What about Louise Hay's approach?

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: Greetings Mr. Parkinson :) : Thanks for the tutorial on Parkinson's. It sounds like a very hard road to travel. My heart goes out to those in the struggle. : You mentioned towards the end of your dissertation: : : The actual cause of PD is not known. Although a defective gene was recently found in a few families with extraordinarily high incidences of PD, most researchers believe that in the vast majority of cases, genetic factors alone are not responsible for causing the disease. Instead, it is suspected that Parkinson's usually results from the combination of a genetic predisposition and an as yet unidentified environmental trigger. : At the end of my post I mentioned that Pope John Paul II suffered from PD - and what Louise Hay had to say about it. Have you ever heard of her work? There is a great book "You Can Heal Your Life" that is definitely worth a look, imo. There's alot more going on than what the eye can perceive.... : Be well : Amanda :) : : When PD occurs, degenerative changes are found in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra, which produces dopamine, a chemical substance that enables people to move normally and smoothly. Parkinson's disease is characterized by a severe shortage of dopamine. It is this deficiency that causes the symptoms of PD. : : : : Commonly prescribed medications : : : : Levodopa is a dopamine precursor, a substance that is transformed into dopamine by the brain. The prescription of high dosages of levodopa was the first dramatic breakthrough in the treatment of PD. Unfortunately, patients experienced debilitating side effects, including severe nausea and vomiting. : : : : Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet) represented a significant improvement. The addition of carbidopa prevents levodopa from being metabolized in the gut, liver and other tisues, and allows more of it to get to the brain. Therefore, a smaller dose of levodopa is needed to treat symptoms, and the unpleasant side effects are greatly reduced. : : : : Symmetrel (amantadine hydrochloride), originally an anti-flu medication, is though to work in PD by either blocking the reuptake of dopamine or by increasing the release of dopamine by neurons, thereby increasing the supply of dopamine in the synapses. It is thus called an indirect-acting dopamine agonist, and is widely used as an early monotherapy, with the more powerful Sinemet added when needed. When its benefits seem to lessen, stopping the drug for a short period and then reintroducing it seems to again provide efficacy, according to some clinicians. : : : : Anticholinergics (trihexyphenidyl, benztropine mesylate, procyclidine, etc.) do not act directly on the dopaminergic system. Instead they act to decrease the activity of the balancing neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Since it is known that PD relates primarily to decreased activity of dopamine, one avenue of treatment has been to decrease the cholinergic system to equal that of the dopaminergic system. Most effective in the control of tremor, these drugs may be contraindicated in certain older patients since they tend to cause confusion and hallucination. : : : : Selegiline or deprenyl (Eldepryl) has been shown to delay the need for Sinemet when prescribed in the earliest stage of PD, and has also been approved for use in later stages to boost the effects of Sinemet. : : : : Dopamine agonists are drugs that activate the dopamine receptor directly, and can be taken alone or in combination with Sinemet. Agonists available in the United States include bromocriptine (Parlodel), pergolide (Permax), pramipexole (Mirapex) andropinirole (Requip). : : : : COMT inhibitors such as tolcapone (Tasmar) and entacapone (Comtan), represent a new class of Parkinson's medications. These drugs must be taken with levodopa. They prolong the duration of symptom relief by blocking the action of an enzyme which breaks down levodopa before it reaches the brain. : : : : Side effects from medications : : Like the symptoms of PD itself, the side effects caused by Parkinson's medications vary from patient to patient. They may include dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, drowsiness, insomnia, and other unwelcome symptoms. Some patients experience no side effects from a drug, while others have to discontinue its use because of them. : : : Surgical interventions : : : : Pallidotomy: This procedure has a long history in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, but it fell out of favor with the advent of levodopa. In recent years it has gained new popularity, mainly because magnetic imaging now allows it to be performed with far greater precision. Pallidotomy is indicated for patients who have developed dyskinetic movements in reaction to their medications. It targets the source of these unwanted movements, the globus pallidus, and uses an electrode to destroy the trouble-causing cells. As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved. The most serious is the possibility of stroke; other risks include partial loss of vision, speech and swallowing difficulties, and confusion. : : : : Brain tissue transplants: Although they have produced encouraging results, transplantation surgeries are still in the experimental stage. The experiments began with fetal tissue, but now scientists are also working with genetically engineered cells and a variety of animal cells that can be made to produce dopamine. : : : : Deep brain stimulation: Like pallidotomy, this technique also seeks to stop uncontrollable movements. It is based on the technology of cardiac pacemakers. Electrodes are implanted in the thalamus or globus pallidus and connected to a pacemaker-like device, which the patient can switch on or off as symptoms dictate. : : : : : : The role of the patient : : Treating Parkinson's disease is not exclusively the doctor's job; there is much a patient can do to stay as well as possible for as long as possible. : : : : Exercise: For people with Parkinson's, regular exercise and/or physical therapy are essential for maintaining and improving mobility, flexibility, balance and a range of motion, and for warding off many of the secondary symptoms mentioned above. Exercise is as important as medication for the management of PD. : : : : Support groups: These groups play an important role in the emotional well-being of patients and families. They provide a caring environment for asking questions about Parkinson's, for laughing and crying and sharing stories and getting advice from other sufferers, and for forging friendships with people who understand each other's problems. : : : : Staying active: PD seems to advance more slowly in people who remain involved in their pre-Parkinson's activities, or who find new activities to amuse them and engage their interest. In a word, getting joy out of life has proved to be good for the health. : :

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