Good morning all! I am now 7 weeks since my DBS surgery. Yes! That is the answer if anyone asks if I am happy with my decision to have the surgery. I am now walking briskly each day, active with my bookkeeping clients, and have rejoined society as an active participant. I am also "in training" for driving the four hours it takes to get to my daughter's house. Yesterday, I "passed" the two hour driving test. I still take 10 regular sinemet, but have dropped the patch and 4 extended release sinemets. Best of all, my outlook on life has gone from that of a recluse to venturing out into the world again. Has it been easy? No. Has it been hard? At times. I am a strong person, so perhaps that has helped me. At the core of it is the drive to fight this insidious disease with everything I can muster. Don't ever give up!! Ever!! Thank you to all who have continued to support me with your notes of encouragement!! Have a wonderful day! Annie
P.S. Yes, my hair has grown - it is about 3/4 inch long now. Hooray!
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annmariebaird
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DBS is Deep Brain Stimulation involving the implanting of wires into a particular part of the brain and a connecting small battery pack under the left collarbone which permits stimulation of the brain, ultimately allowing withdrawal from some of your medications. Googlel DBS or Deep Brain Stimulation for more information or you can YouTube same and watch videos of folks who have had same. Hope this helps!
Thank you...there is another one made by st Jude medical... not sure which one to go with. The neurosurgeon will do either the Medtronic or the st Jude my choice. I would give the new vercise device a shot but that manufacturer doesn’t have a contact with my Hospital
i am scheduled for eval at swedish hosp in seattle end of feb. thanks for sharing your experience. i'm in alaska; very wary of the traveling, but am taking 25/250 c/l every 3 hrs- i need relief. saw a story this week on vice news about a musical instr being studied there driven by brain waves...
Alaska - where you have to travel so much! Being wary is okay, hope you don't let that get in your way. It took me a year to get all my "ducks in a row", so don't get discouraged. Keep us posted on your progress. Annie
I was in 6-1/2 hrs but each surgery is different. Recovery depends on how healthy you are before, and a million other conditions. At least six months, but it depends on lots of different things.
Hi Annmarie, I don t want to be negative but i hope you understand that you are extremely lucky, feeling so well after only 7 weeks! I am happy for you but i want to warn other people, that in most cases it takes more time to get this results. Often a period about 6 months, and in my case 4 years. I realize that i was unlucky and i am happy you re not, but i just want to let know that it is not realistic to expect these results in such a short time!
I agree that it can take longer, however, if you have followed me through the surgery, you would find that my success if based on what conditions I suffered through before. I hope I have not given the impression that this was a walk in the park, because it is a tough surgery to go through, but if a person can improve even a tiny bit, they are the winners!! I am tough and aggressive with my health and eat extremely healthy food, so I might not be lucky so much as prepared. I am so sorry it has taken you so long. Do you think you are better than before? Kindest thoughts to you! Annie
I don't know if i am better than before, because the DBS caused a new type of problems which i hadn t before. Walking was more difficult than before; freezing was new and a loss of balance. i don t know if i would be better without, since PD is progressive and you just can t tell. But these years were the hardest in my life, that s for sure!
I have not done what you have gone through but I told myself before hand but no matter what I was going to have the surgery because to not have it man I was getting up. What did you neurologist say about your condition afterwards. He must have experience with other people
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