I hope this helps folks but don't think it will. Maybe more studies should be done with adult stem cells! I think that may show better successes.

I have no idea if the drug will work, that's why we play the game, or in the case of disease, why we conduct the trials. However, the science behind the theory is enough to convince me that I would rather spend a few bucks a month (less than CoQ10 that we all take or took) and find out in 5 years it didn't work, than sit on the sidelines watching and find out it does work. Of course, like any other drug you should first discuss its potential use with your doctor, particularly if you are hypotensive.

Regarding stem cell research, I too would like to see more of it, along with research in several other areas, like growth factors and vaccines to prevent protein misfolding. We all can have opinions, but no one knows in the end which will or won't work.

I was contacted to be in the study which I gladly agreed. However once they found out I'd been on Azilect for more than three months I was told I couldn't participate. Very disappointing.

After I first heard about Isradipine at a PAN meeting 5 or 6 years ago, I contacted my neurologist and asked if I could take it. She said since I was already taking something for hypertension, that she would agree to the switch.

I was already on meds, and Isradipine wasn't in clinical trials yet -- just being researched. Did Isradipine help? I have no clue. I can say that the first 8 years my progression was very slow.

I started a very fast (frightening) decline as a result of being under a lot of stress caring for first one parent and then the other parent with dementia. Stress did me in.

jean

Thanks for trying to volunteer, Betsy. I'm sorry it didn't work out. I think the Azilect exclusion criteria is going to severely limit the potential volunteer pool.

My doc told me that they were basically looking for drug naive recruits at his hospital.

Yes, exclusion criteria includes use of L/C, agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors. Amantadine is allowed. Again, this has nothing to do with drug interactions. It is strictly due to study design as it's a lot cleaner to test a drug's efficacy if it is used alone rather than with other drugs. This would be particularly true if using Azilect, where there are also claims of neuroprotection. In actuality, the criteria is to be drug free at time of the start of trial with the anticipation of remaining that way for 3 months. They aren't expecting participants to remain drug free for the full 3 year trial.