Category Archives: medications

Parkinsons Freezing

freezing, medications

I have had Parkinsons freezing for 18 or more years. My problem is locking up, can’t move.

Example: If I’m keying in on an object, trying to carry something, I will lock up and have to struggle to move. Once moving I’m better until I stop. Then, I struggle all over again. Is this a side effect of medication I take?  Jack

It is certainly the case that medications for Parkinsons have many side effects. You are wondering whether the side effects of the medications you are currently taking might be causing the freezing.

By way of investigating this issue, I recommend that you ask your pharmacist for the drug sheets on all medications that you currently take. Drug companies are actually quite good about reporting all the possible side effects. It is their legal obligation. If you see freezing listed as a side effect on the drug sheet disclosure, then you have the answer to the question you are asking here.

I would speculate that even if medication is contributing to the Parkinsons freezing that you are currently experiencing it is probably not the sole factor at play here.

Changing positions seems to always help people get unstuck. If you move from side to side after freezing it helps get you moving again.  If you focus on your destination, it also helps.

The reason for freezing is that the energy required for fluid movement gets totally blocked because of how you are standing and holding your body. Another way of saying this is that the center of balance gets shifted too far forward.

When you think about the challenge of freezing as a center of gravity issue it is much easier to address. You can do something about being stuck in the moment. If you believe freezing is caused by medications you take, then you may be less likely consider timely shifts in your balance that can help tremendously.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
www.Parkinsonsrecovery.com

Parkinson’s Treatment and Recovery

About Parkinson's Disease, drug interactions, Drug Side Effects, medications, Parkinsons treatments

I would like to know more about Parkinson’s treatment and recovery.

Tell me about your Parkinsons Recovery membership.

Do you recommend Zandopa? What homeopathic products can / should one use? I am considering the membership. Your-e-mails are excellent, I love to read them. I live in Canada BC and I might not have access to any resources which are similar to yours.

I really believe that my body can heal itself if I give it a chance and the right support.

Response to Parkinson’s Treatment and Recovery

Thanks for your email inquiring about Parkinson’s treatment and recovery options. As for the Parkinsons Recovery membership, I recommend that join and visit the 12 member websites daily for a month and just see if the visits are helpful. The subscription is only $10 a month.

Information is updated daily. Successful recoveries involve an ongoing process. When you visit the website every day, you are setting the intention to recover. More information is available at: https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com/parkinsons-recovery

As for recommendations of medications, I have to pass. I am not a medical doctor and so am not qualified to speak to that specific question. Rather, I am a researcher and can tell you a lot about what people do to get great relief from their symptoms.

Be sure to read the side effects of any medications you take. Often what you may think are the symptoms of Parkinsons are actually the side effects of medications you are taking. That news is a relief to many people!

I am so happy to hear you find my newsletters helpful. Also, I invite you to listen to the interviews on Parkinsons Recovery Radio.  There are now 280 replays of programs that I have hosted cover the full range of topics that address recovery options.

Recovery requires patience and commitment. It happens for people who are determined to make it happen.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

Update from Christian Hageseth

balance problems, Beliefs and Parkinson's, Exercise and Parkinson's, falls, improve balance, medications, Parkinsons Disease Information, yoga

Robert and I have recorded interviews three times in the past:

  1. September 2016: Five years no medications. Parkinson’s improving. How I had gone for 5 years without meds and was doing well using exercise and yoga
  2. January 2017: Wholistic (or holistic) how different PWPs approach their treatment.
  3. October 2018: Shifting the Parkinson’s disease mindset.
  • This is my fourth appearance on the show today, and I still hold to my beliefs.  
  1. EXERCISE. EXERCISE, EXERCISE. I cannot exercise as hard as I did before. Gradually I had to walk more and jog less. Could only 3 – 4 miles.
  2. More convinced than ever that MINDSET/ATTITUDE is the key, PARKINSON’S IS A CHALLENGE, NOT A CURSE.  When I was formally diagnosed, I was 70 years old. Life expectancy for me was 84.1. Well, now I’m 82.4. In a year and a half, I will have reached my life expectancy.
  3. YOGA remains critical.
  4. WAIT UNTIL you really must take Levodopa. Levodopa induced dyskinesia (LID) is a real deal and can be disabling. Google it on YouTube. 
  • Let’s look at my life since we last met, year by year.

