Parkinson’s. Are You Doing What You Should?

I’m Doing What I Can! Isn’t That Enough?

Really scary facts about Parkinson’s

• Fact: Parkinson’s is a very serious progressive neurological disease and currently has no cure.
• Fact: Parkinson’s has the potential to affect every muscle in your body, affect cognitive processes, make communication difficult to impossible, and exact an emotional and financial toll on society, the individual, their families and caregivers.
• Fact: Parkinson’s is unlikely to kill you but can negatively affect your remaining life span and quality of life.
• Fact: The Medication most prescribed can be effective in temporarily lessening the effect of some, but not all, motor symptoms. Long term usage often requires higher dosages. See the Mayo Clinic for risks and side effects.¹
• Fact: Exercise is the only proven way currently to slow, stop or even regress Parkinson’s symptoms.

Proverbial couch

Parkinson’s often is getting worse even if you are correctly taking your medications. Sounds as if anyone with Parkinson’s should just curl up on their couches in the fetal position? Sadly, many people with Parkinson’s literally do stay on their couches when faced with words like: neurological disease, “no known cure," “progressive disease,” and “emotional, financial & relationship toll.” Even the positive words “will likely not kill me,” and “likely will live as long as peers” and “medications will mask symptoms” are often used as excuses for staying on the couch. I understand as I have used many of the same words to avoid the dreaded words “Quality Exercise proven to slow or even stop the progress of Parkinson’s." For those who have never exercised or have not exercised in a long time, you may find that re-entering or starting exercise is, at least at the start, way more difficult than staying on the proverbial couch.

Excuses, excuses for not exercising

"I’m not seeing progress." Many people with Parkinson’s don’t see results of exercising for up to a year. Many will try to exercise alone, not get feedback or encouragement and stop exercising. “It’s too hard.” I currently do not have symptoms that bother me. It’s too expensive. How to change all those negative thoughts to positive. Think: I’m a turtle. I will beat the rabbit. It’s about the result I want and not the process.

There are three pillars to better & successful Parkinson’s exercise: get the best medical care you can find, be a compliant patient, and take medicines as prescribed and communicate with your physician if there are issues. Join a Parkinson’s exercise group (look around, you can often find inexpensive to free classes offered by your Y, Silver Slippers, or your local Parkinson’s Support Group. If you can’t find a support group, call the National Parkinson’s Foundation or the Michael J Fox Foundation. National Foundation toll free number is: 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for more information about the resources nearest you. We will help you find the care and support you need to live well with Parkinson's.²

Why an exercise group?

• Opportunity to talk with other people who understand
• Opportunities to talk with others about your symptoms
• Finding an example
• Exercise instructor will use exercise methods proven to have beneficial effects
• Measured progress that lets you see incremental gains & problems
• Finding an exercise buddy for encouragement in class and who will call when you don’t come to class

Starting exercise as early as possible and sticking with it gives better results. Getting the best medical care is essential. On your journey with Parkinson’s, you may be surprised to find your primary care team or neurologist lacking in Parkinson’s knowledge or expertise. If that is the case, shop around to find someone who does have knowledge and can answer your questions. Good resources for information about doctors are in your support group or people in your exercise class. If you are close to one, get a referral to a a Parkinson’s Center of Excellence. There you can find physicians and other specialists certified in treating Movement Disorders and Parkinson’s.³

I hope this information has been helpful. If facts don’t convince you to exercise, here is my personal experience. I was diagnosed in 2014. My loving partner and caregiver had to drag me, kicking and screaming, to my first Parkinson’s exercise class. Although I have always said “I hate exercise,” I am still a member of that class. I am in better shape, I have stopped some symptoms from progressing, and I’ve found a new circle of friends who actually help when I am struggling. Through all this, they have encouraged me to share about my good and bad experiences.