Is anyone else frustrated by uncooperative buttons, zippers, jewelry fasteners and shoelaces? It's maddening.

[ronn]

[Thumbpick]

Yeah... I gave up on buttoning shirts and now just pull the shirts over my head... buttoned.

Gave up on tying shoes... use slip-ons or shoes w/velcro closures....

Don't wear jewelry.

[Jash]

My answer to all of the above was DBS last June. I can now accomplish these simple, but nearly impossible, tasks now.

[froggatt55 in reply to Jash]

Hi Jash

I was intrigued to hear that DBS has given you that .level of dexterity back - although I heard of a banjo player in Tennessee who had his banjo with him during the DBS and when he managed to play it, they stopped "tuning" the electrodes - but he had a tremor which was not caused by Parkinson's.

May I ask ho0w long you have had Parkinson's? What other symptom relief has DBS given you?

[Jash in reply to froggatt55]

Hi froggatt....I was diagnosed in 2006 and didn't believe it, but looking back, I believe I must have had it at least several years before that. I was to the point that I had to do something. I could no longer button my shirt, put on or zip a jacket, cut my food myself or go out to a restaurant. When I started to drink soup with a straw and could no longer twist an ice cream cone to enjoy it, I was ready to try anything. While I'm still in the first post-DBS year and my programming and meds are not yet optimized, I can now do all of those things that prompted me to have DBS. It's not perfect, but I was way less able before DBS Best of Luck. You will make the right choice for you

[Hidden]

Cursing and threats when getting dressed seem to work well for me.

I have been known to arrive for Breakfast looking like I just came through the hedge.

[tlongmire in reply to Hidden]

LOL, so true.

[wifeofparky]

My husband had that problem and found it to be extremely frustrating. You can buy elastic shoelaces at many stores. They look curly and all you have to do is slip your shoes/sneakers on. He stopped wearing pants with buttons and zippers and wore sweat type pants. for all but fancier occasions. He still had problems getting his legs in the right side of the pants but at least he could go to the bathroom and not get soiled or frustrated.

[PatV]

Yes, especially in winter when I want to wear woolen slacks. Dry cleaning costs $$$!

My major frustration is opening juice containers, boxes of tea with 90 coats of cellophane. Etc. have to go about with a box cutter! (Don't worry, I don't really have one!

[rch21]

best was when my son got married - the cuff links were bad enough, but putting the studs in the tux shirt was absolutely vexing

[tlongmire]

Dressing is a pain in the *** and can really wear you out.

[froggatt55]

I believe that inanimate objects such as zips, buttons and shoelaces somehow know that I have Parkinson's and are deliberately awkward! I can sometimes sneak up on them (not shoelaces which are constantly vigilant) and fasten them but like the other respondents I mostly wear shoes with Velcro fasteners and sports shirts with no buttons. My biggest problem is putting my kilt on - fortunately only at Christmas, Hogmanay (new Year's Eve) and Burns Night - as it is so heavy and has straps / buckles - not to mention the sporran!!

I was amused to read of the use of the word "pants" in the US to mean what we call trousers in the UK because putting on pants (as we mean in the UK) is one difficult operation trying to stands on one leg!

[jillannf6]

hi i agrree i hav e jsut posted to anothe q about sitl beien a bel to cut horu own toenails

and the frustriton si dreadful for em in terms of dressign an dgetting ready to face the day# but i hav ea v good carer who will and does help em afte r ashower each ornging to ge tdressed in a fraction of tjhetiem i t take sme muyseelf and she make sa netter nbjon of it

re earrings as well

lol JIll

[alllowercase]

biggest problemi get is that, when i stop for a pee while i am walking the dog, it takes so long doing up the zip that i get spotted by 2 busloads of japanese tourists with their cameras

[Loika]

Hi everyone,

As for buttons, there is a tool with a wire attached to a handle that you put through the buttonhole & catch the button & just pull it threw & walla it's buttoned. I got it from one of those catalogs that come in the mail. Great little tool!

Loika

[Loika]

Also, I forgot to mention about magnets you attache to necklaces & bracelets that you also find in those catalogs that come in the mail. There are several different kinds . the one that looks like two halfs of a ball that come together looks the best. They come in silver & goldtone. Makes life more simple

Loika