Shaky days

Today has been a difficult day.  The tremors are raging in both arms in spite of a second dose of carbidopa/levodopa. Earlier I went fishing for salmon along the Whidbey shoreline just a short drive from home.  I thought it might be the thing to relax and settle my body down. So Carolyn drove me. She intended to catch up on some reading while I stood on the beach and cast and retrieved for salmon.  The rhythm of fishing brought no relief and little satisfaction.  The worse than usual pounding away of the tremor persisted while I retrieved my line.  Oh well the water was too weedy anyway.  It was really no surprise since fishing really does not settle my tremors. I do get some mental rest by way of being there.

I also believe  that my inability to get a decent night’s sleep is and has been a factor on days like this and that there is a real sleep deficit that is catching up with me. Sleep deficit equals worse tremors.  Clonazepam is often prescribed for early awakening with Parkinson’s and it was offered on my last neurology visit after I described my difficulty.  I refused it.  Now I am second guessing myself.  At the time I declined knowing that it is a close relative of Valium or diazepam and that it is extremely long acting.  Which means that when you take it at bedtime you then have it both night and day.  I think I have enough drugs hammering away at my brains and one more may just be more than enough.  Sleeping preparations of any variety may be habit forming and generally for that reason are usually not taken continuously.  They are also known to lose their effectiveness if taken daily.  And yet clonazepam is its own substance and I would be glad to hear from any of you who have experience with it.

Rest is certainly considered important in Parkinson’s and for that reason naps are said to a good thing.  Hey, I am only 64 and a nap does not want to fit.  But then again if it helps?

I think I’ll lay down for a while. 

Shaky John