Tremor Update

On Thursday, 6/30/2013, I had an appointment at the PT department of Raleigh Neurology per Dr. Robottom's orders. I met Melissa, who introduced herself as a former ballerina and a Dr. of PT. She had me fill out about 5 pages of evaluation/questionnaire and then she interviewed me. She asked me if it was positive that I have PD. We discussed that since there is no definitive diagnostic test, that there is no way to be positive pre post-mortem. I pointed out it would be moot then for me and anyone that cares about me. She agreed. I told her 2 neurologists thought it was PD and my referring family doctor had diagnosed it as benign essential tremor for years before referring me to RN. I suspect he had changed his diagnosis at that point, but he didn't share that with me and we haven't discussed it since he sent me off. She gave me some physical tests and manipulated my limbs. When she was finished, she agreed that it was classic PD and not Parkinsonism, which is what we've lately been calling it at RN. She said she questioned it at first because one I was not in bad shape and two I was the youngest PD patient she had seen. So, I guess at this point so far we have a consensus of PD for what that is worth. Anyway, she taught me a series of exercises called LSVT BIG to be done in repetitive sets on both sides every day with some hamstring stretches. These exercises are meant to combat the rigidity of dystonia. They take about 15 minutes or so to do. I go back next week to prove I have learned them correctly and that is the end of my PT sessions. I see no reason not to continue to do the exercises at home. Melissa also strongly encouraged me to find a recumbent stationary bicycle to use daily. She says with BIG, that recumbent biking have been shown to cause improvements in PD patients as well as slowing the progression of symptoms. We're still thinking about bike options.

I picked up my generic Artane this afternoon at Kmart. $7.50 for 90 pills which makes this the most affordable PD prescription yet. I will start tomorrow morning at breakfast on the 21 day weaning on schedule and see what happens. The side effects sound debilitating, but hopefully since this is not a dopamine drug I will not have a problem. We'll see. More later.