On Sun, 21 Jul 1996 19:47:26 -0400 John Cottingham forwarded: >This is a post from one of the participants of the Pall Stimulation study by KUMC team of Drs. Koller/Wilkerson. Some of you may want to invite him to join us here. He is not a subscriber....yet. Sun, 21 Jul 1996 18:15:39 -0500 (CDT) >To: jcott >From: [log in to unmask] (Bill Olson) I am not very adept or competent on our PC, bt I would like to be >able to communicate with other Parkinsonians. Would you be interested in >giving me some instructions. > > My wife can access the YAHOO server at work and has brought home >some interesting stuff on Parkinsons, from which I got your name and E-mail >address. I am impressed by your computer knowledge, and the way you are >reaching out to others. > I have had two brain surgery operations since Jan. 4 at the KU MED >CENTER at Kansas City, KS. The leads from electrical stimulator devices made >by Medtronics were implanted in my globus pallidus, and I am being observed >and tested at 3 month inervals by Dr. Wm. Koller and his research team. I >was just the fourth operation in a series of five persons to receive this >approach, and we are quite encouraged by the help I am getting from my surgery. Propbably the most help I am going to receive is a marked lessening >of dyskinesia from medication. This is especially evident since I am able to >tolerate enough levodopa/carbidopa and permax to be "ON" most of my waking >hours. >Prior to my surgries, I was having occasional nigthtmares(I would be >shouting loudly when I awoke) ,and very little control over lashing out with >my left arm and foot, and I tended to be "OFF" for 4-6 hours every day. >Before surgery, I was on 11-12 Levodopa-carbidopa 25\100 and 10-11 >permax(0.25 mg.) daily at hourly intervals.The dosage has increased by 3-4 >daily. Much of my levo-carb is taken by crushing 10 pills and taking them in >a solution of water with the addition of 2 grams ascorbic acid per liter. I >take 60-90 mils every hour. I still go "OFF" after my supper for 2-3 hours, >but am "ON" most of the rest of most days. I avoid eating protein-rich food >until supper time, as I am very sensitive to turning "OFF" if I consume much >food during the day. I do snack on "junk-food such as pretzels, potato chips >and sweet rolls through the day to keep me from getting too hungry. >I need to get more exercise, but it is hard to do consistently.I am >66 years old, and retired in 1988 on disability from the US Dept. of >Agriculture. Veterinary Services. my DVM degree from ISU, Ames, Iowa in >1952. I spend too much time trying to keep our computers functioning...... >Dr. Wilkinson has been doing a similar procedure for tremors since >early 1995 for people with disabling tremors. The lead is placed in the >Thalamus and most of the people have had familial inherited tremors, but at >least one was a man whose diagnosis was Parkinsons. His case is quite >different from mine in that tremor was his only evident symptom, and he >enjoys complete relief on the side that is done. We were both guests on one >of the last shows done by Phil Donahue. > Yours Truly, > Bill Olson --------------------------------------------------------------------- I wrote a note to Bill Olson, inviting him to join our group and asked him a 'lot' of questions about his procedure. He was gracious in his answer, which I am posting below: Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 17:18:25 -0500 (CDT) From: [log in to unmask] (Bill Olson) Sender: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Subject: responding I was pleasantly surprised by hearing from you, and also another person offering me computer aid--both as a result of my note to John Cottingham.This is a medium that really has a lot of potental to bring people together. I would like to come up with an appropriate ending. Your quotes from W.A.Ward were very good! Now, I will gladly try to answer all your questions.I was diagnosed in 1983. My symptoms began much earlier, perhaps 5-6 years; and I had a very noticable response 3 1/2 years prior when I had to give up jogging because my left foot was cramping, and I just lost power in my left leg. My arm muscles began to cramp also. Prior to this, I had noticec a lop-sided gait with a tendency to drag my left foot. MY decision to go for the surgery came up quite rapidly as I had a routine appointment with Dr. Koller. When I told him my greatest need was for medication that would not be influenced so much by my diet, He wondered if I was on their pallidotomy list. I told him no, but I would like to get on it. Dr. Koller suggested I go the pallidal stimulation route instead, and I responded that would suit me fine. Of course the biggest advantage with what I had done is that the devices can be turned off by me at any time. The wiring can be removed if it ever causes me any problems, and I donot have any appreciable permanent lesions.There is a man I met on the Donahue show who had a thalamic stimulator installed about a year before who suffers from some numb areas of face and fingers. I was warned about that possibility, but did not end up with any problems of that kind. I do have one reaction that has been taken care of by follow-up adjustments at KU; and that is a mild dyskinesia was evident of my left foot as soon as the device was turned on. I do not understand why the thing causes this because I have had good relief from the more severe movements I used to have.I have my stimulators tucked neatly below my collarbone on both sides. They are quite noticable with my shirt off, but not otherwise, I have a different feel to my head when I shampoo; with a couple bumps where the wiring exits near the front of my skull and a couple more along the course of the wiring behind each ear. I hardly notice the apparatus otherwise. The battery case and the electronic works are an integral unit that will all need to be replaced [$6,395.00] when my copper-tops run down. Previous experience with similar devices to relieve pain indicates a possible 4-5 year battery life. They are working on a new model with a projected 10 year battery life. Part of my routine at bed-time is turning the devices off. I sometimes need a change of pace in the p.m. and I will turn them off for a while asd I recline in my lift chair. The peocedure for replacement can be done without hospitalization or general anesthsia they say. I had a nightmare for the first time since surgery the other night. They occured about every 2-3 months before so never bothered me too much. I am on more medication rather than less at this point.The liquid med is made by crushing my Sinemet pills. Yours Truly Bill Olson