2018 – I shot a video titled So High So Low for the “I HAD A DREAM PROJECT” where I hiked a three mile walk trail and climbed a thousand feet. 

Link: https://www.ihadadreamproject.com/i-had-a-dream-project-videos 

That year I also went to Uganda to demonstrate the practices I used to manage so long without meds. (Robert, this is quite a tale, plus I have pictures.)

  • 2019 – After directing the local Parkinson’s support group, I resigned so new blood could take over.

BUT: New symptoms emerged that I didn’t know about:

  1. Anomia: a language specific disturbance arising after brain damage whose main symptom is the inability of retrieving known words. But it’s not dementia!
  2. Pseudo Bulbar Affect Crying or laughing excessively upon feeling any deep feeling.
  3. Dysphagia: difficulty or discomfort in swallowing as a symptom of disease. It starts out with mucus as postnasal drip. Get to an OT!
  4. Oily, flakey skin
  5. Sleep disturbances. Fall into deep sleep in the middle of the day. And then don’t sleep well at night.
  6. Pain in bed at night. Interfered with sleep.
  • 2020 – It was a remarkable and horrific year. PANDEMIC!

No more yoga classes! No gym with weightlifting. Social interaction approached zero. 

  • 2021 – Then, a condition worse than Parkinson’s emerged: Major Depression.

March 2021 – Fell and shattered right knee – 16 days in hospital.

July 2021 – Fell and broke my right hip.

August – Severe depression, I became suicidal.

September – Chose to have a course of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)

October- It worked, and my PD improved a lot.

The falls were due to the antidepressant I was taking may increase fall for people with Parkinsons.

LESSON: Make sure you MD goes through all meds in case a med might make falling more likely

My story with Depression

Family history is strong.

Parkinson’s did not cause my suicidal depression, genetics and environment did.  Antidepressant medication failed to work and led to my falls!

2022 – I returned to my new normal. And that’s where I am today. I just have more symptoms and feel weaker.

I followed up with PWPs who I have advised in the past.

It became clear to me: I want to coach people with PD. 

I HAVE A LOT TO OFFER!

Teach PWPs how to become a “Bad Ass with PD.” 

No more withdrawal and depression.

My PD website: www.makemostofpd.com  

Robert, I want to come back with a program I have just developed to make being a person with PD and their caregiver have a better relationship. 

New website www.the-kindness-dialogue.com 

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

Patients Who Reduced Their Medications

medications

I know you are not a physician but we want to hear from patients with the same experience Or have you interviewed patients who reduced their medications  successfully to recovery. We want to learn from these experiences.

I post e mails from people here on the Parkinsons Recovery Blog who report patients who reduced their medications using one approach or another.  Check in with the blog periodically to get their stories.

I also document cases in Pioneers of Recovery. Many I have interviewed over the years have been successful in reducing their medications in close collaboration with their doctor.

People use different approaches to reduce their medications. The most important rule is to do this slowly working with your doctor.  As you point out, there are many excellent alternatives which can be considered. Some will succeed for you and others will not.

As you correctly point out, I am certainly not qualified to say one way or another whether this particular drug therapy would be a good choice for you. I would proceed just as you are – ask around – get some opinions – then  use your own intuition to decide whether taking this drug would be a smart decision for you or not.

Drugs have literally saved people’s lives, so we must all be thankful that they exist. The downside to taking any prescription drug is that there are always side effects. That is why the FDA is involved.

You may well achieve your goal (which in your case is to reduce the medications you are currently taking) but other unwanted side effects may emerge (or not). You never know since every one’s reactions to drugs differs.

As with any drug the list of possible side effects for the drug you are considering is extensive. Possibilities that have been reported for the drug you are considering include disturbed sleep, unsettling dreams, fatigue, spasms, pain, headache, diarrhea and an increase of liver enzymes. If you decide to pursue this as a therapy you may experience none of these possible side effects. Or, you may experience several of them.

