RESEARCH HELP: What are signs someone is being treated for early-stage Parkinson’s?
I know there are doctors and nurses who will read this, or perhaps someone out there who has Parkinson’s in the family.
What are some signs that someone is being treated for Parkinson’s?
What are some common symptoms of Parkinson’s?
What drugs would a person take for early stage Parkinson’s and what would the side effects be?
People who followed Michael J. Fox’s career when he was on Spin City might have some good anecdotal remembrances of his descent into Parkinson’s.
© 2012, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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Both of my parents were diagnosed Parkinson’s. My dad’s brother died from it (very rare). My dad was secondary to Alzheimer’s and my Mom wasn’t primary, but it certainly was in the forefront of some of her problems. From what I remember the earliest signs were a frozen face (stone mask) where there wasn’t a lot of facial animation. That came before the popular sign of shaking.
Both had issues of bringing their food to their mouths without maybe missing and hitting their cheek or chin.
I had a customer when I was tending bar who didn’t have the frozen expression, but couldn’t lift more than a short beer without trouble, larger and it would start shaking about half way up. Had to be in a smaller glass too, because they weighed less. Pretty sure he was 4 or 5 years into it at the time, but not positive.
The best source I found for medical information is the Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/parkinsons-disease/DS00295/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
All the newer treatments have pretty nasty side effects. Hallucinations, compulsive disorders, hyper -sexuallity (does Jan Carney look nervous?). My GP had Parkinson’s and he had to give up being a surgeon. Over the 10 years I knew him he was mainly on levodopa. His tremors were controlled but it made him a very mellow fellow.
Parkinson’s Disease (primary) or Parkinsonism (when it’s caused by something else, possibly reversible) is caused by a loss of or dysfunction of a set of dopamine-releasing neurons in the brain. Basically, these neurons are used to take the brakes off of motor function – so when they’re gone, the ability to move or express is inhibited.
Schizophrenia has a problem of dopamine-releasing neurons in a parallel pathway producing too much dopamine, in a sense also taking the brakes off a system – this one dealing with behavioral and perception. So they have the “positive” (i.e., gain-of-function) effects of psychosis, like hallucinations.
The treatment of Parkinson’s involves replacing dopamine (levodopa is a precursor) and trying to get the remaining dopaminergic neurons to secrete more naturally. The problem is that we don’t have medications that can differentiate between these two dopamine-producing systems. So if you overtreat Parkinson’s you can cause psychotic side-effects. And if you overtreat schizophrenia, you can cause a secondary parkinsonism.
Another problem in treating Parkinson’s is that levodopa and other medications have short half-lives. So people get break-through symptoms of slowing down and being unable to move or change movement. Once they start walking they have trouble changing direction or stopping, so they learn to aim for walls.
Kevin, I hope that no one dear to you has this disease.
Michael J. Fox has good information about it here: https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/i-have-got-what.php
I see where you are going with this Kevin. Holding an item like a pen or clipboard does help some early onset Parkinson patients mask the tremors. It would also help someone that’s got the shakes having gone cold turkey. Or maybe it was Obama’s communicator link to the other half of his brain Valerie Jarrett.
During the debate Did you notice Obama holding a pen while he talked. I believe it was in the first 30 minutes. That was a prop Michael J Fox used in Spin City. Then later he admitted he had Parkinson’s. he said it was one of his tricks to hide his tremors.
One of our friends died of Parkinson’s…The first sign in his case was taking a big fall while running. (He was a track coach and runner himself)
My husband’s brother-in-law also had it, but he didn’t have tremors that I remember.
My mother-in-law was diagnosed in the last year. The first thing that we noticed before she was officially diagnosed was that a very active and physically fit woman of 72 began walking with a shuffle. She didn’t swing her arms like a normal person when she walked. Her handwriting also changed and she had the tell tale tremors in her hands.
I don’t recall the name of the medication that they put her on, but it’s working pretty well and she’s back to almost all her normal activities.
I remember when Michael J Fox purposely did not take his seizure medication when he went before Congress and he certainly got the point across. It was very bad. His organization is probably the best place to find information.
my mother was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease around the same time that my dad died from a stroke. It is kinda like a double whammy.
I am not living near my mother so I do not know her developing symptoms. The stony look on the face is certainly one symptom. The tremors is another symptom. She had trouble walking and has used a walker to help her get around… her movements are quite slow.
The symptoms probably vary according to age.
Parkinsons has something to do with dopamine levels. Again I have no idea about the drugs being taken to control her disease but I do know she takes a lot, and that she has to go into hospital from time to time so that they check on her dosage etc.
i work with people who have parkinsons. the symptoms are individualistic. one thing is common..there is some change in mental and physical function. some have tremors, some are rigid, most have balance, cognitive, and swallow problems.
if your hunch is right, it would not be the first time a president had a serious illness unnoticed by the public.
