Fast-Talking, Fast-Walking Contradiction

[metacognito]

A couple short years ago, the ever vociferous John Pepper stated, "MAO-b inhibitors are capable of slowing down the progression of Pd. No other type of medication can, to the best of my knowledge, achieve this. As a non-medical person with Pd, I would like to know why this is not the best way to deal with Pd?" healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

Soon thereafter (and ever since) he proceeded to school 'PatV' (and countless others) on the foolishness of thinking drugs could ever slow the progression of Pd, "Whatever Pd drugs you take, you must remember that none of them has any affect on the progression of Pd. None of them slows down the progression, so whether you take them or not, it does not matter." healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

Except for the symptom/s (shaking), it's important to understand that Essential Tremor is NOT in any way related to Parkinson's or parkinsonism. Essential Tremor is not caused by a loss of dopamine and is typically non-progressive, whereas Parkinson's is invariably linked to dopamine depletion and typically 'progresses' through worsening stages of symptoms concurrent with degrees of 'neurodegeneration'.

Since Parkinson's range of symptoms stem from the excessive (and unrelenting) loss of dopamine-producing neurons, a levodopa/carbidopa med such as Sinemet (which serves to generate and maintain dopamine) is frequently used as a diagnostic tool. Sinemet will typically produce a positive effect on Parkinson's while registering no impact on Essential Tremor. Sinemet had no impact on JPepper's tremors.

Despite having admitted in a rare moment of naked honesty to 'Hikoi', "I do not have a resting tremour, but I do have an essential tremour. I have found that I am unable to help those people with the resting tremour", AND despite having admitted to the persistence of his own tremors (attendees to his recent UK jaunt also noted his 'severe shaking'), he continues his crusade to convince the PD world that he has "reversed Parkinson's disease" and has accomplished this miraculous "reversal" by emphatically avoiding all medications and fast-walking. healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

Rather than "reversing" Parkinson's disease as incessantly claimed throughout his forum posts, as claimed in his book, and as subsequently borrowed to bolster the theme of neuroplasticity in N. Doidge's recent book, JPepper has simply attained a relatively routine state of equilibrium with a completely unrelated, non-progressive movement disorder - Essential Tremor. Some may consider this to be a fast-talking, fast-walking contradiction worthy of exposure.

[fwes]

After the recent highly charged discussions it is worthwhile that you have presented the issues succinctly and honestly. Some have come to adore John and some to despise him. We mostly admit that he is colorful.

As for the diagnosis, we may have to wait for the autopsy, which is the case for most of us!

[Beckey]

I thought John said exercise could slow down the symptoms of PD, not the disease itself. I apologize if I got that wrong.

I read this today about the benefit to PwP of Nordic walking. Not sure if this is anything like speed walking, but here's the link: bedfordshire-news.co.uk/820...

[Hidden in reply to Beckey]

he states that his way will reverse pd

reverse is the same as cure?

[Beckey in reply to Hidden]

Wrong. He says fast walking can reverse SYMPTOMS of PD.

[metacognito in reply to Beckey]

Becky, note the title of his book, 'Reverse Parkinson's Disease' (not 'Reverse the Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease')

[Beckey in reply to metacognito]

Yikes.

[park_bear]

Well done, metacognito and bookmarked for future reference.