DBS

Hi Marc, I am replying on behalf of my husband Rich, who had DBS over 10 years ago. Bilateral surgery. Rich was diagnosed with young onset PD and was nearly 20 years in and taking 15-20 Sinamet (lavadopa) pills a day just to get some decent productive "on time", which mostly led to dyskansia. He had a difficult time balancing out his meds, and oft times abused it.
This ultimately led to the decision to have the DBS, to which his doctors recommended as an alternative to the meds that no longer worked as well for Rich and also because his doctors said he was a good candidate for DBS.
It's been ten years since his surgery and he is only having to take 1 sinamet a day now- a half in the morning, the other half in the evening. Barely any tremors and no more dyskanisia. He can write again! His movements are slow. He can still freeze up. His balance has gotten worse, obviously. DBS isn't a cure, but it helped. It restored some life back for Rich; some normalcy he'd lost. But, the PD is still progressing.
Likelihood of falls is much more frequent now. Mobility has lessened. Rich needs a caregiver 24 hrs now. He cannot be left alone!
Again, DBS helped Rich is alot of ways, but wasn't a cure. Rich has had PD for over 30+ years and it has taken its toll. He'll always be happy without tremors and dyskanesia and taking pills all day, but wishes he didn't have PD at all.
- from a wife and caregiver to Rich all these years.
JJ