Side effects of drugs for Parkinson’s listed here:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-drug-risks.aspx
Check the golf game.The disease will hurt ability to play but treatment makes it better.
Ditto basketball.
Easier to get injured as movements a bit more sudden and jerky.
Additional info sent to Kevin in email.
We never said he plays golf. We say he goes on “golf outings.”
My partner has PD. In my experience, the symptoms of tremor and rigidity are controlable. The real problem is the side effects of the medications. As Tired Warrior said above, these include hallucinations and compulsive disorders.
More than 2 years ago, I started a series on Barack Obama, the first article was “The Absent Barack Obama” where I addressed the symptoms of the strange behavior we were seeing, including his flat affect, his difficulty with thought retrieval, his emotional detachment, disconnected, etc. IMO, as an RN with over 20yrs. of assessment experience, I felt that he was on medications. Along with my belief that he is taking psychotrophic drugs (which do inhibit emotional responses), was the belief that he has residual cognitive impairment from his years of drug use/abuse. The brain is still developing until the mid-twenties, any chemical insults can have lasting effects – which is why we see more damage with those that started alcohol and/or drug use at a younger age.
Here is the article. I no longer post at RS, having left almost 2yrs ago for some of the same reasons you’ve noted here at HB. But the 1st article is still accessible, and perhaps you’d find it helpful. Obama may be on meds that treat Parkinson’s, but other psychotrophic meds can cause the same side effects we see with Obama’s behavior today.
http://www.redstate.com/penguin2/2010/06/22/the-absent-barack-obama/
That was great info.
Do you have any of the other articles you mentioned?
Thank you. I’ll send them in an email to you, and they’re also at UnifiedPatriots.com where I write.
This article also has the links to the series listed at the bottom.
http://www.unifiedpatriots.com/2012/08/22/barack-obama-american-born-foreign-made/lady-penguin
I’m so glad you’ve taken on the Eeyores on our side. Nothing could be worse than our own pundits and spokespersons aiding the Left with the negativity trap – gives proof to the old saying, “with friends like this, who need enemies?”
Great article, Lady Penguin. I read his book, “Dreams”, and concluded that he is a damaged person. He was born to a young mother who kept him around for a while, then put a postage stamp on his head and sent him to Grandma so she could pursue her bliss. In his book he never mentions his sister, but I read that Ann sent the girl back with Barky, so that is even stranger – he doesn’t even mention his sister growing up with him in his first autobiography.
His two ghastly poems are noteworthy, the one about apes for being awful, the other one, “Pop” (his name for Frank Marshall Davis), for convincing me that he was sexually abused by the man who might be his biological father.
Pop takes another shot, neat,
Points out the same amber
Stain on his shorts that I’ve got on mine and
Makes me smell his smell, coming
From me; he switches channels, recites an old poem
He wrote before his mother died,
Stands, shouts, and asks
For a hug, as I shink, my
Arms barely reaching around
His thick, oily neck, and his broad back; ’cause
I see my face, framed within
Pop’s black-framed glasses
And know he’s laughing too.
My blood ran cold when I read that. This man was abandoned by his father, whoever he actually is, abandoned by his mother, raised by his lazy Commie grandfather who took him to Commie “Frank” by whom he was abused. The only partially normal person that I could find in his life was Toot, his grandmother. No wonder, IMHO, that he is only happy when he’s in front of 50,000 people cheering Oh-bah-mah. They are partially able to fill the hole in his soul, for a while.
Thaks, MathMom,
My goodness, that poem is “ghastly.” Indeed, there must be all kinds of painful childhood experiences, and memories that never go away. For that Obama, one can feel compassion, but for the one who ascended to the presidency of this country, with his Leftist worldview and anti-Americanism – well, that Obama I’d prefer to see pack up and go home to Hawaii.
I agree. I’m sorry he had such a waste product for a mother, and such a bizarre family life. However, I do not forgive him for what he has brought on our country. The repercussions of his one term will be felt for a century. Heck, the repercussions of Jimmah Cahtuh, The Father of the Iranian Revolution, have been been felt for 30+ years of terror attacks around the world. And he only upended ONE Muslim country!
Lady Penguin, I linked on the above article and ended up reading some of your past articles. I was particularly moved by one you wrote after the mid-term elections and right before Christmas. I hope you don’t mind if I quote from it because I think we can use your words as inspiration over the next few weeks:
“Nothing can be secure and strong unless guided by a fixed star in one’s life. You have to be principled. When we forget that, we lose our center and start wandering. The Founding Fathers gave the nation a fixed star – our Constitution. God, the Creator, gave us inalienable rights, and if we traditional Americans would hold to that which was set forth such a long time ago, both since the beginning of time, two-thousand years ago, and 234 years ago, we’ll be able to face the challenges that lie ahead. Whether it is to meet the challenges our nation faces, or personal ones, if we adhere to truth, we will not be defeated. Our faith in this country – our patriotism – is tied to our faith in our Creator – a Being greater and more majestic than our own minds can conceive. Those that came before us knew it. Maybe not all defined and clear, but it is there; they wrote about and it is in the indestructible thread of our nation’s history. To this day it is what makes America unique in the world. If we remain a humble and grateful people, then the nation will prevail.
