Paxman: Putting up with Parkinson's

sorry "broken"

Yes I can see that it may have been an insight to some, if my dad didn't have Parkinsons I probably would have watched it and not thought a lot more about it.

My dad lives on his own and does the best he can, but added to his Parkinsons is his terrible grief of loosing his "best Pal " my mum, who died 2 yrs ago. I really thought he would have died with a brokwn heart.

I can only say, he must be made of strong stuff! which that generation were.

I had an Uncle who died about 20 yrs ago with Parkinsons, he once asked my dad to "help him die" his brain was still there but he was just curled up in a bed.

Since them some prgress with medication has come along, but very little.

merlotgran

^Just glancing through, there seems to be no pattern at all in the incidence rates^

And a highly developed country like Israel has a low rate.

And the Israelis grow, eat and export a lot of fruit and vegetables but also use a lot of pesticides.

Just glancing through, there seems to be no pattern at all in the incidence rates

And a highly developed country like Israel has a low rate.

merlotgran

Luckygirl3

Gosh, Ireland is a real hotspot. A more rural economy maybe. I wonder what their level of pesticide use is.

It surely wouldn’t be as high as arable farming areas of the UK like East Anglia?

Iceland was another surprise.

I do hope there’s a follow up programme.

Just glancing through, there seems to be no pattern at all in the incidence rates.

I found it very interesting. What a dreadful disease it is.
I too would like to see a further programme about it and what research is going on etc.

Luckygirl3

Gosh, Ireland is a real hotspot. A more rural economy maybe. I wonder what their level of pesticide use is.

It surely wouldn’t be as high as arable farming areas of the UK like East Anglia?

Iceland was another surprise.

I do hope there’s a follow up programme.

But that doesn't explain the discrepancy in statistics between eg New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

I hope Paxman's programme raises awareness of this disease and hope too that there will be some advances in finding out causes and medication before too long.

Gosh, Ireland is a real hotspot. A more rural economy maybe. I wonder what their level of pesticide use is.

I think it is the products of developed nations that spread the disease to other nations.

This is interesting, hope it doesn't upset anyone:

www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/parkinson-disease/by-country/

There seems to be no clear pattern by country whether developed or not according to this although South Pacific Islands seem high on the list but Australia and New Zealand are not.

I was not impressed by the programme - I felt that it was very superficial

I did wonder if there might be follow-up programmes about ongoing research.

My OH had Parkinsons. I am sorry for those on here who are also trying to cope with this disease.

My OH did not have typical symptoms either, but he (a doctor himself) diagnosed himself long before he went to the doctor - he went at the point where he felt medication was indicated. He suffered with dreadful anxiety and constipation - his guts just slowed up to the point of not functioning. Tremor was never the predominant feature, but stiffness and mental symptoms were. Sadly he had a fall and steadily went downhill - he died of the fall really and all that followed on from that. He just did not have the strength to recover from the surgery.

I was not impressed by the programme - I felt that it was very superficial - I would have liked to hear more about the research channels and what might be in the pipeline for the future. At the moment the treatments can cause as many problems as the disease. As it was such an an erudite man featured I had hoped it would be more focussed rather than looking at headline-grabbers like the smelling and the ballet.

I am convinced that there are chemical triggers in susceptible individuals and wish desperately that there could be more focus at looking at why some individuals get the disease in the first place. Here is just one paper looking at the PD "pandemic":https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6311367/

We have always lived in the country and PD is known to have greater incidence in rural areas - pesticides being the most likely culprit as a causative factor.

This is an illness of developed nations initially so we must be initiating it in some way. It is a total pain.

GrandNanna
That must be extremely difficult living on your own

I hope Jeremy's programme brings about more awareness.

Grandnana

When I said it wasn't depressing, I meant the programme not the disease and the way in which Jeremy Paxman is determined to keep going and keep investigating all avenues.

I feel much as toby describes. My late DH had Parkinson’s and nothing could stop the inexorable progress of the disease. They tell you that everyone’s experience is different which is partly why there is no magic bullet but the hope must be that early diagnosis will be important when something effective is found. Watching JP just reminded me how hard it was to see my clever and energetic husband become a sad shadow of himself, and how much he felt the degradation. In the end he wanted to die because life had become such a struggle, and I couldn’t blame him.

bikergran I think programmes like this are probably more helpful for the families, giving them ideas about what is going on and how they can help.

Depressing. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's 4 years ago and I shake and shuffle. I worry as it's getting worse even with medication and I live alone.

Shinamae

I work in a care home and two of our ladies have Parkinson’s and I can tell you it is the most awful,awful disease and their medication is not stopping the progression, it’s so sad..?

I took my mother to see her youngest sister just before my aunt died with Parkinson's and it upset us both. I've never forgotten it and my mother never got over it.

I work in a care home and two of our ladies have Parkinson’s and I can tell you it is the most awful,awful disease and their medication is not stopping the progression, it’s so sad..?

My brother sent me a link about the programme he said watch it with dad next time you go over (which is today).

I thought I had better watch the programe first.

I found it quite depressing and the fixed expression on Jeremys face is the same as my dad's.

Although Jeremy seemed a little upbeat at times, he seemed to me quite down.

My dad takes cbd oil , he was diagnosed with Parkinsons must be around 10 yrs ago now. We think the cbd oil helps .

He doesnt shake anything like he used to but now his hands are starting to stiffen. He doesn't really shuffle as yet.he does struggle walking but he is ! 87 with other ailments.

Iv'e decided not to show my dad the programme as it wouldn't make my dad feel any better.

But for others maybe it was helpful.

I think it said at the end that he has carried on with the bowling.

Ballet dancing wouldn't seem to be his thing!

I found it informative and rather sad.

I felt he took part in the dancing and other activities for the programme, but won’t keep going to them.

Also wise to finish doing UC, and to accept he can no longer do it properly, instead of having to be forced off, however much the producers want to keep him.

Very brave of famous faces such as Bill Turnbull, JP and many others to appear in such programmes and raise awareness.

What is the point of being able to smell Parkinsons? It does not make the diagnoisis any quicker
One hopes that this and other research will lead to better, earlier diagnosis and to better medicines which can at least slow down the progress of this debilitating disease.

GPs do need to have better training in diagnosis of this and other ailments.