You can always evaluate whether any therapy is a good idea or not for you through muscle testing and checking in with your own intuitive sense of what is the right decision to make.

You actually know the answer to your own question. When you sort out how the option feels, you will know the right decision to make.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

 

 

Weaning Off PD Medications

medications

Lately, I have been contemplating the weaning off PD medications. Presently I take 100 mg of Levodopa Carbidopa 4 times daily and I take Requip for restless leg syndrome, five times daily.(The Levodopa is a fairly low dosage.) I am also on Azilect 1 mg 1x daily. This is the highly touted drug that is supposed to slow down PD.

Motivating me first and foremost to stop my meds, is that I do not like putting chemicals into my body and I have been taking Lev/Carb for 12 years now. Secondly I have read that if you keep supplying your body with pill form dopamine, it relies on that, and it will not try to make dopamine on its own.

In the future, I would like to try and free my body of pill form chemicals, and put my body back to work for itself. I know that this would have to be done gradually and carefully and working with a doctor under his/her guidance. And it would involve lots of work on my part. And I do remind myself too, that it could be risky–and at this moment I am fending off symptoms quite well.

My neurologist he cautions me saying that I am doing so well, why change anything? He says that first of all PD patients like myself, whose symptoms start with a tremor, tend to fare better than others. (And I am thankful for that). But mostly he stresses that MY MEDS are the biggest contributing factor for my ‘wellness’, and that THEY are what is making the difference for me. So, no encouragement from him whatsoever.

I just wondered if, in your work, with PD, Roger, have you ever encountered or heard of anyone else who has set out on a similar journey : without meds and using alternative therapies, and whether they have been successful, or not. If so I would be interested in hearing their stories. And do you or your colleagues have any comments?

Thanx

Ms X

Your vision is clear about what you want to see happen with weaning off PD medications. You have precisely what you need to manifest your heart’s desire: a clear vision, solid focus and unwavering determination. There will always be people who question your decision. This happens with any change you have decided to initiate.

You ask if there are any other people who have pursued a similar path. I know of many people on a path of reducing meditations and/or alternating their program in one way or another. Some people wean themselves off medications that are no longer serving their best and highest good with the support of their doctors.

The challenge of course is that side effects of certain medications can begin to be  worse than the symptoms the medications are formulated to help.

Compounding pharmacists tell tell me that if a person is taking three medications, there is a good chance there are drug interactions and drug depletions. If a person is taking five, there is a 100% chance of drug interactions and/or depletions.

The term you use is weaning which is appropriate. When people try to stop medications, serious consequences can result – even visits to hospital emergency rooms. The trick is to reduce the dosage very gradually with the guidance of your doctor. It may take months before success is celebrated.

It takes a serious commitment on your part. And as you aptly point out, you have to work very closely with a doctor who supports your decision to wean off medications. It is also important to acknowledge the role that supplements have in whatever decisions you make and whatever approach you pursue.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

 

What Parkinson’s Medicines Cause Nutrient Depletions?

medications, Parkinsons Disease Information

A multitude of options – some natural and some not – are available for treating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The most popular of all options is taking Parkinson’s medicines  which offer welcome relief to some.  These medicines do not offer relief for everyone. Thankfully, many do benefit. This is the same result for any of the options I have documented over the past decade. Some people benefit.  Others do not.

One complication caused by taking Parkinson’s medicines (despite their benefits) is that Parkinson's Medicinesthey can deplete the availability of certain critical nutrients that are essential to overall health and well-being. Exhaustion, fatigue and other troubling symptoms can result.

One of the guest instructors in my new course “Make Medicines Matter” (which kicks off Thursday, May 16th) is Natural Compounding Pharmacist Ross Pelton. What medicines are you taking and, as a result, what nutrient depletion’s are likely?  Ross will discuss which medications deplete which nutrients.

If you have enrolled in “Make Medicines Matter” – be sure to attend this class. Email me in advance of the name of any medications you currently take. I will be sure and ask Ross during this class May 30th.

When to Start Taking Parkinsons Medications

medications

Naturopath John Coleman. ND, from Australia answers the question asked by a member of my audience: “When to Start Taking Parkinsons Medications?” Many people agonize over this issue. John provides his own perspective in offering his answer to this question.

