An indicator to me that I had a real medical problem took place at a
friend's home around Christmas 1992. I remember sitting there with
uncontrollable tremor in my right arm and thinking that I had better stop
drinking so much coffee! (I was also having problems with fatigue.) About
that time, tremor started becoming a regular problem for me. I started
questioning my former MD's diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and old leg
injuries (the curling foot problem) and asked for further tests.
After I started taking medication for PD (at first just Eldepryl, later
Amantadine and Parlodel were added at different times), the tremor was
controlled and rigidity and bradykinesia became the primary problems. I
began taking Sinemet CR in late 1996 when the bradykinesia became more than
I could manage. I started T'ai Chi practice about 1991, when I thought my
physical problems were just due to being 40.
What I'm trying to sort out now is how much my recent improvement in
physical and mental condition is due to Sinemet and how much to my
continued practice of T'ai Chi (and related exercises) and more recently
acupuncture treatment. I feel and move better than I have since before
1990 (when leg & foot cramping began causing me difficulty when running or
swimming).
The reason that I began this letter with tremor is that this morning I
was shooting a pellet pistol and having no difficulty hitting the paper
target. Before PD, I did some target shooting with a 9mm pistol and a
5.56mm rifle. Granted an airgun is probably easier to shoot than a 9mm
pistol, but until recently because of PD, I would have had difficulty even
hitting the standard 5 meter airgun target (let alone the target center).
I suspect that T'ai Chi practice and acupuncture enable my body to
better utilize the PD medications. When combined, they may slow the
progression of PD. I strongly recommend to PWP, especially early onset
PWP, that they take a wholistic approach to Parkinson's. This would include
diet and exercise. I recommend T'ai Chi, but if tremor or balance problems
prevent that, possibly building an exercise program around Yoga would help.
I would also recommend that you use the meditation and prayer practices of
your religious tradition.
Charley Countryman
