30 patient evaluations for Deep Brain Stimulation

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Oct 29, 2010 (Started Sep 09, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for My purpose was more than jus one I had tremors in hands and legs,stiffness and dyskinesias all of which were not being helped for long by the meds they still helped but not very long so for a better quality to my day my dr. recommmend DBS.)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: Daily
Advice & Tips: ware of was the fact that it takes time and it might seem worse before it gets better.Some of my answers to the above question are due to newness of this procedure so whatch for updates.
Cost: $200+ monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Oct 7, 2010 (Started Jul 12, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for stiffness/spasticity)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jul 12, 2010 (Started Jul 12, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for stiffness/spasticity)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: One time
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Nov 12, 2009 (Started Sep 04, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for stiffness/spasticity)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (weight gain)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: Daily
Side effects: weight gain
  • 0 helpful marks

Mar 15, 2010 (Started Apr 17, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (mobility decreased)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Advice & Tips: DBS is the new technology that alleviates all shaking and dykinesia and allow almost full body functionality. My DBS surgery is performed improperly. The leads were too close together, placed at a bad angle 35 degrees from the "floor" and the sutures were on top of the hardware
Cost: $200+ monthly
Side effects: mobility decreased

Mar 10, 2010 (Started Apr 17, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (mobility decreased)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Advice & Tips: Have DBS performed by a knowledgeable surgeon. It works!
Cost: $200+ monthly
Side effects: mobility decreased

Sep 14, 2008 (Started Apr 17, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (mobility decreased)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Advice & Tips: The best solution for PDers.
Cost: $200+ monthly
Side effects: mobility decreased
  • 3 helpful marks

Oct 31, 2008 (Started Oct 31, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (speech problems, visual disturbances (ie seeing stars and light flashes))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: One time
Advice & Tips: This is still experimental. Patients must be able to recall a time free from depression, even decades ago. The surgery was very painful, and took longer to recover than I expected. Once I did, the results were apparent. Not so much for the depressed thinking, but completely eliminated the slowed thinking, lack of verbal fluency, eyesight much improved (details, colors), hearing improved-able to follow conversations, fine motor skills definitely improved. I would choose ECT over this surgery for depression if insurance would pay indefinitely. This is more an option for people who need continued ECT once a month. It doesn't replace drugs, but seems to make them more effective. The drugs seems to help more with the hopelessness, sad thinking. The implant more with the slowed down stuff.
Side effects: tingling near implant, mild pulling sensation in my neck from the wire threaded under the skin, visual disturbances (ie seeing stars and light flashes), speech problems
  • 2 helpful marks

Feb 8, 2010 (Started Feb 08, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: One time
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Feb 1, 2006 (Started Feb 01, 2006)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (memory loss)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: All the time (24/7)
Advice & Tips: If you are considering DBS as and option, you can always leave me a message with any questions you may have. It is a tough decision to make. A very individual and personal decision. I am very fortunate to have been a good candidate for the surgery and it has proved to be a good decision on my part. But it does come with some risks as well as its benefits. My PD is much more manageable now than it was a few years ago because of the DBS along with some medication changes.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: memory loss
  • 1 helpful mark

Jan 9, 2009 (Started May 15, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage:
Advice & Tips: Allowed me to reduce my sinemet dosage 80%, eliminated agonist and amantadine, since have restarted to reduce sinemet even further. My balance and speech has declined but cannot say whether due to DBS or progession of disease as it's been 24 years since diagnosis.
  • 2 helpful marks

Nov 18, 2008 (Started )

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Advice & Tips: I recommend everyone who has PD to at least be evaluated by a neurologist and neurosurgeon to see if they are candidates.

Nov 17, 2008 (Started )

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Advice & Tips: I recently had DBS in Denver, it was the best decision concerning my health I have ever made. I can now walk, my tremors are essentially gone, I now have my balance, and do not fall any more.
  • 2 helpful marks

Oct 29, 2008 (Started Oct 18, 2006)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Parkinson's disease)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage:
  • 0 helpful marks
Last updated:
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