Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...
Hi there, Group!
I haven't been on in forever. I see the last post was two months ago so maybe this will fall into cyberspace and never be read, but who cares!
I'm doing great! I just wanted to put that out there. Yes, I am still taking drugs, and I'm okay with that. I even started on a carbo/levo drug (Rytary), and I'm okay (kinda) with that, too.
After my neuro said he didn't really know what else he could do for me, I went to UC Davis. After spending over two hours with me, my new doctor there gave me hope! She was/is so enthusiastic about what she can do for me, yet she holds me accountable for myself as well.
She "prescribed" three regular meals a day, regular excercise, a regular bedtime, and regular dosing of my medications. I'll be the first to admit to being very haphazard on all the aforementioned, even medications. She also recommended LSVT BIG therapy.
It's been four months since my first visit to Davis, and I'm so excited by how much my health/quality of life has improved. For example, the day after my appointment I could barely make it through one department store. I was walking, but barely. I was leaning heavily on the cart and felt that I'd never make it back to my car parked in a handicapped spot.
One week later, on the new drug and my new regime, I went to six stores (preparing for vacation), went home and cooked dinner, washed the dishes, and took a one-mile walk afterwards. Boo-yah! All that was before BIG.
It's been only four months since my first visit to Davis, and I have completed BIG. I now ride a bike to work (only one mile each way), exercise on my EasyStrider, take boxing lessons twice a week, participate in my work's running club (I walk), and have lost close to 20 pounds.
Somehow along the way, I also reduced work stress, increased productivity, and reduced the number of overtime hours I put in.
I rarely even use my handicapped placard anymore.
Whether its the Rytary or the excercise, I feel great, better than I have in years, and I'm going to keep it up.
--L
I am well into Parkinson's now, having had it at least 10 years, and while the Sinemet did work well for me it has reached that stage where I'm having breakthrough symptoms, and wearing off, It is harder to walk, more tiring. I can't figure out why. It would be good to hear from others who are near stage 3 or at beginning of stage 3,
You are getting wiser based on your explanation of your PT experience. Way to go in advocating for yourself.
I'm not sure I could hazard a guess as to what stage I might be in. At this point, medicated and exercising, I'm doing remarkably well. Without medication, I know I would be moving very slowly and be in a fair amount of pain. The disease would be rearing its ugly head, and life would not feel as good as it does now. I'd likely be depressed as well.
I started showing unexplained symptoms about 9 or 10 years ago, but diagnosis took many years.