Author of the book Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin‘, John Coleman was one of the first individuals to recover from symptoms of Parkinson’s disease he personally experienced in the mid 1990’s. Given his personal journey down the road to recovery, John offers rich insights into the question from a member of the Parkinsons Recovery audience : When to Start Taking Parkinsons Medications?

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

How to Reduce Medication Dosage

medications, Parkinsons Disease Information

“how do I wean myself off medications with out a doctor?”

The question for how to reduce medication dosage was submitted through My Q&A system available on the main blog at www.parkinsonsrecovery.com.  Your doctor prescribed the medications for you in the first place, so you will have to involve them in the process of weaning yourself off of them. The weaning process can take some time, so you will more than likely need your doctor to continue prescribing the medications even though you have made a conscious choice to reduce the dosage.

Many people find reducing the dose very difficult, especially when the reduction that is attempted is to aggressive. Serious side effects can result under such circumstances. The best practice is to reduce the dose gradually and slowly. Give your body plenty of time to adjust to the change.

I think it is always a wise move to involve a compounding pharmacist in helping reduce the dose. They can make medicines that have slightly less in them and monitor how your are doing with the reduction, They will also correspond with your doctor to advise them of the status of your plan to reduce the dosage.

I think it is a smart move to take control of your own recovery plan. Hopefully, your doctor will be supportive of your decision. The people who succeed in their recovery have a full appreciation of the importance of taking full control over their recovery.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

Does Carbidopa/Levodopa Hamper Recovery?

medications

I use carbidopa/levodopa daily and have for about 4 years. I’ve tried with out the medication for about 2 weeks on two separate occasions recently. Unfortunately I was shocked at how difficult all movement was without it. But I’m concerned. Does Carbidopa/Levodopa hamper recovery? Any data on this?

Pat

The challenge with taking medication is that over time, a higher dosage is needed to achieve the same benefit. Eventually, increases in dosage have no added impact and begin making matters worse. It is not that the medications make the situation worse. It is just that they stop offering the benefit originally intended by you and your doctor.

As in your case, let me stress that users can celebrate symptom relief and are able to function again. It helps you feel better now. The trick is to begin exploring the cause of your symptoms and begin with therapies that address them. For example, if toxins are a cause, being a detox program in close consultation with your doctor.

My research reveals that it is not advisable to stop taking any prescription medication – to go “cold turkey.” The side effects of withdrawal can be troublesome.

If you decide to reduce the medication after consulting with your doctor it is critical to do so slowly and gradually. Compounding pharmacists are an ideal resource who can help you reduce the dosage very gradually so that the reduction does not trigger strong side effects.

A number of persons have reported that medications have helped them get back on their feet so that they could begin doing what is required to reverse the symptoms. Once other options are found that address the causes of your symptoms, many people find they do not need to take as much medication and some have been successful with weaning off of them completely. This of course is a slow process that needs to be pursued mindfully.

In the end, when it comes to the question of – does Carbidopa/Levodopa hamper recovery- it is a question of balance. There are a multitude of therapeutic options that are helping people reverse their symptoms. Once options in addition to the medication are identified and found to facilitate a reversal of symptoms, most people find it is possible to begin reducing their medication dosage very gradually in close consultation with their doctor and their compounding pharmacist.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Pioneers of Recovery

Side Effects of Parkinson’s Medications

medications, sinemet

Writing for my partner, H, 55, who was diagnosed with PD about 6 yrs ago.  Went on Sinemet last Sept when his body went rigid.  I “re-met” him in October and  immediately began researching alternatives.

H asked me to move in last Jan to assist with his care.  Since then, we have both turned our eating and exercise habits around 360*, his esp from the comfort of a steady diet of Coke, cookies and pizza to Dr. Wahl’s suggestions, tons of greens and veggies, no sugar/no wheat/little dairy.   

Exercise has increased to nearly daily walks, up to 4 mi, though it requires all his concentration to keep his right foot from dragging.

Body work — foot holding and gentle massage, Bowen as best I can understand it from books (no local practitioner).

