DBS Progress Report

I've officially been off most of my PD meds for over a week now.  Last week, the nurse who does the programming of my system, increased the voltages in my left side (right brain) and I was able to walk normally, with no meds.  I'm still noticing some occasional tremor, like while I'm typing, but I have had no meds for over a week.  I will continue to play with my voltages and meds to see if I can improve my symptoms some more, but is already having a dramatic effect.

Some improvements besides reduction in meds:

1. Walking - This is probably one of the most dramatic improvements.  I am walking relatively normally and even run as well.
2. Sleeping - This actually ranks up with walking.  I have been sleeping 7-8 hours straight through for the first time in years.
3. Bathroom urgency - Related to the sleeping, I can hold my bladder better and can sleep through the night as well.
4. Speech - While occasionally slurred when I'm tired, I and others have notice a less staccato method of talking and thoughts float off my tongue more clearly.
5. Tremor and dexterity - little or no off time.
6. Dyskinesia - gone when I don't take meds.

To put it bluntly, my surgery is working even better than I hoped.  Here's to it continuing.

It's been a while, but I had brain surgery and it worked!

I had brain surgery again, just over two weeks ago.  I was released from the hospital the day after surgery and here's the shot my wife posted to Facebook, with the caption, "Who had brain surgery yesterday and was already released today? This guy!"

They turned my leads on the following week, and to say there is a difference between now and then would be understating the case by orders of magnitude.  I am so happy with how the new leads are working after just the first programming session.  My walking has improved, my tremor has reduced, and my med intake has dropped by over half.  Right after programming, I took an extended walk with friends to a bar in downtown San Francisco.  I was doing great, until my meds kicked in and my dyskinesia went crazy, that was when I realized, I would need to dramatically reduce my meds.  I am still figuring the med levels and times that work well for me; however, I am doing well and feeling better than ever.

Thanks for all the well wishes over the past two years since I began looking at having my first surgery.  I don't wish my experiences of a stroke, heart attack and finding the leads had moved to finding a new surgeon and having the new leads installed on anyone, but hope others can find solace in my experiences and know that there is good news, eventually.