Next year, the problems America faces are far greater than an upcoming election. We have our culture to take back, and instead of surrendering our culture and faith, we must speak up – for ourselves, our families, future generations, the unborn and those that cannot speak for themselves. It certainly isn’t the politicians who will speak for us. How do I know we can do this? Because of that fixed Star in the Heavens. We are centered. We move toward the light, and keep the darkness at bay.”
Elinor Rose, thank you so much for your kind words. That article was one of my favorites because it has the flash mob video in it, the one with the people enthralled with the performance of the Alleluja chorus from Handel’s Messiah. With your noting that particular section, I’m going to add it to my next article (will mention it in an Eeyore open thread here), when it’s done. Should be mid-week. It’s critical we keep our eye on the prize and stand up for our country.
I now write at UnifiedPatriots.com and here is the link to my other articles, including, as I noted to Kevin above, the ones that comprise the series on Barack Obama.
http://www.unifiedpatriots.com/author/lady-penguin
I’ve been reading HillBuzz since 08, and am thrilled Kevin is getting the information and messaging out there to our side of the aisle. It’s about time we fought back against the Left…
LadyPenguin, your comments made me think of a friend I had in high school (1984-88) who got into drugs and alcohol, and years later when I ran into him after high school, it was like talking to a stroke patient: an essential part of him was just burned out.
(Long-time reader, first-time poster.)
Yes, the brain is very sensitive to toxic substances from birth (even prenatally), until the mid-twenties. Add this to the fact that I think Obama isn’t the bright, intelligent individual he has been portrayed as, and you know something is wrong. Whatever the cause, his behavior isn’t what one would expect unless there is some kind of impairment – either organically or medication induced.
Locked knees, difficulty swallowing, difficulty enunciating.
during the debate, he always had his right knee bent, and left knee straight. He looked very casual for a debate.
The bended knee is recommended when standing at a podium for any length of time.
I don’t see him as a Parky. He still has that pimp walk, can wave with one hand while walking, and does his “aren’t I cute” smile on cue. He’s on something, but I don’t think it’s for Parkinson’s.
Some antidepressants make you unable to think deeply. An acquaintance who was on Prozac and had a 2nd grader with polyps in her colon made a rather cavalier decision to have a long chunk of her colon removed while she was young, so that when she was older she’d be used to it. I was horrified that she didn’t even read any literature about possible alternatives.
I see this lack of depth in thinking with the “shall I go for ice cream or start a war in Libya” sort of decision making. It might be prescription antidepressants, combined with recreational drugs, and the unease a person whose entire life is a lie must feel as the dogs get closer to sniffing him out.
YMMV.
I agree with you. Kevin has his gaymeter, I have my parkymeter. He is too animated to have Parkinson’s
How could he do his prancing pony routine down the stairs of AF1 if he had some neurological problem? He’s on heavy psych drugs. And he has a shit personality and he’s dumb as a stump.
I agree with your assessment of his personality, sablegsd. I have always been baffled by those who say he is a nice guy or has high personable favorability ratings.
He flips people off in public. He is a petulant a-hole. He is FAR from “likable”, IMHO.
I just asked my husband, who is in Family Practice, and he concurs with what all have said here. He added that nicotine lessens the progression of the disease–hence maybe the cont’d smoking. Also robotic-type movement occurs.
Good comments. I assumed he was still smoking because he’s never done anything that takes effort or a backbone in his life, and giving up smoking takes effort and backbone!
)
My son has PD. Was diagnosed same time as MJF. Both same age. Son has the rigid PD. He literally freezes on right side. The meds keep him moving and with the shakes. The more meds, the more he shakes. It also affects swallowing and bowel movements among other bodily functions. However, he has a wonderful attitude and keeps on truckin’ despite the physical problems. It’s just a nasty disease for any age but Young Onset PD really sucks!
Just some information about Parkinson’s. Lyme disease and Parkinson’s have the same symptoms. Before you accept this diagnosis, find a doctor who knows about lyme disease..but beware many doctors have not kept up on tick illnesses. Tests are not very accurate, but western blot test sent to Igenex is the best to have.
