Understand that a Parkinson’s diagnosis means that somewhere in there, is an invisible vowel.
That vowel is a U.
Parkinson’s must not take so strong of a hold on you that it defines who you are.
However, you can, you must, define the Parkinson’s in you.
By doing so, you can put your own stamp on Parkinson’s
How do you do this?
By not just understanding Parkinson’s but by Understanding YOUR Parkinson’s
Yes, there is a difference in understanding Parkinson’s and understanding YOUR Parkinson’s.
ON and OFF times
Can we feel ON to us, but look OFF to others?
Sometimes I may display symptoms to others. yet feel comfortable with myself, Then there are times when I may look calm to others, yet Parkinson’s is running rampant inside of me.
Are OFF times dictated by How, What, and When, we do things?
If so, should not our medication timing be altered to match the upcoming OFF moments and not just be dictated by the hour of the day?
Dopamine
Dopamine is an important chemical messenger for us Parkies, It is involved in motivation, memory, attention and regulating body movements.
In PD the nerve cells that produce dopamine are dying. PD symptoms occur when the nerve cells fire and there isn’t enough Dopamine to transmit messages.
Medication is often prescribed to regulate these symptons.
The go to drug to help regulate our dopamine levels is Sinemet.
Sinemet is made up of Levodopa and another drug called Carbidopa. Levodopa enters the brain and is converted to Dopamine while Carbidopa prevents or lessens many of the side effects of Levodopa,
So besides medication, what are some of the other factors that come into play when we try to stimulate Dopamine production in our body?
Age
Diet
Exercise
Music
Meditation
Supplements
When combining those with the medication, does it change or should it change the timing of our ON and OFF moments.
And if so, should they also play a part in when or how often we decide to medicate?
Get an understanding of what can play a part in dictating your ON and Off Moments,
The ON OFF moments can be like feeling for the light switch on the wall in a dark room. Sometimes the switch is found easily and other times not.
However the more we search for that switch in that room the easier it becomes to find that ON Off switch is.
It’s when we change rooms that we struggle with locating the switch again!
Some times your ON times are not fully ON.
Does your ON OFF switch have a Dimmer switch?
Is your bulb screwed in all the way?
Are you that string of Christmas lights that when one bulb goes out they all go out and it takes forever to find that one burnt out bulb?
Or
Are you that string of lights that continue to shine when one bulb goes out?
To me there seems to be no right or wrong answer to these questions?
One shoe does not fit all.
Which makes it seem even more imperative that we must claim The Parkinson’s Diagnosis as our own.
So take charge of the U in Parkinson’s by:
- being Informed
- by being Visible
- by being heard
Don’t be a silent “U”
Parkinsons - My Super Power 