All of this seemed to have a positive effect on his symptoms, several weeks with many good tremor-free days, mood elevated and better sleep until a few days ago when his tremors became suddenly more violent and muscles knotted again.   The massage gives him relief from the tremors for a few hours.

Is it possible that the 4 Sinemet he’s been taking daily might now be causing the same  symptoms they were supposed to help?

Nancy

Response:

I extracted the following information on side effects for Sinemet, a Parkinson’s medication, from www.drugs.com which is quoted below. There is quite a bit more information on the website you may also want to study.

“Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Sinemet”  

“Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; blood in vomit; chest pain; confusion; depression; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever; hallucinations; mental or mood changes; muscle pain or unusual stiffness; new or increased involuntary movements; severe abdominal pain; severe light headedness or fainting; sore throat; thoughts of suicide; unexplained fever or sweating; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual or painful movements or spasms of the face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, arms, hands, or legs; vision changes (blurred or double vision); yellowing of the skin or eyes.”

“Nervous system effects occur in as many as 50% of treated patients on long-term therapy and include involuntary movements and mental status changes most frequently. The types of involuntary movements due to levodopa have been characterized as choreiform, dystonic and dyskinetic. Fluctuations in motor function occur frequently and often increase as the duration of therapy increases.”

“This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.”

Response

My reading of the above side effects suggests that the answer to your question is yes – it is possible that the medication might be causing the same symptoms they were developed to help. Of course we do not know whether this is happening in your partner’s case.

The reason the FDA is involved in regulating prescription medications is to insure that the side effects are well documented.  As you will be able to see from a review of the side effects that are reported in the drugs.com website, the documentation on possible outcomes is exhaustive.

It is important to keep in  mind that everyone’s body is different. There will be a wide variety of reactions to any medication – some good and some adverse. My research reveals that Sinemet does provide relief for some people, but for other people it can cause side effects that can be worse than the symptoms they were supposed to address. This is really not that different from using any prescription medication regardless of the reason for its use.

It would be a good idea at this point to get a follow-up consultation with your doctor who will be in a position to evaluate what is really happening here and possibly suggest alternative courses of treatment.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery’
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

Medication Side Effects of Fear and Anger

anger, fear, medications

I am suffering from Parkinson’s disease since 5 years. Presently I am taking Entacom Plus and Pacetane 3 times daily. But recently I observed that I am mentally disturbed. I am not able to work easily. I am not able to put myself stable. An unknown fear or angry is developing in me.

Kindly let me know the remedy

Rao

Response

By your description, it certainly sounds like you are experiencing the medication side effects in the form of fear and anger. People react differently to medications. Some people have no side effects and experience only the benefits of the medications. Others – and it appears you fall into this category of people – can experience debilitating side effects.

I wish I could report there is a simple remedy for this problem – perhaps a pill that would solve the problem. Alas, such simple solutions are not available. I am quite sure this is not the response you were hoping to hear, but it is the honest truth.

At a minimum you can read the list of side effects that you will find in the prescription inserts that your pharmacist will have. This would likely pinpoint the problem.
It is possible however that the problem you are experiencing is triggered by the particular combination of both medications taken together. That is to say, taking one medications may not be problematic for you, but when both are consumed, certain processes are triggered in your body that are creating the alarming fear and anger.

It is possible the problem may be solved by eliminating one or both medications or finding substitutes. Work with your doctor to explore alternatives. Keep in mind that with most
prescription medications, it is not advisable to stop taking them. The consequences can be disastrous. For most medications, you must reduce the dosage you take very slowly and very deliberately. Make these decisions in close consultation with your doctor.

I would also suggest that you approach the challenge you are facing from a new perspective. While the medications appear to be triggering anger and fear, everyone holds both
in their subconscious. We all have anger that is repressed and that is contained at the cellular level of our body. We all hold fear that we suppress as well.

A healthy approach is simply to acknowledge that everyone confronts the issues that you describe in your question. The only difference is that these issues – dealing with fear
and anger – are very difficult to manage and keep under control right now.