Very interesting that Michael Fox had Lyme disease before they diagnosed him with Parkinson’s
http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=34&m=2211725
http://bodyecology.com/articles/lyme-disease-is-spreading-nationwide-misdiagnosis-is-more-common-than-you-think#.UHDevk3Aels
I don’t know. Parkinsons? I am not seeing it. I remember a doctor I forget where saying that he felt Obama had cardiac issues. He noted the purple color of Obama’s lips (Means O2 deprevation or something) I kind of lean that way. I wonder what we would find if we pulled up Obama Sr.s bits or Frank Marshall Davis’? If heart disease was what killed them there is a clue then.
I also think drug use in the early twenties as was mentioned is something. Also, we know that Obama is a malignant narcissist, why would he not be on psychotropic drugs then? I am very sure he has a personality disorder and it has to be the afor mentioned malginant narcissism. All of the bizarre nonverbal behavior seems to me related to either drug use or anti depressents or other kinds of mood altering medications.
his lips turn purple whenever he is challenged or angry. I’ve noticed it since before the election. When he is relaxed his facial color is natural.
10 Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Disease
Sometimes it is hard to tell that you might have Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is when your brain stops making an important chemical called dopamine. This chemical helps your body to move, and helps your mood. If you do have Parkinson’s, you can feel better by taking a pill that helps your body to replace that chemical. Parkinson’s disease will get worse slowly over time, and your doctor can help you stay healthy longer. Some of the problems listed here could be signs of Parkinson’s disease.
No single one of these signs means that you should worry about Parkinson’s disease. If you have more than one symptom, you should make an appointment to talk to your doctor.
Early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease gives you the best chance of a longer, healthier life.
What you can do if you do have Parkinson’s disease:
•Work with your doctor to create a plan to stay healthy. This plan might include: •A referral to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain
•Care from an occupational therapist, physical therapist or speech therapist
•Meeting with a medical social worker to talk about how Parkinson’s will affect your life
•Start a regular exercise program to delay further symptoms.
•Talk with family and friends who can provide you with the support you need.
Tremor or Shaking
Have you noticed a slight shaking or tremor in your finger, thumb, hand, chin or lip? Does your leg shake when you sit down or relax? Twitching or shaking of limbs is a common early sign of Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? Shaking can be normal after lots of exercise, if you have been injured, or could be caused by a medicine you take.
Small Handwriting
Has your handwriting suddenly gotten much smaller than in it was in the past? You may notice the way you write words on a page has changed, such as letter sizes are smaller and the words are crowded together. A sudden change in handwriting is often a sign of Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? Sometimes writing can change as you get older, if you have stiff hands or fingers or poor vision, but this happens over time and not suddenly.
Loss of Smell
Have you noticed you no longer smell certain foods very well? If you seem to have more trouble smelling foods like bananas, dill pickles or licorice, you should ask your doctor about Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? Your sense of smell can be changed by a cold, flu or a stuffy nose, but it should come back after you are better.
Trouble Sleeping
Do you thrash around in bed or kick and punch while you are deeply asleep? You might notice that you started falling out of bed while asleep. Sometimes, your spouse will notice, or will want to move to another bed. Sudden movements during sleep may be a sign of Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? It is normal for everyone to have a night when they ‘toss and turn’ instead of sleeping.
Trouble Moving or Walking
Do you feel stiff in your body, arms or legs? Sometimes stiffness goes away as you move. If it does not, it can be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. You might notice that your arms don’t swing when you walk, or maybe other people have said you look stiff. An early sign might be stiffness or pain in your shoulder or hips. People sometimes say their feet seem ‘stuck to the floor.’
What is normal? If you have injured your arm or shoulder, you may not be able to use it as well until it is healed or another illness like arthritis might cause the same symptom.
Constipation
Do you have trouble moving your bowels without straining every day? Straining to move your bowels can be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease and you should talk to your doctor.
What is normal? If you do not have enough water or fiber in your body, it can cause problems in the bathroom. Also some medicine will cause constipation too. If there is no other reason such as diet or medicine that would cause you to have trouble moving your bowels, you should speak with your doctor.
A Soft or Low Voice
Have other people told you that your voice is very soft when you speak in a normal tone, or that you sound hoarse? If there has been a change in your voice you should see your doctor about whether it could be Parkinson’s disease. Sometimes you might think other people are losing their hearing, when really you are speaking more softly.
What is normal? A chest cold or other virus can cause your voice to sound different but you should go back to sounding the same when you get over your cough or cold.
Masked Face
Have you been told that you have a serious, depressed or mad look on your face more often, even when you are not in a bad mood? This serious looking face is called masking. Also, if you or other people notice that you have a blank stare or do not blink your eyes very often, you should ask your doctor about Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? Some medicines can cause you to have the same type of serious or staring look, but you would go back to the way you were after you stopped the medication.
Dizziness or Fainting
Do you notice that you often feel dizzy when you stand up out of a chair? Feeling dizzy or fainting can be signs of low blood pressure and can be linked to Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? Everyone has had a time when they stood up and felt dizzy, but if it happens on a regular basis you should see your doctor.
