Dealing with Parkinson's Disease

You’ll start hearing this a lot. Exercise is the best way to slow PD progression. Join a gym, do yoga, boxing, dance, etc. PD specific exercise classes work better for me.  Even if you’re not feeling so great, go to the class anyway because just getting out into the social setting is good for your mental health. I'm more likely to have an excuse to avoid exercise than go do something so the PD specific groups are smaller and more supportive to go even if I'm not feeling so good.  Going to a gym tends to be a negative experience for me, too many "A Type" exercise people saying things like "it hurts but it's a good hurt." A few Parkinson's specific exercise programs I know about near New York City Rock Steady Boxing Edmond J Safra National Parkinson's Wellness PEP! (Parkinson’s Exercise Program) PEP! (Parkinson’s Exercise Program)  Wellness in Motion: Dance Therapy for Movement Disorders Dance for PD Sing for PD

Parkinson's Disease can't be cured, but medications can help with the symptoms. In some cases, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery may be suggested. Your doctor will probably also recommend lifestyle changes, especially exercise. ] You may find run into some scams online that claim cures. The cure may involve going to another country for the cure. It may be about people taking a bunch of vitamins and herbs for the cure.  There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. People don't  die from having PD, but you can die from PD complications such as choking, falling, infections, and skin cancer.  The gold standard is  carbidopa levodopa  which takes various forms, time released pills, pumps, injections. There are also other meds that work with carbidopa levodopa. It's all a balancing act that you and your movement specialist will continue to adjust over time.  Don't let someone else's treatment affect your own decisions because everyone is different.

Join Team Fox NOLA as they cycle away those holiday pounds with star instructor, Jeff Schiffman! Get a healthy jumpstart to the New Year before we indulge in king cakes and daiquiris with a 50 minute ride while fundraising for this important cause. Registration fee includes: bike, shoes, towel, and class fee. 100% of all money raised will go directly to research for finding a cure for Parkinson's disease! Refunds will not be available. If you register and can no longer attend, please let us know so we can open your bike up to another registrant. Please visit teamfoxnola.org to learn more. 

I'm told I am lucky to respond to Sinemet and have been taking it since 2012.  The bad part is the medicine is only effective for 3 hours, and then it wears off pretty quickly. I've tried extended release and am currently taking Rytary which is supposedly longer lasting with a mellow wear off but it only lasts 3 hours and wears off quickly too. The time while meds aren't working is called the "Off Time." For me this involves stiffness, neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain and a bit of anxiety.  I've described my "off time" as walking in a swimming pool, when I try to move my legs or arms there is a lot of resistance. Oh, it's not relaxing like lounging in a pool. Tell your movement disorder specialist if you're having off times. Keep a log of when they occur and for how long.  Your doctor may change doesages or the timing. There are other options too. Injections, pumps and brain surgery. My doctor thinks I'd be a good candida...

Parkinson's Unity Walk Join thousands of members of the Parkinson’s community as we walk together in New York’s Central Park to raise funds and awareness for research. The 25th Walk will be hed o Saturday April 27, 2019. unitywalk.org #PUW2019

My wife planned a great trip which involved three countries, trains and planes. She built in down time for my rest. So now it's the big day, we're off to the airport. I've got this. I can do it. So away we go. Trip of a lifetime. Planning for months. On the first night of our 3 week trip I have a meltdown and ruined the trip. After the fact I realized I was feeling like felt prior to beginning the PD medication. Angry, screaming and obsessing. I also appeard to be disinterested (masking) in things. I remained this way for the first 10 days (through two countries) and when I got off the train in country #3, I felt my meds suddenly kicked in. Releasing an unrealized grip on me.  Whatever was going on had stopped and I felt okay again. Two weeks to adjust after a 7 hour flight? Jetlag was the official diagnosis. So here are some recommendations to help reduce your own travel stress: Take direct flights if possible Less stress, quicker, better to slee...

There are PD groups for support. Some specific to YOPD, men, women or care givers.  Get on the mailing lists from the movement disorder department at local medical centers. Search around. I’ve wondered for a long time why there is only one young onset (YOPD) support group and why it has such a small turnout. I think I figured out the reason. Apathy and lack of Initiative--two issues associated with PD which probably keep people from getting their butts out the door and to support groups. I know of several groups but can't ifnd their websites.  I'm trying to avoid putting email addresses and phone numbers in my artiles to reduce the number of calls and emails organizers receive.

Years before the movement issues, my symptoms started before anyone would think I might have Parkinson’s Disease (PD). One non-motor symptom at a time. Never connecting the dots. Loss of smell. Constipation. Paranoia. Disproportionate Anger (rage). Choking.  Then suddenly I went from easy going, "ready to go anywhere" to having anxiety over the weirdest things. It's when acorns started piling up on my front walk that several people told me I was nuts. I saw a few psychiatrists and therapists. These specialists have a well earned stereotype of attracting the crazy people into the field of psychiatry and psychology. My favorite treatment was from a therapist who moaned on in my sessions that she had to get over issues too, she was too short to be a super model. And her solution to my panic attacks was to snap a rubber band on my wrist. That's all. If I get a panic attack, just snap the rubber band and like shout the preacher in Alabama, "anxiety be gone!...