Paxman: Putting up with Parkinson's

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.

Grandnana

GrandNanna
That must be extremely difficult living on your own

I hope Jeremy's programme brings about more awareness.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

^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.

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.

sorry "broken"