Stooping or Hunching Over
Are you not standing up as straight as you used to? If you or your family or friends notice that you seem to be stooping, leaning or slouching when you stand, it could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease.
What is normal? If you have pain from an injury or if you are sick, it might cause you to stand crookedly. Also, a problem with your bones can make you hunch over.
Made possible through the generous support of the Medtronic Foundation and thousands of people with Parkinson’s and their families.
ScienceDaily (Dec. 14, 2005) — Adults who abuse cocaine might increase their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), and pregnant women who abuse cocaine could increase the risk of their children developing PD later in life, according to results of laboratory studies performed by investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051214084800.htm
I guess I don’t see the signs you all see. To me he has all of the mannerisms of a leftist, pseudo-intellectual combined with a deep love of himself.
I completely agree. Obama has never had to defend anything. The only real race he has run in was 08 and mcCain was much of an opponent in the debate. He is surrounded by his echo chAmber. The press hardly ever challenges him and now that they have real things to challenge him on he does almost zero press conferences. He likes to give speeches not have discussions. Not meet with world leaders. No serious interviews. Just the view and letterman. He simply can’t handle debate with a competent opponent
My Mom had Parkinson’s and died of its complications 4 years ago. She never had tremors, but had difficulty with walking and dizziness, 2 of her early symptoms. She also was diagnosed with gastroparesis. That means the Parkinson’s affected the nerves of her gastrointestinal system, producing a reduced appetite, lack of taste, abdominal pain, constipation etc. Please note, D. Barnum, as your son can be treated with meds to help this. It’s hard to diagnose this and is only treated after all other diagnostics rule it out, but the best medication for it, Reglan, also affects Parkinson meds. Please check with your Drs. I’m a retired RN.
A long time ago it used to be called ‘pill rollers disease’ because of the characteristic uncontrollable movement of the thumb going sideways and fingers moving together sideways opposite to the thumbs. It’s funny you mentioning it because when I saw Clinton at the DNC I noticed this movement when he wasn’t holding his hands together or otherwise gesturing with that famous index finger pointing in a crooked way. All I could think of was, “I didn’t have sexual relations…………”
Parkinson’s can be a disease itself and Parkinson symptoms can also be a part of various drug abuses or treatments for other diseases. I think the flat affect of the face is limited to true Parkinson’s Disease.
I knew a good surgeon that practiced long after he was diagnosed and marveled at how anyone would agree to have him do surgery on them! He’d hold the scalpel shaking side to side but always placed it right at the correct spot. Everyone around the table would peer at each other over our masks, I think the others were praying too! Once he got started he seemed to do ok, but there was lots of breath holding!
My mother died of PD. She shuffled, she had dementia, she put tuna salad in the cabinet instead of the fridge. God, I miss her.
Diagnosing from a distance of course is hazardous. Penguin’s comment reminded me that there was an outbreak of Parkinson’s in the 1980s in California associated with the rise in the use of “designer drugs” – traced to toxicity from MPTP.
It seems a low probability that Obama was exposed to MPTP during his time at Occidental, but it’s a fascinating medical detective story in itself.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199612263352618
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mptp/mptp_writings1.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPTP
During the debate, his eyes were dark and the pupils seemed to be dilated. He kept looking down. I believe that the strong studio lighting hurt his eyes.
My mother in law has Parkinson’s. I wasn’t around when she was first diagnosed. So I don’t know what her symptoms were at the time of or before diagnosis. Heard that she got diagnosed around the time of her retirement. And since she was so uncomfortable with the changes it brought as well as the self-consciousness of her uncontrollable(even with medication) movements, she become increasingly home-bound and not willing to have visitors other than her closest friends and relatives. So gone was my in laws’ dream of buying an RV and traveling around the country. From what I hear the symptoms were very minor to barely discernable when she was first diagnosed but it made her uncomfortable and self-conscious, so she didn’t want to do any of it. Might be easy to say that vanity kept her from doing it while she could. But I wasn’t in her shoes, so I won’t say it.
She had had it for more than a decade by the time I married her son and saw the severity of her dyskinesia (uncontrollable tremors) progressively increase. Towards the end, she needed help with walking and all daily tasks. And her involuntary movements were so severe that she could fall of the sofa that she was sitting/reclining on.
Then in 2004 or 2005 (she was in her early 70′s by then) they suggested implants of deep brain stimulators in her brain, which are kind of like pacemakers. It had just past clinical studies. And she was one of the first patients who got it.in that particular hospital here in the Seattle area. They also did the procedure for both sides of her brain at the same time, which apparently is not how it is usually done. Often (at least in those early days) they would do one side allow a time of recovery see how it goes before doing the next side. It was good that they did both at the same time for my MIL, because I don’t know if she would gone through the whole thing twice.
