two unrelated topics - Viraball & Mucana/Rasagiline

[mh1214]

Hello all

Two random topics that I was hoping this group might be able to help with:

• Viraball – found on Amazon (for “hand tremor reduction”). I think this is a cheaper copy of the Vilim ball, and I was interested to give it a shot at $95, but their listed website is not functional and so wondering if it is just a scam. Links below. Anyone have any experience with the Viraball?

amazon.com/Viraball-Physiot...

vilim.lt/en/vilim-ball/

• Mucana & Rasagiline ? – Looking into starting Mucana (also for hand tremor control) and had read (link below) that one should go off Rasagiline first. I am not on C/L yet, but will likely at some point. My motion specialist said it was fine to be on Rasagiline and C/L at the same time.

Doesn’t make sense to me that it would be ok to still be on Rasagiline if taking synthetic levodopa with C/L, but not on a natural form with Mucana. My doctor won’t engage in any conversations regarding Mucana. Any thoughts from someone that paid more attention in high school/college chemistry?

mucunaparkinson.com/parkins...

Thanks in advance for any help.

[park_bear]

I have a viraball. It is not a miracle cure but it does seem to be helpful for temporarily reducing tremor.

On the occasions that I experimented with Mucuna I was also taking an MAO-B inhibitor and did not notice any adverse interaction. I tried looking at that webpage you referenced, twice. Seems like a lot of unfocused generalities. Here is a key statement: " Both selegiline and rasagiline are not absolute contraindications, and there is no firm theoretical basis to suspect this, but I suggest they be removed if one is planning to use mucuna." [Emphases added]

[mh1214 in reply to park_bear]

Very helpful. Thx

[AmmieM]

I just received a viraball last evening so have only used it once so far. It stopped my tremors for two hours.

[LauraYu]

regarding macuna and selegiline, I had a horrible experience. I was on Zandopa, and my neurologist prescribed selegiline to make the on-time longer. The first couple of weeks were great, significant improvements on balance, walking , etc. Suddenly one day right after dinner, I had terrible headache, my head was about to explode, and my blood pressure was 220/110. I was recovered after about 20 minutes. Even though my regular blood pressure is 110/70, I didn’t make the connection between zandopa and selegiline. Few days after, same scenario happened again, this time I couldn’t even finish dinner, the episode of severe headache and sudden increase of blood pressure happened again and I was sent to emergency room……. I did some research, selegiline brings up tyramine level, which could cause sudden increase of blood pressure. I stopped selegiline, and this never happened again. Everyone is different, some people may have higher level of Tyramine, and some don’t.

[mh1214]

Thx all for the comments