Living with Parkinson's Disease - Meet others & come say hi

I am looking forward to being with this group. I am 74 and diagnosed this past year with Parkinson's. I have leg and hand tremors, soft speech and difficult movement. I am married and my husband is very helpful. Will be keeping in touch. Thanks

Hello @morgan50 and welcome to the Parkinson's Support Group on Mayo Connect. I am glad that you found this group and I'm looking forward to getting to know you.

As this is your first post, share if you would something about your current treatment for PD. For example, have medications been prescribed, have you been involved in physical therapy or another exercise program?

My husband has Parkinson’s. He is currently taking Trihexyphen 2mg. He takes 1 pill twice a day. He feels his tremors are getting worse and is considering focused ultrasound. His speech has gotten soft and he can’t stand for long and can’t walk very far. I’m happy to be part of this group.
Pat

My husband takes 2carvidopa-levadopa 4 time a day and and carb/leva extended release at night. 2ammantadine with carb/leva 1st thing in am.
We’re going to try rasagiline. He had good results before but had to stop because of an operation.

He’s tried all kinds of pills but keeps saying they don’t work. So I’m grateful that he takes the one! I’m going to look into rasageline. Does your husband exercise? All I’ve read stresses how important it is. Jack has back problems so standing or walking very far is difficult. Therefore, not a lot of exercise. Thank you for your reply!😊

I'm in the market for a new bed to accommodate my Parkinson's. I've been considering an adjustable bed, but I saw an add for a "lift bed" that assists those with difficulty getting out of bed.
I would appreciate some guidance

Yes! My husband has been taking Carbidopa for about 6 weeks now and has been sleeping more. Do you mean tooth decay? Last week I took him to the dentist - both the hygienist and the dentist commented to me that my husband has a lot of decay. We scheduled appointments with them every three months through 2025! As for other kinds of decay, he is now scheduled for heart and lung tests and no doubt there will be more.

Hello @patjack2,

Yes, exercise is important, but I can understand your husband's reluctance to exercise if he has back problems. I would suggest that you ask his neurologist about a referral for physical therapy. A physical therapist, who is trained in treating Parkinson's patients, will be able to help him to come up with an exercise plan that will help his PD symptoms and not cause more back problems.

Has he seen a physical therapist for an Evalution yet?

Hello @wagross and welcome to the PD support group on Mayo Connect. I can understand your reluctance to go through a lot of tests, however, the tests you mentioned are pretty much standard when it comes to a diagnosis of PD. It is my understanding, that these tests are used to rule out any other neurological problem that might be causing your symptoms (other than PD).

If you have concerns about the expense, I encourage you to send the doctor a message by the patient portal (or by phone) and explain your concerns. You might ask if any of these tests could be delayed or postponed.

Share as you are comfortable, the symptoms that are most bothersome to you now. Were you prescribed any medications at your appointment?

Hello @wagross,

A couple of years ago, I invested in an adjustable bed. It simply raises and lowers the head and the feet of the mattress. It tends to cost a bit less than a sleep number bed, as it does not have all of the other features of temperature control, firmness, etc.

Your choice of a bed is probably dependent on your symptoms and what type of help you need. Is getting in and out of bed a problem for you right now?