Freezing

[Beckey]

Does anyone have any tricks for dealing with freezing? Some days I hardly have any problems, but other days I think I must look like someone under a strobe light.

[stevie3]

Becky - I don't have a proble, with freezing (yet) but I do the PD warrior programme and there is an exercise called 'penguin waddle' which the trainer says can be used if you freeze. Here's the link:

pdwarrior.com/core-exercise...

[Beckey in reply to stevie3]

Thanks, Stevie!

[Beckey in reply to Beckey]

Stevie, I just watched it, it was great!

[hopedope in reply to Beckey]

Stevie and Beckey, I bookmarked it my Parkinson's folder for future use. I haven't frozen yet though.

[Bailey_Texas]

Have had several freezing problems lately i just stop in my tracks. I can move everything just can't walk. Just a push from someone and off i go with no problem.

[Hidden]

I freeze a lot. Getting up from a table,especially in a restaurant is particularly noticeable by others, so I end up just standing there looking around at things as if that is what I want to do. Eventually a quick jerk of my leg and off I go. Just try not to look like you are concerned or struggling and smile . I find a cane helps me keep my balance while standing frozen and when people see it they give me some slack and get out of my way. A smile conveys a message to others that everything is all right instead of that grumpy looking PD mask I unconsciously wear.

[Beckey in reply to Hidden]

Oh boy, do I know what you mean by looking concerned and struggling! This is good advice.

[hopedope in reply to Hidden]

That is really good advice that I will try to remember.

[honeycombe3]

Hi Beckey,

ApoGo (injected Apomorphine) works for me. I can't recollect whether or not I have mentioned this to you or others on the site. One major advantage it has over other meds is that it by-passes the stomach & goes straight to the brain. This has saved me from disaster on several occasions now when for a variety of reasons the meds have been lost from my system.

The last time this happened was earlier this year when a bout of food poisoning left me no treatments for over 2 weeks & which took me 6 weeks to run its course completely. The PD meds were slowly titrated back to their original doses but have never reached their previous potency. The effects on my heart meds have been seriously debilitating causing irreparable damage.

Prior to using ApoGo I tried all the established tricks like imagining a line on the ground ahead of me, using music to prompt a movement (dancing or singing), laser line drawer etc etc. It is not suitable for everyone like most PD meds but if it works it is wonderful.

[Beckey in reply to honeycombe3]

Thanks, Honeycomb. I'll ask my doctor about it.

[andrewij]

I freeze quite often, I use a cue to imagine there is someone's foot in front of me that I have to step over. Sometimes there is someone with me that can do this, I find this quite effective. Another cue I use is to imagine the number of steps I need to reach a particular point. They are the main ones, although I also imagine there is a line in front of me, and I step over that, this method can be quite slow though.

[andrewij in reply to andrewij]

You can also try swinging your leg backwards, then walk forwards.

[Beckey in reply to andrewij]

Thanks, Andrew. I'll try them out.

[BillDavid]

MOVE IT! which is both a DVD and ebook, has an exercise caled the "Poor Man's Hula", which if frozen in place, can use a heavy leg tachi kind of shift, then walk of of. Also has a m ethod to catch fenistration (I would practice first, involves moving upper torso up in a posture syacking manover. There are various patterns for hop scot sort of marking, which wre said to work.

BillDavid

[PUTLAND]

When my husband freezes I just stand with him and rock him back and forward and it seems to work. No use someone trying to pull you dosnt work. Be patient and take your time. xxx

[JohnPepper]

Hi Beckey. If you go to my website - reverseparkinsons.net and write to me and ask for the article - How to teach a Pd Patient to walk 'Consciously' you will get the answer to your question. It is too big to post here.

When you learn to walk consciously you will seldom if ever freeze, unless you stop walking consciously.

Good luck!

[Beckey in reply to JohnPepper]

Will do!

[Bouffere85]

No more freezing !

Each Parkinson patient has experienced different results taking Carbidopa Levodopa , here is mine :

Diagnosed 5 years ago.

For my first time, I have participated in a Clinical Research “Neurodegeneration and Brain Function in Aging with Parkinson Disease” . On 8/18 an MRI was taken while OFF medications since 6 pm the day before - 1st time on No medication since diagnostic - did fine and was surprised from the positif result !!

Since then with my Neurologist help , I gradually reduced CL, I am now on 4 tablets instead of 8 and feeling well, more energy, less apathy , no more freezing!!!!

Best to all, keep fighting PD.😉

[moparkie715 in reply to Bouffere85]

HI Bouffere85, wow!i realize you posted this along time ago, but you seem to be the answer i was looking for. I have been on CL for 1 year on 1 pill 3x/day. BUT because it was not doing anything, my doctor increased my dose to 4pills 3x/day(total of 12 pills). i was feeling vry out of it, kind of over medicated so i have begun tapering down, When i was on a total of 3 pills per say i never froze.

I was wondering if you could share when you take your 4 pills (every 4 hours ?)

and are your still freezing less or do you not hve any freezing?

thankyou

[mistergadget]

Hi Beckey i also freeze a lot. I cannot do without my little laser pointer- I just shine it about one foot (12") forward and kick-step-over the spot, and in this fashion get the feet going.When I "walk or waddle" my wife to her car (when she leaves for work) I copy her footsteps (like a soldier marching) It happens quite automatically! If you look away you loose the stride.Otherwise I kick towards any object in front of me to get the motion going-good luck!