hopeful.

I asked his new family physician to do blood test for dopamine level.