A puzzlement
 

I have noticed that my pd drugs - sinemet & mucuna - have an odd effect on SOME of my muscles.

Presently my 'squat muscles' - those on the front of my thighs, and the head lifting muscles in the back of my neck - DO NOT WORK when I am medicated. For instance if I squat down, I can't get up except by using my arms and if I lie down or lean backwards in a chair, I can't lift my head without an assist from my arms. When I am NOT medicated I can do sqats w/out a problem and can easily lift my head.

I don't have a clue why this is so. It didn't used to be like this when I first took the meds.

DOes anyone else have this type of strangeness? It makes no sense at all to me from the medical take on dopamine and PD. Clearly something's fishy....:eek::confused:

ibby

When I squat if I dont raise back up in about 5 seconds then I usually have to drop to my knees, grab hold of something (sturdy I hope, I'm 6'2", 270lbs) and pull myself up. I have had PD over 25 years and have had this problem for several years and have often wondered the cause.

ibby;
 

what you are describing are typical PD symptoms. Difficulty arising from chair is a very common symptom of PD. What you describe affects many of us. It's a balance problem as much as it is a muscle problem. Do strengthening exercises for your upper legs will help.

Charlie

Charlie,
 

Charlie, Are you saying these are typical problems with the MEDICATIONS of PD? - - I just don't get why those particular muscles work fine when NOT medicated. So far no oher muscle groups seem to be affected this way.
The more I know the less I understand! :o

ibby

Same here Ibby, after medication my muscles actually (calves) go rigid. The meds only seem to help my addiction problem to the meds. I can control this by training my mind to stop thinking the way it has for 11 years and by changing my drug schedule. I was taking 4 doses four hours apart. I changed that 4 days ago to 3 doses six hours apart. I am now down to 3 Sinemet CR 100/25 with 3 tsps of MP daily. I have noticed I seem to be addicted to the MP, maybe just mentally, it is to early to tell or make a really informed opinion on that.

The reason I decided to try and get off the meds was I was a shadow of my former self. I look at pictures of myself four years ago and I look like a full blown drug addict. Even my Home Care workers who come twice a day say the difference in me three months ago to today is truly wonderful for them to see. When they said I make sense now I know why I self isolated.

I don't know why I do better without the drugs but I have to continue to find out. I feel it is tied up with fear and not relaxing. It is a strange paradox some of us have in relation to our medications, that we are not being helped physically, actually the opposite. You don't know if you have been mis-diagnosed, on the wrong cocktail or what, it could drive you nuts but we can't go to that place either. People with pd have to be tough, we must be tough just to get through.

Hi,
I think that this effect may be due to the imbalance between dopamine and acetylcholine and the way that they interact. I had difficulty with leaning back and getting up especially leg stuff prior to meds, I cant say that it has improved that much, only changed, i.e. it is predictable with meds highs and lows being a factor. I'm no scientist :) so the info about this interaction came via a question to Dr Lieberman several years ago. Someone else may be able to explain it a lot better than me!

Lindy

That I do not know. my thought is there is another symptom at work here??
I never heard of anyone with that particular symptomology.

Charlie