Dr. Lisk saw my symptoms of Orthostatic Hypotension (low blood pressure) and Neurogenic Bladder (incontinence due to improper autonomic response) as evidence of MSA, declaring me a posterchild for the disease. He presribed Northera for the OH and for Neurogenic Bladder he prescribed Myrbetriq, which was so expensive that my insurance recommended an alternative, specifically Trospium. both bladder medicines have worked; I did eventually get the OK to try Myrbetriq. Both medicines seem to slow the system, which is already a problem with low blood pressure. It's called bradykinesis, and it describes the slowing down of any system that is meant to move stuff along, like circulation or elimination.
The Myrbetriq or Trospium adds a bit to the slowing effect, so one can sleep through the night, or most of it, without having to get up and use the restroom. And that's what MSA ends up being, a management problem of bathroom visits, diaper changes and medicine administration. I try to keep food and eating as special as possible, but you have to be careful with everything you eat and drink. It's important to drink lots of water, but too much water makes for too much bathroom time. I must be careful about parties and holidays not to eat to much, as that translates into bathroom time and surprises.
Another recent symptom or syndrome involves leaning over or listing to one side called, remarkably like a detective movie, The Pisa Effect. So Parkinson's patients often lean to one side. As a young super8 filmmaker in Italy, my first film was of that tilted tower.
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