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Carol, I had 2 DBSs (one redo) in 2003. They really do help control tremor and I understand that is a PD symptom most difficult to treat and one that responds well to DBS. I believe I lost my voice because of the redo, but it is hard to tell as that is also a PD symptom. All I know is that is when I date my trouble speaking. It also got worse after raising the voltage on my neurotransmitters. My hands are still like paws, writing is almost impossible and I have difficulty walking. I don't take any PD meds as they never helped me but once. My neurologist says my muscle tone is good and I can get out of a chair fairly easily for someone with PD. I get botox shots for the dystonia in my left leg. Some people have had all their symptoms alleviated by DBS, others have had poor results. I was 67 when I had it done. Like so much with PD you don't know until you try something, so it hard to tell how you would fare - having a good team is essential, of course. I swore I would never have it, but when my tremors went bilateral I changed my mind. Two years ago I fell 3 times, but my balance is a lot better now. I had had PD 7 years when I had DBS. Although I'm glad I did it, I don't see brain surgery while awake as a routine treatment. If you google Rayilyn Brown you can probably find my story on CNN.com "I had brain surgery while awake" or I can email it to you. My neurosurgeon and MDS were at Scripps La Jolla, CA. I moved to AZ in 2004 and have a neuro who can program the neurotransmitters, although he is not as skilled or experienced as the Scripps team. Good luck. Ray PS - I don't' see how it could be done without the iron halo. I tremored so bad during surgery the whole bed shook. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Kerr" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, November 24, 2006 10:43 AM Subject: DBS SURGERY >I am considering having DBS surgery and am interested in hearing from >anyone > who has had it done. I am 54 uears old and have been dx for almost 5 > uears. > I have virtually no tremor, but have extreme stiffness, bradykinesia, and > balance problems. I am falling about every other day. i take sinemet > every four > hrsl. (up from every 5 hrs six months ago ) . I feel it wearing off > after > about 3 1/2 hours now. I alaso take a cr at night. > > Some things I am intersted iin knowing > if any of your symptoms were similar to mine what difference did it > make? > (also with relation to speech , nandwriting > how involved has your neurologist been > are there any other specialists on your "team" or that you wish you > had > involved > anything you wish you had asked about before hand > has anybody done it frameless > Thanks for any input > carol > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn