strength and mobility

Anonymous	Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:46 am Post subject: strength and mobility I notice from my exercise, that I do possess strength, for example, I have the strength to hit, box and kick during my exercise. However, I do have difficulty in moving well. Mobility seems to be the problem here. I don't seem to be able to move fast with strength simultaneously. Although I can execute some moves sufficiently strongly, but I lack the speed in execution. Can any one enlighten me on why although I possess strength, I experience difficulty in mobility. I have checked with other patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease and they seem to have the same symptoms as me
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Dr. Fernandez Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 90	Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject: You are correct. Most PD patients will have a greater problem with dexterity, mobility and coordination rather than brute strength. The explanation for this is the area of the brain affect in PD. The early degeneration occurs in a group of cells called the "basal ganglia"...they comprise the seat of the "extrapyramidal system" of the nervous system and they are responsible for smoothness of movement and coordination. Thus, when they are damaged, PD patients experience stiffness, slowness and worsened dexterity. In contrast, stroke, for example affects the "pyramidal system"...they are also responsible for execution of movement but the majority of strength is carried by this system. Thus, patient who suffered from a stroke often are weak or paralyzed in the body part corresponding to the damaged portion in the brain. You can see it as the 'pyramidal system' is responsible for strength and crude movement, while the extrapyramidal system (involved in PD) is responsible for fine tuning of movement. Yours, _________________ Hubert H. Fernandez

NPF Discussion: Secret recipe behind the mask

Anonymous
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:48 am Post subject: Secret Recipe behind The Mask

Parkinson’s medications merely relieve the motor symptoms (i.e. tremor, rigidity, akinesia) but do not have any specific effect in slowing down the disease progression. As such, being a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder, Parkinson’s leads to increasing severity of symptoms and gradual decline in the quality of life. Typically, Parkinson’s patients need to increase the daily dose of medications almost every 1-2 years, in order to maintain their physical function. Last year, I needed eight tablets of Requip (2 mg) and three tablets of Sinemet CR (250) daily. My doctor told me that I needed that much of medications to keep me going in the gym while doing long hours of strenuous exercises. Over the past two months, I have been sleeping well (for 6-7 hours) every night after I started on a “sleep cocktail” – Xanax ½ tablet, Seroquel ½ tablet, Lexapro ½ tablet and Stilnox ½ tablet. Prior to this, I could sleep for only 4-5 hours per day. With the better sleep quality, I feel much stronger now. My physical endurance has improved. It is much easier for me to carry out strenuous exercise at the gym nowadays, for up to 3 hours daily. Ever since my stroke last year, I had been finding it difficult to focus on the road while driving. I wonder whether this was due to phobia (I had stroke while driving) or my Parkinson’s. However, the good news is that recently I have started driving again without any difficulty. I have also managed to cut down my medications to two tablets of Requip (2 mg) and three tablets of Sinemet CR (250) daily. Isn’t it strange that I have been able to reduce the daily dose of Parkinson’s medications, while other Parkinson’s patients have to keep on increasing their daily dose? Is it because of the status of Parkinson’s as a “designer disease” – the manifestations (some have predominant motor symptoms, others have predominant non-motor symptoms), physical disability (some are serious, others are not) and speed of disease progression vary a lot among patients. Or is it possible that my profound understanding of the symptoms of Parkinson's, exercise and supplements have successfully slowed down the progression of disease (i.e. disease-modifying or neuroprotective therapy)? My exercise trainers are very surprised that I have been doing much better in the gym compared with more than two months ago. Even my doctor, relatives and friends agree with this. Sometimes, I even feel like a “normal person” behind the mask. I think that I have my own recipe for coping well with Parkinson’s. Kindly give your comment. Regards
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Dr. OkunJoined: 19 Jan 2007Posts: 251Location: University of Florida
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the post. Exercise if like a drug for many PD patients. Your story is interesting. Many patients do not in fact have to increase their doses every year or two. The changes are quite variable between patients and we discourage generalizing based on someone else's experience. It is not clear why you need less medication, but perhaps you were slightly overmedicated before or the exercise and other strategies are helping. Regardless keep up the great work._________________Michael S. Okun, M.D.


Dear Mr. Teo,

It is really remarkable that you have been able to reduce the daily dose of Parkinson’s medications (i.e. Requip). This is in contrast to other Parkinson’s patients who regularly need to increase the daily dose of medications. I believe that there are several explanations for this interesting phenomenon.