The pacemaker helped right away. They had to tweak the levels a bit. And her medication greatly reduced. And now I don’t think she needs it anymore. And the dyskinesia stopped almost right away. As if it was switched off. She still suffers from some of the effects of Parkinson’s: like we see the onset of dementia. But it could also be from aging and totally unrelated to PD.
And she also has mobility issues now because of a fall that resulted in a stress fracture of her vertebra a year or so ago. She also has severe pain and pain medication addiction (including the strongest pain medications seemingly not helping her) issues. So she is not with it fully most of the time. Some of her doctors say PD also could be contributing to it. Because the brain stimulation helps with some of the physical symptoms of PD. But not necessarily with any of the psychological issues ones..
I heard that Michael J Fox might have also gotten these pacemakers. But not sure if he did. I hope he did. Because it would definitely help a younger person who doesn’t have all the stuff my mother in law has to deal with, much more.
Bill Clinton has been rumored to have it for a very long time. And has denied it for all this time. Also, hand tremors can be a symptom of many things: MS, other neurological disorders, side effects of medication even stress.
With Obama who knows, his health record is a closed book. And he has a history of (and current?) drug use. But I find it hard to believe it is Parkinson’s. Unless it is too early to be discernable. Or it was diagnosed recently. Because it is too hard to hide once it progresses even a bit. And within four/five years it would have progressed to some degree from when he started being in the public eye.
A brain implant would explain the scars on Barry’s head.
My father developed Parkinson’s at 75, imbalance is one of the first signs, rigidity, flat affect, tremors, walking problems, and swallowing was the last which he ended up dying from after 10 years of being on the best medications and care available…he developed pneumonia which in the end he died from since he kept aspirating into his lungs.
The drugs help with tremors but can dull the brain function so regular check ups are key in moderating dosages. I asked his neurologist of course worried about mine, my siblings and my children’s health about chance I might have but he said since my father developed it so late in life the probability I would inherit is unlikely(most inherited cases are @50 year age mark) i than brought up Michael j Fox (he was so young) the Dr than said anyone that develops it very early or late in life abused their body in some way(drugs/alcohol). I asked him that 4 years begire MJF 1st book came out where he admitted the alcohol & drug abuse.
It’s an ugly drawn out terrible disease. For anyone reading this the best advise the Dr gave me(caretaker) and my dad was to eat healthy, manage meds with regular dr appts and keep him walking/moving (no wheelchairs) as long as you can.
My father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his 70s. I was surprised that his hand tremors were not that prevalent. He had an expressionless face, shuffled his feet when he walked, and his arms no longer swung at his side when he walked. He had to really focus on the task to even get moving. He also could no longer do two things at once (like brush teeth, and change the station on the radio) His voice became very quiet (almost a whisper), his hand writing became small.
He also had Parkinson’s dementia which I guess is more common in patients who are older when first diagnosed. There were hallucinations and lots of memory confusion, and clinical depression. The treatment was levodopa which nauseated him so he slept a lot which made his depression even worse. He didn’t eat enough and my once giant of a father became frail and bedridden. In the end stages he was unable to swallow and chose not to use medical intervention to nourish his body.
It is a bitch of a disease, and I pray for all who suffer with PD.
Not Parkinsons. Definitely chronic amphetamine use. Dopamine re-uptake inhibitors (cocaine, methamphetamine) are well known for their performance enhancing and pleasure stimulating qualities. Not so great are their addictive properties and destructive effects on dopamine pathways in the brain, causing decreased intellectual capacity, decreased motivation/reward associations, increased aggression, compulsive behaviors and loss of motor control. There is also chronic weight loss and severe insomnia (ie Michael Jackson), requiring larger and larger doses of anti-anxiety meds and sedatives in order for the user to keep functioning. I am a nurse and I work in an ER.
I think Kevin mentioned awhile back–and I know Ulsterman did– that Barry was into amyl and butyl nitrate abuse. That can’t be good for Massive Head Wound Barry at all.
Over at the the Ulsterman Report there is this comment:
Grail Guardian
October 4, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Back in 2008 hillbuzz.org did a big expose about Obama’s Parkinson’s Disease based on first-hand observation of his empty drug containers by a housekeeper. Combine that with the illegal drug use, and you have a better understanding for the blinking, etc.
I remember when our bank president had Parkinson’s, he had the shakes, until he went to write, then his pen would be still, he walked with a shuffle and the Drs. told him to walk often. He held his shoulders down almost in a defeatist way and head looking to the ground.
As for Obama, I think there could be mulitple things going on with him.
I do think he has problems stemming from his past pot smoking, it kills the brain cells and thus recall is hard. The coke usage could account for his paranoid actions, such as in June when he wouldn’t go out to speak at the Hispanic luncheon, until all the silverware had been removed by his SS detail.
