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--------------7C72A77A8E7952C97F0A08BC Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In the 6-8 weeks that I have lurked here, this is the first time anyone has mentioned exercise. I think its very important I never exercised as a kid or "young" person, but began about 6 months pre-dx -- hoping to do something about the funny way I was walking and moving in general. I worked with a trainer 2 hours a week--fast walking, weight lifting, stretching, toning etc. It seemed to help a little, but clearly there was someething bigger the matteer. SO, with my PD dx in May of 1994, I decided that I needed to increase to 3 days a week, design a program, and do some woron my own. My wonderful trainer moved back to England about 18 months ago and I now work with 2 different ttrainers- mdiocre at best, but I now know enough to make it work pretty well for me. What I can't do is work out without a trainer. I thought I just needed a jump start but find that I need constant pushing A person who comes at 6:30a.m. 3 days a week is the constant push I need. Expensive, but a life line. It was your "while I am still mobile, I should do what I can" that caught my attention. I find that I am stockpiling all sorts of resources: I am studying Italian (without teacher, this time--through tapes and the computer) taking a master gardening course through the agricultural extension center at the Botanical garden, and have a 3/4 time (when business is good) consulting firm dealing with membership relations issues for hospital associations. Its a small niche but its my own. The exercise, italian lessons and gardening stuff are all done with the thought that I need to learn, stockpile, build strength , employ brain cells while I can. The future seems so unknowable, with PD so idiosyncratic (sp?) so different for everyone. I think I am progressing very slowly. I am just beginning to have tremor on the left side.I am terrified of developing some kind of dementia and on bad days see symptoms everywhere. But on good days I recognize the risks for what they are and don't exaggerate them. My worst symptoms are bradykinesia, dyskinesia, festination and the like. I stumble about a lot during off periods, and have had to cut back my work which used to involve a lot of travelling, publlic speaking and glad-handing. I am not all that sorry to see it go--and luckily can afford to work only part time. My 8 kids (3 born of me, 5 step chidlren, all 8 rasied by me)are all grown, I see my 17 grandchildren just frequently (or infrequently) enough, and most days things are pretty good. I am currently taking sinemet 25/100 1/2 tablet 5xday) plus one selegeline and now Permax and 100 mg zoloft. The zoloft helps a lot to keep the frustration at bay (at least I think it does- its hard to tell). The Permax has helped a lot in elminating what used to be my chief complaint - restless legs. In addition,I take 800 Vitamin E, 2000 vitamin C and some other good stuff. But without the exercise, none of it would help. I am convinced of that and am particularly high on walking. Range of motion and stretching also seems very important in presereving some semblance of good posture and strengthening exerecises as well. I HATE the aerobics and substitute the brisk walk. Sorry I have run on so long. I never did introduce myself to the group and I guess this response to you will serve as an introduction as well. Nancy Shlaes (also deGrazia--married name) 60/4 button wrote: > Hi, Friends, > > A question re: weight bearing exercise. > In the interest of building muscle strength and endurance, I have > embarked on a three days a week exercise program at a Health Club. It's > a pretty strenuous workout and I feel that perhaps it is making my > tremor > worse. I don't want to do anything that is going to aggravate my > symptoms, but I do feel that while I am still mobile, I should do all I > can to get in good shape. > > Anybody out there got advice for me? (I should mention that so far my > only symptom is tremor in right arm and leg.) > > Cheers and thanks, Kitty --------------7C72A77A8E7952C97F0A08BC Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML> In the 6-8 weeks that I have lurked here, this is the first time anyone has mentioned exercise. I think its very important I never exercised as a kid or "young" person, but began about 6 months pre-dx -- hoping to do something about the funny way I was walking and moving in general. I worked with a trainer 2 hours a week--fast walking, weight lifting, stretching, toning etc. It seemed to help a little, but clearly there was someething bigger the matteer. SO, with my PD dx in May of 1994, I decided that I needed to increase to 3 days a week, design a program, and do some woron my own. <P>My wonderful trainer moved back to England about 18 months ago and I now work <BR>with 2 different ttrainers- mdiocre at best, but I now know enough to make it work pretty well for me. What I can't do is work out <B>withou</B>t a trainer. I thought I just needed a jump start but find that I need constant pushing A person who comes at 6:30a.m. 3 days a week is the constant push I need. Expensive, but a life line. <P>It was your "while I am still mobile, I should do what I can" that caught my attention. I find that I am stockpiling all sorts of resources: I am studying Italian (without teacher, this time--through tapes and the computer) taking a master gardening course through the agricultural extension center at the Botanical garden, and have a 3/4 time (when business is good) consulting firm dealing with membership relations issues for hospital associations. Its a small niche but its my own. <P>The exercise, italian lessons and gardening stuff are all done with the thought that I need to learn, stockpile, build strength , employ brain cells while I can. The future seems so unknowable, with PD so idiosyncratic (sp?) so different for everyone. I think I am progressing very slowly. I am just beginning to have tremor on the left side.I am terrified of developing some kind of dementia and on bad days see symptoms everywhere. But on good days I recognize the risks for what they are and don't exaggerate them. <P> My worst symptoms are bradykinesia, dyskinesia, festination and the like. I stumble about a lot during off periods, and have had to cut back my work which used to involve a lot of travelling, publlic speaking and glad-handing. I am not all that sorry to see it go--and luckily can afford to work only part time. My 8 kids (3 born of me, 5 step chidlren, all 8 rasied by me)are all grown, I see my 17 grandchildren just frequently (or infrequently) enough, and most days things are pretty good. <P>I am currently taking sinemet 25/100 1/2 tablet 5xday) plus one selegeline and now Permax and 100 mg zoloft. The zoloft helps a lot to keep the frustration at bay (at least I think it does- its hard to tell). The Permax has helped a lot in elminating what used to be my chief complaint - restless legs. In addition,I take 800 Vitamin E, 2000 vitamin C and some other good stuff. <P>But without the exercise, none of it would help. I am convinced of that and am particularly high on walking. Range of motion and stretching also seems very important in presereving some semblance of good posture and strengthening exerecises as well. I HATE the aerobics and substitute the brisk walk. <P>Sorry I have run on so long. I never did introduce myself to the group and I guess this response to you will serve as an introduction as well. <P>Nancy Shlaes (also deGrazia--married name) 60/4 <BR> <BR> <P>button wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>Hi, Friends, <P>A question re: weight bearing exercise. <BR>In the interest of building muscle strength and endurance, I have <BR>embarked on a three days a week exercise program at a Health Club. It's <BR>a pretty strenuous workout and I feel that perhaps it is making my <BR>tremor <BR>worse. I don't want to do anything that is going to aggravate my <BR>symptoms, but I do feel that while I am still mobile, I should do all I <BR>can to get in good shape. <P>Anybody out there got advice for me? (I should mention that so far my <BR>only symptom is tremor in right arm and leg.) <P>Cheers and thanks, Kitty</BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML> --------------7C72A77A8E7952C97F0A08BC--