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Day 11 of #30DaysofPD: Deep Brain Stimulation Gave Me Back My Life
This is Christine Scheer’s story.
Christine received a life-changing call from her physician on her 60th birthday. She was scheduled for deep brain stimulation surgery, an operation that drastically improved her quality of life.
As Christine’s Parkinson’s symptoms became more prevalent, she knew she needed a change. While the surgery is by no means a cure, it’s helped her manage daily living.
Here’s an excerpt: “Some have asked if I’m “cured.” Not at all. The Parkinson’s devil still lurks beneath the surface, and I fight it daily. I’ve started exercising again. Two weeks after surgery, I did a 5-kilometer walk for a local charity, and I’m now running three times a week and doing spin classes and weight training twice a week. I hope to start a walking group soon.”
Have you had this surgery? What was your experience?
Parkinson’s News Today’s 30 Days of PD campaign will publish one story per day for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month in April. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more stories like this, using the hashtag #30DaysofPD, or read the full series.
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5 Replies
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No. I have heard DBS is risky for those over 80.
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Barbara, it’s true that DBS can be riskier for some more than others. But I’ve heard that they’re doing research and starting a trial in the UK that could help to refine the surgery and device. Hopefully this will open the door to more people!
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On April 19 & 29,2022, I had DBS surgery at UT Southwestern in Dallas. The first surgery was to insert the electrodes into my brain, the second surgery was to surgically implant the power source, just under my right collarbone. Both surgeries went well and I was expected to recover without difficulty.
(My age is 75, and the UT psychiatrists remarked that I had passed the absence of dementia and cognitive abilities tests, with a higher score than any one they had previously tested).
The only flaw to my recovery, was a constant nausea & vomiting, and feeling “bad “. I was reminded that I was 75 years old and I would need a longer recovery time for my body to heal.
It is almost 2 months since my first surgery. The nausea and vomiting are still in full force. My weight has dropped from 120 pounds to 105 pounds, and I am physically weak. It is not known if this is related to the DBS surgery, but my guess is it is not. Am I glad I had the surgery? Without reservation, yes! My dyskinesia and tremor are better controlled, and this continues to improve.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?-
Barbara, it must be really scary to see yourself dropping weight without knowing why. I’m so sorry that you’re going through that.
My dad went through DBS with mostly positive results. He was in his 60s when he got the implant, and it helped alot with dyskinesia. But he’s not always sure that the results are lasting. Have your doctors been able to explain the potential causes of the nausea and weight loss at all?
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Barbara,
Like you I had both BDS surgeries in April 2022. My experience is a 100% positive.
I’m a 66 year old male with severe resting tremors for 3 years. Its unbelievable to see the tremors just stop in the arm, hands, leg and feet! I can sit and relax for the first time in years. The pain and stiffness in the arm and leg have subsided with some work now that the tremors are gone. I not had any real side effects and am off levadopa except an occasional pill when I’m golfing or in a stressful situation.
I’m lucky, neurologist and surgeon said my symptoms made me a perfect candidate for DBS which I had done completely asleep.
Mitch Niese
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