• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: If you are in good physical and mental condition, insist on vanning DBS. For me, it has turned the clock back years! Up front cost was $120,000 US.

Cost: $200+ monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Never taken as prescribed
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: My mood improved with my confidence and improved abilities

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: depressed mood

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: depressed mood

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: ask lots of questions and do lots of research before the procedure and know your doctors,make sure they know you well

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: depressed mood

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  Mild (depressed mood)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: Huge mobility improvements and overall increased self sufficiency

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: depressed mood

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Effectiveness

  Major (for on to off fluctuations worsening)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: My DBS operation was in 2010 at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, Dr. Mandybur with the Mayfield Clinic. DBS is critical for me to live a more normal life!! When I have experienced my DBS being turned off, I can't hardly move, my face becomes a mask, I feel terrible, can't dress my self, etc. If you have had PD for 7 years, I recommend that you definitely should check if you are a candidate for the procedure!! Update: I now go to 7 hours of PD specific exercise classes including 3 hours per week at Rock Steady Boxing for conditioning, weight training and boxing. Exercise is the new medicine for Parkinson's. If you are not involved, get moving. The more we sit around the worse our symptoms will be.

• Effectiveness

  Major (for on to off fluctuations worsening)
• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  Mild (slurred speech)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

• Effectiveness

  Major (for on to off fluctuations worsening)
• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: DBS is critical for me to live a more normal life!! When I have experienced my DBS being turned off, I can't hardly move, my face becomes a mask, I feel terrible, can't dress my self, etc.   If you have had PD for 4-5 years, I recommend that you definitely should check if you are a candidate for the procedure!!

• Effectiveness

  Major (for Parkinson's disease)
• Effectiveness

  None (for on to off fluctuations worsening)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: Daily

Advice & Tips: Ditto all the above. On April 3rd I need to get my rechargeable Medtronic battery changed after 8 years. The replacement is the same battery that I have had, so the same setting can be used. The rechargeable battery has been great. If I had the regular non-rechargeable battery I probably would have had 4 battery replacements during the last 8 years since I am at a fairly high electric level. I thank God that I have had DBS, it has been life giving for me!! DBS won't be effective or approved but if you have had PD for 3-8 years you should look into it.