I can't think of any.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Yes and it's not uncommon.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Not that I know of.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Primate studies may not be required but if they are they don't have to take that long. This technique (as well as other potential genetic techniques) is very promising. The big limitation for now is delivery. Getting this technology into and throughout the human brain is going to be difficult. There are a number of possibilities such as different viral vectors and mesenchymal stem cells (Janby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Tabye, I am not sure you are fully informed about how this procedure is done. You wrote that you have chosen not to be tested at this time. I take that to mean that you do not want to know whether or not you have the HD gene. If you decide to abort only if the fetus has the HD gene, and you are told that that is the case, then you would then know that you too have the HD gene. The way thatby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Keep in mind that not every medical problem that someone with HD might experience is caused by HD. I had these same symptoms and it turned out that I had an intestinal infection. I would take your mother to the doctor.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I have some additional thoughts. This is probably not in any book about HD, but HD patients often find overhead light to be very bothersome. My first husband had HD and we could not use overhead lights but instead had chair side lamps. He knew it was ridiculous to think that the overhead fixture in our family room added the temperature of the room but he said he FELT like he was too hot whenby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Proprioceptive feedback is impaired in HD. She can't sense where her body is in space. Norm Zach's advice is spot on. Take your time, talk to her, tell her where you are moving her and reassure her that you are being very careful. I recommend two more HDSA guides, one on late stage caregiving and one on understanding behavior:by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Are you comfortable asking your questions here? Or are you looking for a contact with whom to discuss symptoms?by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
When it comes to HD and the causes of bad behavior, I follow the advice of Dr. Jane Paulson to “Err on the side of kindness.” While it is certainly possible that your former girlfriend was a selfish and grasping person, I would guess that had that been the case, you wouldn’t have fallen in love with her. It seems more likely that she was already affected by the disease when she began to mby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
At least we don't get X rated spam (knock on wood). I delete several times a day. It's hard to keep up with it.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Celexa is an ssri (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). Although no medication works for all patients, most HD patients have had good results. My own experience with Lexapro (an SSRI closely related to Celexa) is that it relieved depression AND anxiety. And one really good benefit is that SSRIs raise levels of the neuroprotective BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) which are knownby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Yep, we were on vacation. Enjoyed a wonderful time at the beach with Steve's sister and daughter. I did check emails every morning and no one reported the spam (or at least we didn't get the notification if someone did) so I thought the forum was clear and didn't log in. Thanks for thinking about us!by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Thanks for thinking about us, Peter! I have been wondering how you are doing and am glad to learn that you are enjoying life. Steve and I are married (as of last year) and very happy. My daughter tested negative for the gene and now we have a one year old grandson who brings us great joy.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
My first husband would cycle upwards like this. There would be a few days of quiet (irritability but nothing that I couldn't safely deflect eventually). He was usually tired and would sleep about 12 hours a night. At some point he would start to become agitated, be up all night and become angry to the point that I would be afraid. (After a day or two of this he would crash and sleep around thby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
What other medications is he taking? Xenazine should always be taken with an antidepressant.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I would definitely report this symptom to the doctor. Not everything is related to HD, it could be diabetes. If there is no medical reason for this excessive thirst it could just be something he has fixated on (maybe he saw something on TV about how most people don't drink enough water for example) and isn't processing how often he is drinking. Excessive water drinking can be dangerous, itby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I have no idea what the explanation is for this but my first husband told me he always felt hot when there were overhead lights on. We used table lamps instead in the family room and it helped. He knew it didn't make any sense but that is how he felt.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Here's some other possibilities:by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
That smiley appears whenever : is followed by the number 44. So if the time is one minute before say 9:45 when you post, it will appear.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I agree with Will, advances in gene silencing is the big deal. Also, advances in brain restoration. It will take longer than gene silencing, but someday we will be using stem cells (probably the patient's own, either endogenous one's or adult cells engineered to become stem cells) to restore damaged parts of the brain. It all depends on funding, time to do the work, and patient volunteers.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
It's the continuation of research that we have been following at the Lighthouse for some time. What is new is that he has tried this successfully with primates and that he is getting funding. Here's what we have written about this approach so far:by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
It's an inability to sweep one's gaze from side to side without interruption.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Here is the reference: Also, this new article covers the issue of diagnosis based on cognitive and psychiatric symptoms:by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Here's the reference: Here's an article which discusses the issue of diagnosis based on cognitive or psychiatric symptoms rather than motor impairment:by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
HD does affect the muscles and one out of every eight adults with HD does not have chorea. You still may not have HD but since you are at risk I would think that if you want a diagnosis, HD would be a disease that would need to be ruled out. I will be thinking of you. Please keep us posted!by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
One in eight adults with HD does not have chorea.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
Ask the so called support person if she is going to take responsibility for helping your daughter get alcohol that could interact with her medications and cause adverse side effects or worse? Ask is she will put her decision to do so in the file in the event that something happens, there will be a record that she encouraged this risky behavior. She most certainly is not responsible for helpingby Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center
I am so sorry for your loss, Laura.by Marsha - Huntington's Disease Support Center