There are many powerful therapies you might explore that invite your body to release all of the repressed fear and anger that are making it difficult for you to function right now. Since I do not know where you live or what country you are from, I am not in a position to be specific here. I invite you to begin your own search for therapists you offer such services.
Approach your investigation by searching for people who work with the body rather than the mind. Such therapies will likely be much more helpful than talk therapists for the challenges that you describe in your question.

The solution lies deep within. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to acknowledge it will take time, clear intent and patience to resolve the challenges you currently confront.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com

Sinemet Titration

low dose naltrexone, medications, sinemet
Lexie forwarded the progress report below and gave me permission to post it. Lexie is one of the 11 individuals who contributed to Pioneers of Recovery which was just released last week.
Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
Because of LDN, I have now titrated off of ALL of my ‘Sinemet – not even using that very occasional dose when I feel I might need it for a very long day, etc.  Now, when I have a foot tremor, I refuse to let my body go there and I just consciously “stop” the tremor and it is working! 

 

Wishing you and yours a beautiful Thanksgiving Holiday!  Thank you for all that you do to give people with PD hope that they can and will get well if “they choose to” and if they do the work that it takes.

 

Lexie 

Stress and Parkinson’s Disease

medications, Meditation, mindfulness, Stress and Parkinsons

It is well known that stress has a direct and profound impact on the symptoms that are associated with Parkinson’s Disease. The connection is immediate. When you are stressed symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease will inevitably flare up.

Without stress, the symptoms of Parkinson’s have a terribly difficult time showing up. How can you reduce the stresses in your daily life? One profound, natural and effective approach for reducing stress is to become more mindful and present to the each and every moment.

I must confess I did not have a clue how to become more mindful until I began a project in collaboration with Nancy Welch several years ago. Nancy, a psychotherapist and expert on Mindfulness as well as chronic illness, and I conducted interviews with national experts on mindfulness during 2010. Their wisdom is now captured in Nancy’s new book, Medicine and Meditation, which has just been released as a paper back and a download to your computer.

Nancy Welch’s new book is entitled: Medicine and Meditation, Conversations on Mindfulness in the Management of Chronic Pain and Illness is a true gem. Some of you may have listened to some of these interviews when they were aired live. Her new book explains in detail how we all can become more mindful which reduces stress and invites our hormones to come back into balance. I believe the potential for reversing the symptoms of Parkinson’s is significant when mindfulness is practiced. .

The print book is $14.99 and the download is $9.99. For further information and to order, visit:

www.medicinemeditation.com

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com

Any Hope After the Medicines Stop Working?

medications

My friend’s husband is 53 and has been living with Parkinsons for 12 years. The medicine does not seem to work anymore. He now shakes the whole day where as before it was only once the medicine wore of. Is There Any Hope After the Medicines Stop Working?

Is there any treatment that he can go for that will help him to live a normal life again?

Have you had any feedback on stem cell replacement therapy?

Regards:

Annelie

Response: Is There Any Hope After the Medicines Stop Working

Yes indeed. There are many, many therapeutic possibilities that your friend’s husband could find that would be helpful now that the medicines are have stopped working.

Most people are familiar with the approach used in the specialty of western medicine. Help offered by prescription medicines has been useful to your friend’s husband for over a decade, but is now no longer working for him. He can celebrate the many years of relief he obtained from the medicines he has taken thanks to western medicine. Some people discover that the prescription medicines are only helpful for 2-3 years at best.

Now what? The good news is that the treatments offered by western medicine in the form of medicines and surgeries are only one among dozens of other treatment options and approaches. Recovery really hinges on broadening the perspective on recovery options and being willing to consider other treatment modalities.

There are a multitude of therapies – some thousands of years old – that people with Parkinsons report offer relief from their symptoms. Most are natural, safe and offer the potential for improvement in health on some level. I have documented dozens of therapies in Road to Recovery that help people recover.

There is a wide range of choices to consider from sound therapy to vibration therapy to herbal remedies to quantum healing to energy healing to biofeedback to Emotional Freedom Technique to photobiomodulation to focused ultrasound …  The list goes on and on.

Western medicine has been in existence for about 100 years. Many of the other specialties that offer profound relief to persons with Parkinson’s have been around for thousands of years and and have proven true to the test of time.

