Newly diagnosed

[texasL]

My father is 80 years old and was just diagnosed with Parkinsons. He does not speak English (we are from Ukraine}, so I am trying to do research for him. So far, I am sooo confused to what natural treatment to start with. Just got mucuna for him. Not sure what else to get. He was given prescription ( I think it is levadopa), but he didn't start taking it. What are the few things we should get to start natural treatment. Thank you so much.

[whack-a-mole]

Hey TexasL, A great starting point for natural alternatives (in addition to the mucuna pruriens extract supps) may be the following links:

raysahelian.com/parkinson.html

lifeextension.com/Protocols...

[On this latter link you can click forward to pages 3-4 to find current info on 'natural support' but note this site assumes the patient is taking standard LD/CD meds]

[texasL in reply to whack-a-mole]

Thanks I will look it up

[stevie3]

Hi TexasL and welcome. I swear by Muccuna Puriens although recently I started taking 4mg of ropinirole. I use Zandopa - a powder which I mix with half a tumbler of water - in the morning and I also use the capsules when I'm out and about. If you want to know how to source the Zandopa let me know.

[texasL in reply to stevie3]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply. What is the difference of Zandopa and mucuna capsules. I saw them on Amazon. Zandopa with purple lid has about 6 reviews, mucuna capsules ( for example company NOW) has hundreds of reviews. I understand that Zandopa is a powder. I would like to know how to source Zandopa ( not sure what it means). What is the ripinirole for? Do people take mucuna or Zandopa along with prescription meds? sorry for so many questions. I am new to all this info.

[stevie3]

Ask away! My understanding is that Zandopa is also Mucuna. For some reason, the powder works better for me. By 'source' I meant where I get it from - sorry. I get mine from Healthbazzar on eBay who do 4 tubs for £25.00. If I were you, I'd start with buying one tub and see how it works for your Dad. It makes me a little nauseous about twenty minutes after taking it but it passes. I read somewhere you shouldn't take Mucuna with aziclet, often prescribed in the early stages of PD, because it can raise blood pressure. But I do and monitor my blood pressire.

Ropinirole is a prescription drug - a dopamine agonist. I was very worried about side effects but I needed something. I started on a very low dose and at my request my doctor monitored me carefully. So far, so good. I'm on half the dose prescribed and I think that's due to Zandopa, exercise and many of the other good things you'll read about here..

I'm very wary of prescribed medication but I feel much better with the ropinirole - more myself. We all have different approaches and experience. Put 'Zandopa' into the search engine - you'll find a lot of information.

[texasL in reply to stevie3]

The only medicine my Dad was given is Levodopa. Neurology office didn't even want to schedule doctor with him. He was seen by the assistant, RN, and she decided what drug to give him, which I think is ridiculous. Thank you for your help.

[stevie3 in reply to texasL]

Yes, that doesn't sound right. How was he diagnosed? PD needs the input of a proper medical team who understand the condition- one size does not fit all. Are you in the States? I'm in the UK. If you tell us what country you are living in, maybe someone on the forum has some advice. He is fortunate to have you to advocate for him.

[texasL in reply to stevie3]

I am in the states, Texas state and I advised my Dad not to take this drug and not to go to this office anymore. He has another appointment with the doctor ( different practice) in May. Hopefully this Dr. will recommend something different. I've heard that Levodopa or whatever is the correct name for it is the worst prescription.

[Beckey in reply to texasL]

texasL, there is no one course of treatment that is the best or the worst, because this illness affects everyone differently and so do the meds. The way your dad was diagnosed is absolute outrage and there is no excuse for it. Do you mind my asking, what city are you in? Is there a teaching hospital in your city? 

I agree wholeheartedly with Sue -- your father is very lucky to have you advocating for him!

[stevie3]

I have no experience of it yet, but I believe many people on the forum do.

[paddyfields]

Ideally, a neurologist with a special interest in movement disorders is what you want.

Even in the UK you may be referred to a geriatrician with a "special interest" in PD

which is not good enough and I suspect something similar has happened with your

80 year old father.  I am 76  and  7 years since diagnosis even the my  neuro. said last

time that I do not look as if I have PD.  The last thing I would want is someone who  has a side interest  in PD.  No cure yet but much better management of PD is possible than even a few years ago.

[hanifab23 in reply to paddyfields]

please tell me what do you do

[Hidden]

You mention your father was just diagnosed.   Natural treatments are wonderful and usually will not do any harm but first and foremost is your father under the care of a neurologist?   They are aware of the newest treatments for PD out there and as everyone is different can tailor what would be best for your Father.   Good luck.

[JohnPepper]

Hi Texas. If you click on reverseparkinsons.net and look at Exercise, Medication, Walking and GDNF amongst many other things you will get a fair ideaa of what you can do to help your father.

John

[pushkin]

Slava Ukraini !