Firstly, all of us are aware that you have been more significantly affected by the non-motor symptoms (e.g. depression, anxiety, insomnia) than the motor symptoms. As a result of these non-motor symptoms, you had been having significant lethargy, lack of energy and poor concentration. These symptoms had affected your driving performance, and could have been mistaken for Parkinson’s (explaining why you needed a relatively higher dose of Parkinson’s medications previously).

The very fact that your physical endurance and driving performance improved after starting the “sleep cocktail” suggested that sleep deprivation was one of the major causes of your disability. Any elderly person who does not have enough sleep is likely to suffer from lethargy and poor concentration. Furthermore, treatment with Lexapro (an antidepressant) has also improved your depressive symptoms.

In other words, the recognition and successful treatment of your non-motor symptoms have led to lesser degree of disability.

Secondly, I believe that a combination of optimistic attitude, sound knowledge, good exercise program and effective medications have contributed to the recent improvement in your condition. It is tempting to speculate whether your “heavyweight” exercise program and supplements (anti-oxidants) have successfully slowed down the progression of disease. Exercise is known to improve physical functioning, quality of life, walking mechanism and balance in Parkinson’s patients. Animal experiments have suggested that exercise can potentially minimize toxic damage to brain cells. Nevertheless, currently there is no scientific evidence that exercise and supplements have neuroprotective effect in Parkinson’s patients.

Yes, I fully agree that you have a successful and extraordinary recipe for coping with your illness. This “HeroTeo recipe” has certainly helped you to feel like a “normal person” behind the mask.

Ideally speaking, this is what we hope every Parkinson’s patient to feel like – that apart from their illness, they are normal people. However, I have to admit that this is much easier said than done. Nevertheless, even if Parkinson’s patients are not able to feel like normal, this does not stop them from living a normal life just like anyone else.
Dr Chew

NPF Forum Heroteo Weight Trainning

teokimhoeJoined: 03 Mar 2007Posts: 142Location: Malaysia
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:56 am Post subject: Heroteo Weight Training Exercises

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV9FKmVFrvM_________________to help the PD patients aware the diseases and encourage to set up support groups to educate the patients and their immediate families
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'


wheelersceJoined: 02 Mar 2007Posts: 779Location: MI
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:55 pm Post subject:

Mr. Teo, You are one determined guy! Thanks for sharing. Sue W.

PatientslikeMe : Secret Recipe behind the mask

http://www.patientslikeme.com/forum/show/48679

NPF Forum Secret recipe behind the mask

teokimhoeJoined: 03 Mar 2007Posts: 142Location: Malaysia
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:15 am Post subject: secret recipe behind the mask

Parkinson’s medications merely relieve the motor symptoms (i.e. tremor, rigidity, akinesia) but do not have any specific effect in slowing down the disease progression. As such, being a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder, Parkinson’s leads to increasing severity of symptoms and gradual decline in the quality of life. Typically, Parkinson’s patients need to increase the daily dose of medications almost every 1-2 years, in order to maintain their physical function. Last year, I needed eight tablets of Requip (2 mg) and three tablets of Sinemet CR (250) daily. My doctor told me that I needed that much of medications to keep me going in the gym while doing long hours of strenuous exercises. Over the past two months, I have been sleeping well (for 6-7 hours) every night after I started on a “sleep cocktail” – Xanax ½ tablet, Seroquel ½ tablet, Lexapro ½ tablet and Stilnox ½ tablet. Prior to this, I could sleep for only 4-5 hours per day. With the better sleep quality, I feel much stronger now. My physical endurance has improved. It is much easier for me to carry out strenuous exercise at the gym nowadays, for up to 3 hours daily. Ever since my stroke last year, I had been finding it difficult to focus on the road while driving. I wonder whether this was due to phobia (I had stroke while driving) or my Parkinson’s. However, the good news is that recently I have started driving again without any difficulty. I have also managed to cut down my medications to two tablets of Requip (2 mg) and three tablets of Sinemet CR (250) daily. Isn’t it strange that I have been able to reduce the daily dose of Parkinson’s medications, while other Parkinson’s patients have to keep on increasing their daily dose? Is it because of the status of Parkinson’s as a “designer disease” – the manifestations (some have predominant motor symptoms, others have predominant non-motor symptoms), physical disability (some are serious, others are not) and speed of disease progression vary a lot among patients. Or is it possible that my profound understanding of the symptoms of Parkinson's, exercise,diet and supplements have successfully slowed down the progression of disease (i.e. disease-modifying or neuroprotective therapy)? My exercise trainers are very surprised that I have been doing much better in the gym compared with more than two months ago. Even my doctor, relatives and friends agree with this. Sometimes, I even feel like a “normal person” behind the mask._________________to help the PD patients aware the diseases and encourage to set up support groups to educate the patients and their immediate families
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wheelersceJoined: 02 Mar 2007Posts: 779Location: MI
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject:

