Lynnie amazing you brought this up because it sounds like me. I get into the car (as a passenger) and can nod right off, not sure if it is the vibration of the car or what. Or be sitting watching a movie and go to sleep---the theatre puts me to sleep unless it is really loud then I shake. This has really bugged me a lot because I feel fatigue a lot and I am not on any PD meds.

My husband reminds me always what the neurologist told me. PD must include exercise and rest. A friend of ours who has worked with people with PD recently asked my husband privately how I was doing. She said to him remember she needs a lot of rest.

Well I find that I have to really cut back on eating the wrong items and step up the veggies and fruit or I will gain weight. This disease is so slow motion that the metabolism flips to dragging along.

I know what you mean. I guess it's good you can nap though.
Several years ago the MDS gave my husband a pill to take to make him sleep better at night. He also jerks a lot in his sleep and maybe that is why he is tired during the day. Anyway, the pill made him feel like a zombie in the morning and he was sleeping all morning, so that was not good, so he soon stop that medication.
I know that the worse challenge with PD is the constant fatigue. He would give anything to feel normal agian and I imagine you feel the same. This darn disease takes the pleasure out of life for you.
Take care and it's good you are exercising and eating right. You will probably find that constipation could be a factor if it hasn't already so the veggie are good fibre.
LYNN

Lynnie, A few years back I use to give in and sleep (nap) all the time. now I try to go do something when the urge hits me. Although some nights I have trouble staying asleep even without naps.

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SLEEPING DURING THE DAY.
BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT. THIS WAS BEFORE I GOT MY ACT TOGETHER. IT DID ME NO GOOD OTHER THAN MAKE ME LAZY.

I THINK, FEEL AND BELIEVE, THAT LYING DOWN AND SLEEPING, DURING THE DAY, PLAYS STRAIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF PARKINSON'S AND, IT IS HABIT FORMING.

WHY SLEEP IF WHEN YOU ARE IN 'ON' MODE.?
IF I FEEL TIRED AND IN WANT FOR SLEEP DURING THE DAY, I DO SOMETHING OF A POSITIVE NATURE.

IT'S ALL TO DO WITH ATTITUDE, THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES.
WHEN PARKS COMES HARD AT ME , I GO HARD AT IT.
LYING DOWN AND SLEEPING IS, I FEEL LIKE GIVING IN, WHICH IS TOTALLY AGAINST MY MINDSET.

IN RESPECT OF THOSE WHO DO LIE DOWN AND SLEEP DURING THE DAY, I SAY EACH TO THEIR OWN, NOTWITHSTANDING THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF MANAGING AND DEALING WITH THIS COMMON, CONFOUNDED, IMPOSTOR WE CALL PARKINSON'S CONDITION.
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Hi Lynnie , your husband is lucky he can sleep so much. Most of us have problem sleeping at night. That is why we nap during the day. But i think lack of interest , makes him fall a sleep. All tho i did not take long naps i only close my eyes for 1 min or 2 and i was up. This is true because my sister told me. I was so tired during the day , i fell a sleep in a dentist chair having root canal done. My dentist told me, he considers that a compliment that i fall a sleep , just to try keep my mouth open so he can finish. Finally he took pity on me and put a block in my mouth to keep it open and let me sleep. True story. But i have to many interests to waist my time on sleeping during the day so i do not nap. Like the others , when tired , i go do something else. Maybe if he develops interest , like gardening or bird watching, something ease, not taxing , Of course he has to come to the conclusion him self, otherwise he think you nagging . So just gently suggest something , he may get it and try something.
Good luck , Zlatica

Some people just do not realize that there are different reasons people fall asleep. If I push myself and "go hard at it" I end up with pneumonia because I am exhausted this is what happens with lack of sleep. It sounds really like a "tough" attitude to fight, fight, fight the disease but reality hits everyone eventually. A person is not "lazy" because they are sleepy. It can be from other reasons too. PD causes a lot of fatigue in the body, especially the muscles and also the brain is trying hard to overcome symptoms it is slammed with. Without sleep a person's memory (or lack thereof) fades and so does concentration along with cognitive abilities. Perhaps Lynnie's husband has other conditions along with the PD and the drs need to look into it more.

I have an autoimmune disease also called Hashimotos and it is as devastating if not more so then PD. The primary problem is fatigue. I can "fight" this all I want and all it does is get worse. This is exactly why I quit the wonderful job I loved.

I go by my neurologists advice to rest and exercise. This is what is advised also on many PD websites.

I am with you Stewart,

Not ready to give in to naps, certainly not, it sets the tone of being ill, infirm or unwell. I like to keep occupied, this doesn't have to be strenuous exercise, energetic or even active. My Neuro Physio has taught me to do things in short spurts, exercise is obviously important, but equally so is rest, resting doesn't mean sleeping though, there are plenty of activities to do sitting quietly.

You say your husband lacks inclination, Lynnie, has he been checked for depression, this is not only debilitating in its own right but it compounds PD. Perhaps there are a few activities you can do together, it's definitely a case of trying out new things I have found, but it can be fun starting in a new direction.

I wish you well,

Julie

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A NOTE TO BLUESAPHIRE ALSO KNOWN AS BARBIE..

I FIGHT, DEAL AND MANAGE PARKINSON'S CONDITION WITH EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING AT MY DISPOSAL.
THAT INCLUDES USING AND APPLYING TOTAL COMMITMENT, TOGETHER WITH, AND MOST CERTAINLY, WITH MY POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN FULL FUNCTIONING FLOW.

I MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR THE WAY I COMBAT THIS CONFOUNDED IMPOSTOR WE CALL PARKINSON'S CONDITION.
IT MIGHT WELL GET ME IN THE END, BUT NOT YET.

I WORK HARD (AS DO MANY OF MY PEERS) AT DELAYING THE PROGRESSION OF THE CONDITION, WHICH I HAVE TRAVELED WITH FOR CLOSE ON FIFTEEN YEARS.
I RECKON I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

I NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE A CONDITION OTHER THAN PARKINSON'S. KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT THIS OTHER CONDITION I DON'T COMMENT ON IT.

IN RECOGNIZING YOUR RIGHT TO COMMENT ON THIS SITE, I DO WONDER AT THE DOING OF.

I DO THAT WHICH I DO FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE,
ANY POSITIVE KNOCK-ON EFFECTS THEN SO MUCH THE BETTER.

IT'S MYSELF, ALONG WITH MY FORMIDABLE BACK UP TEAM AGAINST PARKINSON'S CONDITION, I INTEND TO FIGHT IT ALL THE WAY, AND I WILL BE THE LAST MAN STANDING.
I HAVE NO INTENTION OF GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY.
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Dear Aliveo (also known as Stewart)

Acting tough, angry and bitter is not going to help you one bit. Perhaps you need to be a little gentler and kinder to yourself and your body. None of this talk and actions takes it away, it only will aggravate it worse by sending your nervous system in a spiral. How in the world can you keep fighting yourself is beyond me. Maybe the DBS does this, I am just not sure---I suppose it could change the personality of a person. There are so many side effects of the PD meds -- I don't want that.

I choose to live a more peaceful life, being kind to myself and others. There are many worse off then having PD and I know that for a fact. I have chosen to not take meds because that is what my neuro doctor has suggested---hold off and he has treated many, many PD patients. Just because I don't get mad at PD does not mean I am not suffering with stiffness, tremors, rigid muscles, feet and toes yep along with fatigue. I just got rid of my very old exercise bike and we purchased a new one. So I will keep up my exercising, walking as much as possible w/o falling, napping if I need one as I push forward with a positive attitude. Reading, learning and doing some of my former hobbies is helpful.

It is totally ridiculous to think that a person can force themselves to "stay awake" and keep busy. When the body needs a little rest or nap give it that. There is a huge difference in being tired and suffering with fatigue. Napping all day long only becomes a habit if a person lets it be.

Just a note to you also Stewart/Aliveo,

In the USA there is a lot of talk about "bullies" and the lack of tolerance for them. I am proud of my name so quit making fun of it---that is mean.

I can only comment on MY PD symptoms, treatment, and how it affects MY life.

My doctor will not consider putting me on any PD medications at this time. When I recently showed her a study I would qualify for (looking for patients that are not on PD meds, but would add them and conduct a 5 year study on their affects) she said "absolutely not! You are too young to begin meds yet!". She does give me a med to give me some "get up & go" so I can make it thru a work day. Though it's affects are not as successful as in the beginning.

Yesterday was one of those days where the stress of the past 10 days just caught up with me and I slept hard the entire day. When I have a day like that I absolutely cannot "work thru it"!!! The guilt used to eat me up alive. I apologized & felt lazy to my family & friends. I'm really trying to work thru all that and realize that if I need to take that day when I "hit the wall" and sleep it is not another day wasted, but a day that is necessary to re-charge my battery for the days to come!

I know we are often told to "pace yourself". But, on a good day when I am working on a project - I tend to keep going as far as I can (and beyond) just because I am up & going. I cannot guarantee what tomorrow will bring, so I know I push too hard.

Like Blue - I can easily fall asleep if I sit down. And, like Zlata - my dentist is amazed that I always fall asleep during dental work (and I've had a lot of dental work! LOL).

Lynnie - my hubby is off work right now while recovering from shoulder surgery. Just last weekend we had a "loud conversation" about his lack of motivation and lack of desire to get out & do things. Turns out he's a poor planner (always has been) and is willing to do more if I plan projects/"adventures". I know it puts extra work on us to be the "activity/entertainment director" - as I call it, but I'm going to give that a try and hope it benefits both of us.

I want to add that my neuro & the doctor that did my cognitive testing both told me when I was first diagnosed that PD affects the area of the brain responsible for motivation (or - should I say lack of...). I have found this to be quite true in my case. Sometimes knowing this has helped me to "push" thru it, but on other occasions I simply cannot. Certainly not the "old Laura" - and, that is one of the reasons I broke down in my neuro's office a while back & said "I'm not ME anymore!" (Think my husband would certainly agree with that, as I'm sure you do concerning your husband. Bless your hearts for standing by us as we TRY to figure this all out!!!)

My husband doesn't nap all of the time, but mostly takes a nap after lunch. I think it helps to get through the rest of the day.
He went golfing while we were at our trailer and I hope he does more this year. i used to golf until I had some problems with my shoulder but I was thinking I might try a game this summer to see how it goes. I should probably start out easy though. If it works out, he'll have someone to golf with other than his nephew which isn't very often.
Anyway, I am glad you each expressed your ideas.
I know he is lucky that he can sleep the night too as so often with PD some people have problems that way.