After very slow progression over the past three years, things have accelerated over past few months. My symptoms had been limited to left side tremor and a bit of slowness. I had had some fatigue which improved with exercise. Since february, the tremor has increased and I feel weakness on both sides, and I find it hard to get through my 1 1/2 hour daily exercise (alternating hiking with gym). Last night a sudden tremor woke me up, first time that's happened.
I've been taking thiamine hcl since february, and in consult with dr. C. reduced dose from 4 to 2 grams per day when symptoms started to worsen. That was about a month ago. I also take a lot of supplements including Sivestrov's ldopa protocol and mannitol.
What most concerns me is the fatigue. Exercise has been so helpful, especially with depression which I had for many years pre PD. I really don't want to reduce exercise but the fatigue is making it really hard.
Any suggestions, my friends? I'm frightened and unsure of what to do.
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rebtar
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So sorry to hear of this, rebtar. Do you have any possible exposure to environmental toxins such as the insecticide permethrin? Pesticide workers exposed to it have treble the risk of Parkinson's, and permethrin impregnated clothing, and permethrin clothing spray is readily available. Of course that is not the only environmental toxin that can cause trouble. More on that here: Parkinson's and Pesticides
We've talked about qigong before, PB. I did it for a while, still do occasionally but not daily by any means. Exercise seemed so much more helpful, at least until now, and there's only so many hours in a day.
I remember flea bombing several houses I lived in in my 20's. Plus my dad had PD. And the past few decades have been full of stress.
Anyway, I took the intensity of my workout down a notch today and I feel better. I kind of had a freakout moment this morning, after a strong tremor in my arm woke me up during the night. And yesterday I suddenly had more difficulty writing with my right hand, which is my "good" side. It was a stressful day aside from the symptoms, no doubt that had to do with it.
Thanks for your comment -- Sometimes we just need reassurance from our good friends in the PDosphere.
I also take Krill oil, Vit D3, Protandim and eat healthy chocolate and coconut oil. Something has helped because I have not had to increase my meds. I take 4 C/L, in the form of Parcopa, 2 Azilect & 2 Amantadine. Thinking of trying Thiamin but haven't yet. Diagnosed 14 yrs ago at 46 & have been doing RSB for 11 1/2 yrs.
Hey Laglag -- I did RSB for a while and really liked it. Then I got sick with a bad bronchitis last August, was out for several months and when I got back to exercising, changed the routine to avoid the long drive. I'm thinking of going back -- twice a week -- the camaraderie makes a difference and it's a good workout. I was getting arm muscles for the first time in my life!
I think the progression has some to do with what we do -- exercise, supplements, managing stress -- and in part is just luck of the draw. That's what scares me at times -- I'm doing all I can to take care of myself, but I really don't know what is helping, or what I can do that might help more. Keeping at it though. Thanks for your comment.
You raise an interesting point, does pd progress on a smooth decline or does it have short rapid declines thrn levelling off until the next one. I dont know the answer.
Though it may be difficult to accept I think you are just experiencing normal pd progression and the regime you are currently on isnt containing it. i take it you are not taking any conventional drugs but are you still taking mucuna?What does your functional neurologist recommend.?
Thanks for your reply, Hikoi. My symptoms were quite stable for a while and this change has happened over a couple of months. It could be that the neurological changes reach a threshold where new symptoms manifest. Yes, I think this is normal PD progression, and it's a call to review what I'm doing and make adjustments where I think it may help.
Yesterday was also a particularly stressful day, and that may account for some of what I was feeling this morning. I adjusted my exercise routine to a bit less intensity today, and felt better.
I just saw my functional doc and I'll be trying a couple of new things over the coming months. I have started to experiment with some sinemet along with the mucuna, and we'll see where that leads. There are always new things to try, new paths to follow, and new attitudes to try on :-).
If you are lucky like me sinemet (carbadopa levodopa) will restore your life to what it was before you were diagnosed. i was in my 8th year when i started sinemet and for 3 years i was 99% normal.
Hi Rebtar, John Pepper explained that overworking at the gym made him exhausted and didn't help his PD. He went over to Fast Walking which he built up to an hour every second day; and now people can't believe that he has PD.
Yes, I will be revising my exercise program. Fast walking didn't work for me because I get foot cramps/toe curling. However that's the one symptom that's gotten better, so I may try again.
Try not to introvert, find something important to do that is not overwhelming that you like. Continue with the same life for a while and see. We all have ups and downs that we tend to dramatize, especially the low 😀
There is nothing wrong with this, your concern is appropriate to the situation in which we find ourselves. The fact is that PD is a big problem and it tends to fix the person very rigidly on the symptoms. It is a completely normal and adequate concern that we all feel, if we then add the discontinuous effect of the medicines we take the thing is not at all easy. I was lucky and I have reached a certainty on the use of b1 so I do not worry too much if I have a slight worsening especially in winter or fatigue or flu, because after three years of experience I know I will come back as good as before as well as this year has done, but at first it was not easy at all. My UPDRS test, videos and friends are clear. Gio
In any situation we may be in a cause or effect position. This is a difficult world, sometimes a mountain collapses on you.It nor did it intend to collapse on you, just because you were there! In other words we happen very overwhelming things like the PD and we wonder why it happens to us, but there is no why, it is a chaotic and random world. So we look for a point from which to be a little more "cause" and a little less "effect" and with a positive attitude we would come out of it. Gio
You said you've been taking thiamine and reduced to half dosage after consulting Dr. Costantini when symptoms started to worsen. Did you feel any improvement after a month on half dosage? If not, did you contact Dr. Costantini to let him know that the thiamine treatment does not work on you even after the readjustment?
Perhaps 2g Thiamine is too much for you. According to Dr Costantini you should only see improvement in symptoms when on the right dosage and also suggests short breaks healthunlocked.com/parkinso.... Also, you may be undermedicated, I suggest to contact your neurologist for assessment. I'm not aware of how alternative treatments such as "Silvestrov ldopa protocol" can work through time, you can be more specific.
Sorry to hear of your increased difficulties! Recently I became more fatigued than usual, so I cut back on strenuous exercise. Also, I am now taking Centrum multi-vitamins, which helps. Within the last few months my neurologist has increased my dosage of sinemet. That has helped. Also, I find that if I have an emotionally draining day, that makes me feel more fatigued. Hopefully, you will find more ideas to help yourself.
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Gio
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