Hi, Teo, I'm glad you're doing well. As you say, PD is very individual. Not many of us could work out 3 hours a day, but I'm sure whatever exercise we do, with other good health habits, is beneficial. Best regards, Sue W.
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StargazerJoined: 26 Dec 2007Posts: 214Location: Eastern Washington
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:33 pm Post subject:

Teo I find your post very interesting, the group of meds you take were they all prescribed by your Dr.? I do not even know what some of them are for I must look them up. I also find your statement, " Sometimes, I even feel like a “normal person” behind the mask." I look at my pictures that have been taken that is exactly what I think, why do I look like that I feel great or am happy. Teo keep it up you are doing it right as Sue said most of us do not have the 3 hour time but I realize even a hard day of work makes me feel much better. Thanks for sharing. Deeann
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Rogerstar1 Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:24 am Post subject: Teo- You must be doing something right if you're feeling better and doing bertter. I wonder what would happen if you cut back a tablet of the CR 250 Sinemet. Or, for that matter if you were to add a half tablet or shorten interval and add a fourth. Any thoughts on this? What are your intitial wearing off symptoms? Thanks for sharing and contrinued success with your program. Roger

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NPF Discussion: recipe to stay normal

Anonymous	Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:16 am Post subject: My receipt to stay as normal As Parkinson is a progressive disease the medication of Parkinson are not the treatment but they are only help to relief the symptoms i.e tremor, rigidity,akinesia postural instability (T R A P). It is a chronicles disease, a degenerative neurologic disease. Degenerative disease means declining in quality thus the disease increases in severity over time. It is a designer's disease some are more serious and some less serious . The similarities among these diseases can make diagnose difficult and frustrating. My early prescription are eight Requip 2 mg and six Sinemet daily. I received a heavy doses as was told I amo doing long hours exercises at gym centre. I am taking the prescriptions for the past of eigth monhts. There have been increased interest that exercises, diet,nutrition,supplements and understanding of the disease besides medication are the disease modifying or neuroprotective therapies that they slow the progression of parkinson's.,studies consistently report that those with PD who exercise regularly tend to do better than those who do not. Healthy diet can help us achieve or maintain normal body weight, increase our energy level, boost our immune system, decrease risk factors for certain conditions or illnesses, and reduce constipation. It can be particularly helpful for people with PD to pay close attention to issues of diet and nutrition as poor nutritional status can result in, and contribute to, many of the common complaints associated with PD. For example, difficulties with swallowing can prevent people with PD from getting adequate nourishment, which can lead to a worsening of motor symptoms and increased weakness resulting in falls. In addition to promoting overall physical and emotional health and well being, exercise tends to minimize some of the primary and secondary symptoms of the disease. Though exercise is not a cure, it can help people with PD maintain muscle tone and function, remain flexible, and improve overall mobililty. At present I optimize my prescriptions to 2 Requip and 3 Sinemet daily. Is it my understanding the symptoms of parkinson's and the management of the disease slowdown the disease progression? Is it I am putting on masked face that I look as normal ? Is it parkinson's a designer's disease that parkinson patients find difficulties doing hourly daily exercises? Is it my hourly heavy exercises daily help me to put on masked face as normal? My physcial exercise trainers surprise that I am doing better than the normal during my physcial training exercises. My doctor, relatives, friends agree too. The above are my recipe for living well the disorder disease. Kindly comment
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Dr. Okun Joined: 19 Jan 2007 Posts: 251 Location: University of Florida	Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject: Thanks for your comments. There are often many motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD and they usually stretch beyond the TRAP symptoms you mention. PD is a designer disease in that it is different in different people and treatment approaches must be tailored. Exercise may improve the symptoms of PD. How much and how often and in which patients is unknown. Exercise is thought to maybe modify disease progression or be neuroprotective but this is also unknown. Some people believe exercise or instrument playing (trumpet or clarinet) improve facial expression but there is little data on this phenomenon. _________________ Michael S. Okun, M.D.
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exercise shape your brain

http://www.webmd.com/video/exercise-and-your-brain?ecd=wnl_day_071109