At he debate the other night, there was a wide range of emotions and an almost overcompensation for his actions and behavior. Then the next day, he was back to his normal self. Was the night before an act, or was it something else?
This is a man that is micro managed by several people, to think for himself would be almost out of the question. I can’t imagine living a living a life with VJ and MO on his tail 24-7.
I noticed MO rushing him off stage after thedebate, was it out of anger, or medical, or something behavioral? IE, an urgent need?
You have to go back to his behavior 4 years ago before the Denver Convention. What was going on there?
Then, in years past, we knew every time the sitting President had a physical and now, we hear zip? Sealed records, does it also have to do with his health?
I fell there are multiple things going on. He has narcissitic tendencies that also come out. I think there are many layers to the man.
Have any of you noticed how he RUNS down the steps of Air Force One with his hands out in front of him? He never holds on to the rails. Seems to be pretty physically fit. I keep telling my Hubby he’s going to trip and fall one day! Hard to believe he coud have Parkinsons.
As far as his lack of caring and emotion, I believe that has to do with his possible sexual abuse by FMD or others in his early life.
Some of us who are nasty call that “riding the imaginary pony”, when he goes up or down stairs.
My dad was diagnosed with PD at about age 50. It started out fairly mild with just some tremors. It was fairly rapidly progessing and he ended up having to take an early retirement at about age 55. He was in the experimental group getting the “pacemaker” to the brain, but unfortunately, he got some kind of infection in his scalp around the wires that the doctors were afraid would move into his brain, so they had to remove it. The side effects to the parkinson’s meds were horrible. Dystonia-where he had trouble with his lips and tongue and was unable to form his words, so the last 3 years of his life he was unable to communicate. We tried to have him use a communication board, but another side effect from meds was that his eyes would clamp shut, so he couldn’t see the board to point to the letters. He had surgery to remove a portion of his eyelids so his eyes would stay slightly open. He ended up having a stomach tube because the swallowing was so difficult he could not get enough nutrition that way, although he still enjoyed ice cream every day. Another side effect of the meds was paranoia. It breaks my heart to think of the suffering he endured and how for those last 3 years, his mind was sharp, but he was so trapped inside himself. He passed 9 years ago at the age of 63. I miss him greatly but am comforted by the fact that he is free from this disease now. I also admire my mother for everything she did in caring for my father.
One thing to know about tremors is that the are most pronounced at rest. When the muscle is still the tremor occurs. Purposeful motion of the muscle is when the tremor goes away. The meds are meant to control tremors but more for delaying progression of the disease, one can have the disease for years before it becomes noticeable. The disease progresses at different rates in each patient. In other words, no two cases are identical.
It is theorized Hitler had Parkinson’s. Here is a small history channel film about it:
http://www.history.com/videos/adolf-hitlers-parkinsons#adolf-hitlers-parkinsons
Ulsterman talking with White House Insider about the 2008 Democratic Convention might answer some of your questions. Obama was seen to act strangely:
http://theulstermanreport.com/2012/09/07/death-from-denver-barack-obamas-2008-convention-revisited/
The above is a long interview, hard to wade thru but Obama was wiped out and then a short while later he was fine. It was noted by someone who was later found dead.
<>
Holy friggin’ doo-doo…
I read the report from that link slack-jawed. And I believe every bit of it is probably true.
As someone who spent a couple years in seminary, this particular passage gave me chills:
“UM: Did everyone notice Obama’s condition?
Insider: I don’t know – my friend didn’t say anything about that…but he sure as hell noticed. He thought maybe Obama had gotten sick…it’s not uncommon on the campaign trail. You eat some sh-t food sometimes.
…so Obama is holed up in this room. People are kinda mingling about I guess…maybe ten, fifteen minutes go by. Then a couple folks march on in – that’s how he put it to me…they marched on in…very purposeful. One looked like Secret Service…the other was a woman. Didn’t get too specific. Wish he would have but he didn’t. The woman goes in – the other fella…he stays outside the door. She’s in there for maybe another five minutes…she comes back out and tells ‘em to clear the hall. Clear out. Says they need about ten minutes to prepare.
UM: Prepare?
Insider: That’s what he told me – she said they needed a little time to prepare.
UM: For what?
Insider: Hell if I know.
UM: So did he clear out with the others? Your friend?
Insider: No…he goes up to the guy outside the door…outside the room Obama, the big fella, and the woman are in. He’s just concerned…wants to know if he can help in any way. You know, maybe go get something for a bad stomach?
…But the guy outside the door – he ain’t messin’. It’s all business. Serious. He pushes my friend right on the chest – hard…tells him to step away and to clear the hall. And that’s where…that’s when he hears the chanting. The…he said it sounded like…like a…Gregory chant. That’s the term he used. A Gregory chant.
UM: Gregorian?
Insider: Eh? Greg…yeah…Gregorian.
UM: Was your friend Catholic?
