In Plain Language – A FAQ for Parkinsons Disease

A FAQ for Parkinsons Disease

Learning that you have a chronic, incurable disease that will only get worse as time goes on is bad enough. Not understanding half of what your doctor says to you can make it far more frightening than it needs to be. Here are some of the questions that you might have – and were uncomfortable asking your doctor.

I’ve got what?

Parkinson’s disease is a disease that affects the brain – particularly those parts of the brain that control the movement of your muscles. At this time, there’s no cure for it, but scientists and researchers all over the world are racing to find a cure for it. Until then, there are medicines and surgery and other treatments that can help you deal with the symptoms.

How long have I got?

This has got to be one of the first questions on your mind as soon as the doctor says ‘incurable’. The good news is that time is on your side. First, Parkinsons is not by itself fatal. It’s also usually a very slow-moving disease. If your doctor seems to be hedging when you ask him how long it will be before your symptoms get worse, it’s because he honestly doesn’t know. It’s different from person to person. For most people with the disease, it will be years before the symptoms are bad enough to seriously interfere with their life. The important thing is to let your doctor know if the symptoms become more noticeable. There are medications and therapies that he can order to lessen them and even, in some cases, make them go away.

How did I get this disease?

The truth is that no one is sure what causes Parkinsons. Most researchers believe that some people have a genetic abnormality that makes them more susceptible to damage from pesticides and other environmental contaminants. The one thing that they are sure of is that you can’t ‘catch’ the disease. It isn’t congagious.

What can they do to help me?

The shakiness and slow movements that go along with Parkinsons are caused because a part of your brain isn’t producing a chemical that your body needs. The chemical is called dopamine, and it helps your brain tell your muscles what to do. One of the most common treatments for the disease is a medicine called L-dopa, which your body can use to make dopamine. There are other treatments that you can discuss with your doctor if the symptoms get worse and start interfering with your life.

Could the doctor be wrong?

Yes. Because Parkinsons disease in the early stages resembles several other problems, there’s a possibility that your doctor is wrong. If you’re not sure about your diagnosis, you can ask to see another doctor for a second diagnosis.

What will the disease do to me?

It’s really hard to say, since people have very different sets of symptoms. The most common are tremors – shaking or trembling in your hands or legs – rigidity, slowness in moving and loss of balance. You may have trouble getting parts of your body to move, or stopping them from moving. Eventually, you may have trouble swallowing, or getting your face to smile. Some people with Parkinsons have many of these symptoms – some have very few.