Success with recovery requires that the cause (or causes) of symptoms be identified and therapies adopted that address the cause. I have documented 11 stories of recovery in Pioneers of Recovery. Each person had a successful recovery but went about it with very different therapies and approaches. In short, each situation is unique and requires an individualized approach.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

Parkinsons Recovery Happens Day By Day: People Get Better

detoxes, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Exercise and Parkinson's, Feldenkrais, medications, Nutrition, recovery

Parkinsons Recovery– People Get Better

I am a recently joined member from England. I am so excited about finding your web site and want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are no words to express my gratitude and excitement. I am really going to enjoy my recovery as it happens day by day. I have always had a little place inside me that says “I will figure this out”. Now I have found the way with your help and I have regained my drive. It is fantastic!

I have had definite symptoms for 12 years though I have been burdening my mind and body with severe stress for years, mistakenly believing I could handle anything. Then the oak tree collapsed: I was totally exhausted and had no idea. I have been taking requip for 5 years and sinemet for 18 months and am determined to get free of them. I know I will though I don’t know details of the how yet. Don’t worry I shall be very careful and I have a lot of support. I have learned that relationships are even more important than health.

The things I am doing NOW are:

listening to your radio shows lots of exercise, my dog gets 2 1hr walks per day in beautiful woodland exercise bike stretches and balancing listening to guided meditations really clean healthy diet lots and lots of water singing class nintendo wi writing out and reading poetry aloud eft feldenkrais recording my progress and activities and goals. my writing is loads better already hot and cold showering every day. The EFT Deft is HUGE for me.

I am not the person I was before my symptoms came along. The changes are quite staggering that actually I am a bit overwhelmed and confused. It has helped uncover something of the pay- off I get from having my symptoms – a mega breakthrough.

I found your site, actually the radio downloads on itunes 5 weeks ago and have improved so much already from really quite a bad place as the drugs were beginning not to work. They work well now. I have only stared eft in the last week

I was doing something of the above list before but now I have designed myself a programme which is a little bit strict and a little bit flexible. I have decided to stick to working with this before I look at supplements and more complex things. I want to give my body some time on the basics – good food, fresh air, mental stimulation, relaxation, fun etc. I have realized how sensitive I am at last. And I forgot to mention I have started detoxing my environment – so far I have junked all my toiletries for natural ones, and only have about 1/8 what I had before! Now I am working through the cleaning stuff. It feels so good.

I am 55 years young, have a great husband who doesn’t give me too much sympathy and does his own thing, yet is fantastically caring and I have 2 fantastic sons aged 24 and 27. I have a brother who I would do anything for and a sister that I value and love though I don’t have the same rapport with her.

I have just joined your membership pages today to continue my parkinsons recovery and it is great to get your emails. Encouragement is fab.

The crucial thing you have given me is the knowledge PEOPLE GET BETTER. Now I know that I am on my way.

With heartfelt thanks

Fiona

Thank you Fiona for your inspirational progress report.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com 

 

Full Recovery from Parkinson’s

Exercise and Parkinson's, healing, medications, Nutrition, quantum healing, recovery, Thoughts and Parkinsons

Hi Robert: You have been incredibly on point with regard to healing and full recovery from Parkinson’s although I am not one hundred percent sure how it is I celebrated a full recovery. recovery I know that you have recently expressed the direction I went. I think the study of neurophysiology and quantum mechanics as it applies to neurology forced me to go back and re-learn the mathematics necessary to visualize quantum theory. Furthermore when I would go walking I would of course contemplate these principles. This is a little difficult to explain but it was like a light came on. This event was not sudden but involved significant time with daily study and contemplation although that is not what I intended.

In those days the talk of any sort of psychic change or shift in consciousness would have been met with laughter, however those concepts are steadily becoming more talked about especially from evolved teachers like yourself. Although not advised I quit taking all of my PD meds which included a lot of sentimet and mirapex. It was difficult for a few days and I was still shaky.

I applied a lot of other things that I had learned including detox, no refined foods, organic fruits and veg’s and a great deal of exercise. Then the symptoms dissipated completely so I am in full recovery from Parkinson’s symptoms now.