Insider: Catholic…I…I don’t know. But that was the term there…Gregorian. It sounded like a Gregorian chant coming from the room…the room Obama was holed up inside.
UM: Could they have been praying? Singing?
Insider: Maybe..but…this group…the Obamas…prayin’ has never seemed like their thing. The team…they had a bunch of religion jokes you know. Even by then it seemed clear to most of us…like I just told you – Obama is an atheist. Now I’ve developed that little line of reason…0f reasoning later – down the road…but we all figured it then too.”
Here’s a link to a Satanic Mass:
http://www.angelfire.com/az3/synagogasatanae/satanicmass.wma
Listen to it from about the 1:05 mark. For you music students and / or Catholics, does this sound a bit ‘Gregorian’ to you?
A piece of my previous post was cut off, a quote from the Insider piece:
Insider: Oh…what he saw – what he saw…yes indeed. What he saw was sh-t that didn’t feel right. What he saw was…was a guy who came in draggin’ and a guy who left bouncin’ off the f-cking walls.
And another:
UM: And Obama comes in.
Insider: Yeah – like I said…draggin’. He’s…he looks wiped. Wiped out. His color is all off. His eyes…he barely…my friend says…my friend SAID…he looked right through them. Like his eyes couldn’t focus enough to see them…and a big fella…Black guy…he was…it looked like he was holding Obama up. Making their way to the-the room…the private area.
UM: Did everyone notice Obama’s condition?
Insider: I don’t know – my friend didn’t say anything about that…but he sure as hell noticed. He thought maybe Obama had gotten sick…it’s not uncommon on the campaign trail. You eat some sh-t food sometimes.
…so Obama is holed up in this room. People are kinda mingling about I guess…maybe ten, fifteen minutes go by. Then a couple folks march on in – that’s how he put it to me…they marched on in…very purposeful. One looked like Secret Service…the other was a woman. Didn’t get too specific. Wish he would have but he didn’t. The woman goes in – the other fella…he stays outside the door. She’s in there for maybe another five minutes…she comes back out and tells ‘em to clear the hall. Clear out. Says they need about ten minutes to prepare.
I don’t know a whole lot about Parkinson’s, but having been raised by one, I can spot a Malignant Narcissist from a mile away. They don’t act human. They absolutely lack empathy, so their reactions to various situations always seem just a little bit…off. They have a grandiose sense of self, and they react with rage or petulance when that façade is challenged or proven wrong. If an issue doesn’t directly impact them, they have no interest in the subject. They only care about being perceived as better or more special than anyone else.
Obama the Narcissist may very well be on drugs, but they would be recreational; not a treatment for this particular disorder. Most narcissists will never be diagnosed, let alone treated, because they see everyone else as the problem, never themselves. They are so adept at manipulation that even trained therapists can easily fall prey to their lies and often end up siding with them. They project a charming, charismatic persona, and the army of dupes that follow them lend credibility to their lies, and insulate them from any serious scrutiny. It is possible that he has Parkinson’s, but I think the vague weirdness we see in him can more easily be put down to the fact that he lives in a false dimension, and he’s just angry that the rest of us bitter clingers haven’t gotten with the program and joined his cult of personality.
I have Parkinsons. I have trouble speaking, although some of that is from a stroke I had some seven years ago.
Only one arm swings naturally when I walk. The right side of my face is somewhat numb. My right arm is somewhat stiff and I am numb on the little and ring finger of that hand, along with numb on that side of my wrist.
I must use two hands on my coffee cup or use one of those road cups with a top with a little hole. My handwwriting, never good in the first place, is gone. I can barely print. I get humongous muscle spasms in my back and neck.
The meds help a little but give me the exact opposite of a stiff dick and a limber back.
Getting old ain’t for the faint hearted. But then I’ve been on borrowed time since the Southeast Asian War Games. And please don’t think I’m complaining, you asked. Actually I’m a very lucky man, four kids, eleven (so far) grandchildren and I still mauy live long enough to see least some of them to grow up.
I remember your post from long ago about your friend who had business in O’s home and saw the info on early onset Parkinson’s.
As for today, he has soooo many problems/issues, it is going to be hard to tell where one ends and another begins.
I think the answer is not in Parkinson’s disease but in the huge Frankenstein scar on the back of his head. Whatever did that, must have had some neurological effect on him, necessitating drug treatment for periodic seizures. Maybe that’s what Kam Kuwata witnessed at the 2008 Dem Convention.
The path of the scar is puzzling, because it appears to cross both the parietal and occipital lobes of the brain, and injuries to these areas would likely manifest themselves in vision problems and/or reading problems, neither of which appear to be exhibited by the Teleprompter Wizard.
Maybe he had a severe head trauma and cannot remember huge swathes of his own past. His books may have been some sort of therapy to piece his life together. Or rewrite it as necessary.