Re: Back again

[Dick Swindler <DSwind2940@xxxxxxx>]

Marilyn -

Welcome back.  Have you searched the archives for info on deep brain
stimulation?  You'll find several accounts from listmembers there.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, the newest DBS is
sub-thalamic nucleus stimulation.  I can't tell you for sure which symptoms
that targets.

My husband (Dick, 54/17) had bilateral pallidal stimulations three years ago,
and is doing very well.  That surgery was to target specifically dyskinesia
and dystonia, plus, I think, bradykinesia.  He wasn't promised any help for
his severe tremor.  However, his tremor is entirely gone, and his dystonia
(which he had instead of dyskinesia) has almost disappeared completely.

He was able to go home the day after surgery.  He had a headache for a couple
of days, but that's all.

Thanks to the surgery, his quality of life was again bearable, and between
that and Mirapex, he functions almost normally.  He's doing spectacularly
well for someone who has had PD for 17 years.

There are risks to the surgery, of course.  They'll be explained to you ahead
of time.  And it's not a cure.  But in terms of quality of life, there's
nothing right now that can compete with the results.

Best of luck to both of you.  If you have more questions, feel free to write.

Margie Swindler