The patient recovering the day after.
(I posted this as a comment in another thread last week, but to be consistent with my 3 and 6 month reports, I repeat it here.)
There are a lot of body movements and functions (balance, walking, vision, speech, bowel function) that requires both sides the brain, so performing the procedure on one side will not resolve all movement disorders. In other words, some of the relief I experienced initially which has reverted are those symptoms which are controlled by both sides the brain.
PD is still gone from my left side. No tremor at all in my left hand. Back pain & dystonia still gone on my left side. Facial mask is gone.
My walk is only slightly clumsy (undetectable to strangers) and my left arm swings.
I do experience stiffness and rigidity after sitting a long time. I sometimes have minimal jaw tremor
Turning over in bed was much relieved post-op, but is difficult again.
Constipation was completely relief for exactly 2 months, but is now as problematic as it was pre-op.
My right hand tremor has worsened considerably. That tremor is conveyed up my arm and through my shoulder making my right shoulder painful and limiting its range of motion. I cannot use my right hand for anything. This tremor interferes with my sleep.
A few friends & my children whom I had not seen since before the procedure said the post-op improvement is immediately obvious, that my body is relaxed.
My wife feels I have become slightly less steady over the past few months. Gait initiation was a problem pre-op, improved post-op, is now an issue again, but not as bad as pre-op.
As of 2 weeks ago, I take 3, 25/100 IR per day and often a 50/200 ER Sinemet at bedtime which do little or nothing for me.
I have no mental or psychological issues, depression, bouts of sadness, or hallucinations. My memory could be better, but it’s not bad.
I am keeping an open mind that it will not stop the progression, but I believe it will or will dramatically slow it at minimum 5 years, which is good enough for my decision.
As you may know, PTT lesioning is blocking an over excited signaling pathway between the pallidum and the thalamus. If symptoms reappear 5 to 10 years from now it may be because the brain has created a workaround pathway or expanded the original pathway which might also be eligible for lesioning.
Nobody knows whether or not lesioning will preclude future pharmaceutical or stem cell breakthroughs.
I'm 74 and believe I will likely die sometime in the next 10 years whether or not I have Parkinson's. The next 5 years are more important to me than are the following 5 years. I have a brother 4 years older who is dying of leukemia. At some point, we need to stop planning for the future - and live in the present.
I am happy with this decision.
Hope this helps.
Marc
PS. We are tentatively scheduled for the 3rd week of April at SoniModul which we will push back if Covid is still raging out of control -- unless we get a vaccination.
PSS. If this were not available to me, I would explore DBS.
Marc
PTT FUS in Switzerland - One month later
Interesting Observation
On the fence over DBS