Robert I think if there is an effective way to release our minds from the conditioned way of perceiving information or reality as we have learned it is much easier to experience more constructive thoughts. Our new found way of experiencing life is where healing and recovery reside because there is this all important element of belief that plays a vital role.

Bobby

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery

Can Medications Make Symptoms Worse

medications

Can medications make symptoms worse? I have been taking L/Dopa for 6 months now and just increased my dose in the last couple weeks and I have noticed more tremors in my legs.

Mandy

Unfortunately, taking medications is a two edged sword. Yes, they can provide relief from some of the symptoms – especially in the short run. And yes, all prescription medications have side effects.

If you list all of the side effects associated with the prescription medications that are available to treat Parkinson’s Disease you will actually see a long list of all the symptoms that are associated with Parkinson’s.

Some people experience few side effects. They find the medications provide them with welcome relief. Other people report that the side effects are worse than the symptoms they experienced before taking the medications.

I am not a medical doctor. I am not qualified to diagnose what is happening to you. I can offer a simple observation.

If you increase the dose of a medication and the symptoms are worse than before, your body is giving you a strong message. For whatever reason, the medication(s) at the current dose do not appear to be helping.

It could be a single medication. Or, it could be the side effects created from taking more than one medication. Your doctor is the go to resource when it comes down to resolving this problem. It may be a simple problem with a dose that is too high.

I would recommend entertaining other options that offer the opportunity to tame tremors which can be used in conjunction with medications. I have documented dozens of natural therapies that are proven to quiet  tremors in my online course here: Tame Tremors.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

 

Is Recovery Possible with Parkinsons Medications?

medications, recovery

I have been reading information on how to recover from Parkinson’s Disease and I came upon a article that indicated that once you are on the Parkinsons medication you cannot recover from the disease…that you cannot go back so to speak. Do you believe this to be true? Is Recovery Possible with Parkinsons Medications?

Mandy

No I do not believe this is true. What do I believe?

Our thought forms determine our health and wellness. If you believe recovery is not possible for any reason – in your example because of the medications – recovery will not be possible. Period. End of story.

If on the other hand, you believe that recovery is possible, the magic begins. You will quickly begin to feel better. Transform your moment to moment thoughts and the miracle of life will unfold before your eyes.

I wrote Five Steps to Recovery to help people transform the thought forms that no longer serve their best and highest good. The steps help me moment to moment transform my own thoughts which do not serve my best and highest good. The challenge of transformation is tricky because we have as many as 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts each day!

I say to you today – believe in your heart, mind and soul that recovery will happen. Then sit back and enjoy the ride to recovery. Is recovery possible with Parkinsons medications? My answer is yes.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

 

My Old Energy Has Returned

Chinese Scalp Acupuncture, Exercise and Parkinson's, herbs, Massage, medications, Meditation, recovery, yoga

I was diagnosed early stage PD last January and have been on Sinemet ever since. I wasn”t seeing any definitive response to the med which my doctor saw as troubling, suspecting that might mean I had Parkinson’s plus… a grimmer diagnosis that simple Parkinsons. We worked up to 7 pills per day, which is a lot to start off with. The good news is that my old energy has returned.  

I felt better but honestly I myself wasn”t 100% sure it was because of the meds, because by that time (now i was 6 months post dx) I had gone beyond the shock and initial depression I had experienced upon initial diagnosis and was heavily into alternative treatments… (acupuncture, Chinese herbs, massage, exercise, twice weekly yoga, rest, meditation, Reiki, etc). reading your book was extremely helpful and inspiring. Facing my own deeper negative thought patterns was critical… particularly the belief that i wasn”t really ever going to recover.

My old energy has returned. Although I am not symptom free I do feel better as I learn how to take charge of my health more and more every day. Slowly I have come to believe in my capacity to recover. What a journey!

2 months ago I started gradually reducing my daily Sinemet from the peak of 7 pills to now 3, ramping it down half a pill per week. I plan on continuing this as long as I feel well, intending to get off it altogether several more weeks from now. Obviously I am pleased with this development, and recognize there will likely be more hurdles to overcome as I go forward. the point is I am ready for the challenge.

Dan

Thanks to Dan for giving me permission to post his update here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery