I have become an addict (18 May, 2022)

[aardvark_admin]

This column is archived at: https://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2022/0518.shtml

Hello, my name is Bruce and I am an addict.

No, it's none of your illicit or even prescribed substances that I have developed an addiction to, it's a chemical produced by my own brain.

Some folk are adrenaline junkies, I'm a dopamine-dependent.

By applying what brain-power I have left, I've successfully managed my Parkinson's symptoms to a far greater level than I had expected and even come to the same conclusions as the medical community -- albeit before they did.

There have been big changes to the way Parkinson's is being treated these days but I worked this out for myself several years ago. It is however, reassuring to see that my own findings are now supported by the science.

I still enjoy every day (although some more than others) and in light of how well things are going, I expect that I've still got at least 15 years of productive capacity left in me. Of course I'll still be living every day as if it was my last -- but it's nice to view the future with a more optimistic outlook than was the case when I was first diagnosed.

Problem solving is such fun.

[roygbiv]

Bruce, thank you for sharing your experience with this condition. I do not know much about Parkinson's, your personal account is most enlightening, the key seems to be more and regular exercise.You must be doing extremely well for your health professional to change their mind on the exercise factor. But, what about the mental side and the fact that you are very active mentally, for example, researching and writing these posts.

You should provide us with a regular update.

[GSVNoFixedAbode]

This is fascinating following your progress Bruce: your willingness to be public about this is appreciated, and will hopefully help others realise that there are huge benefits to self-managing rather than relying completely on local medical direction. I'd found similar, albeit not nearly to the same extent, with medical advice "go on these drugs" vs personal research and results with "change diet, exercise, weight-loss".
[Edit] With the caveat that it's still got professional medical oversight to avoid snakeoil solutions that replace sound medical practices

One thing I'd read about years ago and literature now reinforces is the positive effect cycling has in the area of Parkinsons & related symptoms. Time to put those mega-calves & thigh muscles to work as a Roadie? (Lycra optional )

[hagfish]

He's hacking the hardware! He's hacking the software! He's about to flash his BIOS with patched opensource firmware he downloaded from Tucows! It's amazing how brave we can be once something is out of warranty. We will exert our Right to Repair to the fullest! Just don't brick it in the process, ay. It's hard to find replacements, these days - they don't make em like they used to.

[Perry]

Being cautious about Dr gooble is prudent - maybe wise. Other factors play a part. Your DNA, your diet, your whatever. Medical practices these days seem to have some arrangement whereby - like the local cattle and sheep yards - patients are 'sold' to new practitioners wherever / whenever it's convenient to the doctor.

So I have a new doctor of Polish extraction. Excerpting from a recent consultation with the nurse and the doctor, I gained the unambiguous impression that said doctor is not of the view that re-prescribing what you've been prescribed in the past because it's always been so, is not to her liking.

Re-assessing, rather than continuing with the past approach (because it's been that way forever) is reassuring. Whether that's the doctor or the patient doing that.

Consider melatonin as a sleep adjuvant, Bruce. Works for me, but not always.

I got a giggle from this comment: "so when I dream that . . . I wake up on the floor, having exited the bed in the middle of a dream whilst fighting, running or jumping."

Be thankful your dream isn't telling you that you're in the right place to empty your bladder. They are really, really bad dreams, those ones.