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed over three years ago. The short answer, nothing stops or reverses P.

The world is full of Parkinson's cure quacks.

Two forms of Parkinson's, the falling down variety (PIGD) and tremor dominant. I choose not to take meds at this time and from the beginning.

Levadopa is the "gold standard".  From my neurologist, these pointers:

Increases in dosages are necessary as it progresses.

Begin meds BEFORE you begin falling. Falls are deadly at our age due to the brain taking less space in the cranium... If you fall it may be necessary to see doc to be sure your OK. 

[texasL in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. So what does coconut oil help with, or it is just a myth?

[Hidden in reply to texasL]

Search Parkinson's Movement: enter coconut oil and locate the posts by member "fwes". If it did not work for me it is a myth. If it worked for others, it works.

[silvestrov]

The drug sinemet is a combination of levodopa and carbidopa. Carbidopa stops the conversion of levodopa into dopamine in the body so it goes to the brain and central nervous system. Carbidopa is called a decarboxylase inhibitor.

The polyphenol from green tea, EGCG, is also a decarboxylase inhibitor:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/113...

94%+ pure EGCG is required but is hard to absorb and a German study found that 1,000 mg of omega 3 derived from salmon and 200 of vitamin C (and other factors like taking EGCG on an empty stomach and no consumption of caffeine, milk, calcium, hard water) make EGCG to be better absorbed.

Here is the study: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... 

I currently take levodopa derived from mucuna pruriens plant (the dose depends of the person 200-300 mg is fine)....in combination wih EGCG, Salmon omega 3 and vitamin C are great for Parkinson's (twice a day - upon waking and 4:00 PM).

EGCG is good for PD     lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/13626/

Fatty acids are good for PD: sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin C is good for PD   ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/250...

If other doses of levodopa are required, say late morning or evening use the combination of levodopa plus the antioxidants quercetin and bromelain.

Quercetin is from green tea and is a comt inhibitor.  The Parkinson's drug entacapone is also a comt inhibitor - it inhibits an enzyme that prevents levodopa from being converted into dopamine in the body - similar action to carbidopa, but entacapone has side effects.  By combining levodopa from mucuna pruriens with the combination of quercetin and bromelain, a similar effect is to be gained like the drug entacapone. 

Quercetin & PD:   ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/217...

Quercetin comt inhibitor:  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/127...

Like EGCG, quercetin/bromelain should be taken on an empty stomach at least 1/2 hour before a meal.  Many supplements have the combination of quercetin (500 mg) and bromelain (200 mg) being consumed twice a day.

Speaking of meals, in order to not interfere with the absorption of levodopa breakfast and lunch should be primarily carbohydrate and vegitable matter with protein being consumed at dinner.  The amino acids in protein compete with the amino acid conversion of levodopa to dopamine and will diminish its effectiveness.

Summation: 200-300 mg levodopa plus 94%+ pure EGCG and 1,000 mg of omega 3 from fish oil and 200 mg of vitamin C.  These supplements are taken upon waking and 4PM on an empty stomach, with no calcium, no caffeine, no hard water or milk.

Quercetin (500 mg) & Bromelain (200 mg) are taken with 200-300 mg levodopa other times of the day - say 11-12 time frame or after dinner around 9:00PM - if needed.

Other vitamins:

You are already taking 2 B Vitamins and you should add 2 more:

riboflavin:   

scielo.br/scielo.php?script... 

Note: I have never found 30 mg capsules to purchase and since 100 mg of riboflavin is the lowest dose I could find, I use Riboflavin 5 phosphate. Co-enzyme forms of vitamins are much better than the generic form.  

100 mg of ubiquinol 3 times a day (at meals):   

naturalmedicinejournal.com/...

Vitamin B3 has 3 different forms: niacin (nicotinic acid), niacinamide or NADH.

NADH is the co-enzyme form of B3 and has been shown to improve 78% of Parkinson's patient in studies: 

nadh.com/pages/parkinsons 

Dr. Birkmayer said a patient should take 60 mg/day in divided doses. 

Nicotinamide, the amide form of niacin, is excellent for your health and in addition to being good for Parkinson's: 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/224... 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/183...

It is good for Alzheimer's disease: life-enhancement.com/magazi... 

Arthritis: livestrong.com/article/2633... 

Up to 3,000 mg a day is fine and it should be taken in small 250 mg doses so the body can absorb it.   

Methytetrahydrofolic acid, coenzyme form of B9 - folic acid:

www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press... 

Vitamin K is also good for mitochondrial dysfunction:   

sciencedaily.com/releases/2... 

Other supplements which are good for PD (that I take):

acetyl l carnitine & alpha lipoic acid -

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/204...

I know this is a lot of information and if you want more information let me know.

Rich

[Hidden]

Parkinson's shared experience

patientslikeme.com/conditio...