Parkinson's Disease

[tonywiltshire]

A friend has just been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s Disease, does anyone know someone who has had this disease for some time. How does it usually progress?

[Sqad]

Impossible to predict.

It is not a fatal disease.

[daffy654]

http://www.parkinsons...about-parkinsons.aspx

[marval]

I don't know much about it, but this site might help.

http://www.parkinsons...at_is_parkinsons.aspx

[tonywiltshire]

I was hoping someone would know of a person diagnosed some years ago.

[ladyalex]

My father had Parkinsons Disease for several years before he died.
He was very well treated initially by his GP then by a Parkinson's specialist at the local hospital.
He also had a lot of input from a Parkinson's Nurse Specialist who was excellent.
He gradually lost dexterity and strength, but very slowly over a number of years. His balance and walking were also affected, but he could still get about pretty well.
There were also 'issues' with his bowels , but this was much later after his diagnosis.
As Sqad says, it is not a fatal condition. He died with Parkinson's not of Parkinson's.
He must have been in his late sixties when he was diagnosed and died when he was in his mid eighties.
I think the course of the illness is variable from person to person.

[boxtops]

Yes, I have a friend with it, she's had it about ten years. She is very reliant on medication to keep her shaking under control, but she leads a very full life and looks well otherwise. She found that moving to a warm climate helped her, her symptoms were worse when she got cold.

[ummmm]

Michael J Fox...

http://www.michaeljfox.org/

[rojash]

I have a friend who's had Parkinson's for about 7 years. Some days she shakes very little, others very much. Some days she can walk, but even on those days, she may just suddenly "freeze" and it can be very difficult to get her moving again. Quite often it's also difficult to understand what she says. However she is very active, extremely cheerful most of the time, and loves to participate in pub quizzes and the like. She also swims quite often.

For some reason, the medics are always experimenting with her medication, and this can have a very detrimental effect.

[owdhamer]

I was diagnosed with parkinsons 2 yrs ago by my gp who sent me the royal oldham to see dr vassallo. The drugs he prescribed worked wonders but then i started to go worse and feel really ill, the outcome was i also had bowel cancer w hich nullified the drugs somewhat.after 6 doses of chemo im slowly recovering. tell your friend to join the local parkinsons club where you will find back up and support. parkinsons is impossible to predict but giant strides are going ahead to find a cure

[owdhamer]

It is only fair to warn your friend that some of the drugs have adverse side effects such as gambling addiction and hypersexuality, it affects every one differently i went rigid but did not have any tremors you also slow down and lose dexterity down the left side as i said before parkinsons uk is invaluable many used to pay the nurse out of funds raised by charity,our local support worker is climbing everest shortly in aid of parkinsons. if you need any help or comfort do not hesitate to contact me on ab the motto is TOGETHER we can beat it

[AlBags]

I know a couple of people who have it ..
One elderly, one middle-aged (still works)
Both VERY different symptoms .. varying effects on different days.
I think impossible to predict.

[pusskin]

My lovely sister showed no signs of it in 1996 when mum passed away , but very soon showed the signs. She's always been on medication for all them yrs since. She is now at the stage that she hardly talk, and seems to stare at you! She is in a good frame of mind and never complains, but her life is so diffult to get through every day. She has to go to bed around 7 every night, as she gets so exhausted just being awake even though she cant do anything for herself now. She makes it easier for her family by not complaining bless her heart

[gazzawazza]

My dad was diagnosed about ten years ago but he has had fantastic treatment and advice by his Parkinson's Specialist.
Like others have said, some days he shakes more than others and it is difficult to understand him, but other days he hardly shakes at all and is very clear in his speech.
He certainly doesn't let it stop him leading a full life and loves going to the footie match with me although he does tire easily sometimes. He is always pottering about in the garden (more than many completely healthy people) and still manages to cut the grass etc without dreaming of asking me to do it (bless him).
He was recently becoming very unstable when walking but now has a stick and is much steadier.
They keep experimenting with his medication and sometimes they get it right, other times they don't so have to change it. He has trouble sleeping and sometimes gets 'stuck' when walking but in all this, at the age of 77 he never complains in the slightest. What a good bloke, he makes me feel so humble.

[pusskin]

it is so sad to watch them getting worse bit by bit. She cant leave the house on her own. takes her a hell of a long time to leave the room to go into the kitchen with her arms and legs going in all directions. She climbs the stairs but is agony watching her but she wont give up. She had a brain tumour shortly before getting parkinsons, so it seems so unfair that she now has to have this ailment inflicted on her.

[boxtops]

It comes in so many shapes and sizes, affects people very differently - as sqad says, the future isn't possible to predict.

[tonywiltshire]

Thanks for all your comments which I will pass on.

[Im a BusyBee]

my dad was diagnosed at 38 years old and died at 68 years old - having spent the last 10 years in a nursing home. It is a cruel disease but there is research constantly being carried out hopefully one day a cure will be found.