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After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 30, Jim McNasby's symptoms worsened, then attempted deep brain stimulation.
In 2000, Jim McNasby was pursuing his Harvard Law degree in the Litigation Group of the Philip Morris Tobacco and Tobacco Company.
"It was a pretty high pressure [job] as you can imagine, "McNasby told Healthline.
The demands of the job were so intense that he felt foot cramps, toe flexions, and anxiety tremors.
"But then I spilled a cup of coffee two days in a row at work and it seemed like a problem," he said.
After visiting the company doctor, McNasby hoped that something was happening that was both acute and treatable.
"The doctor was looking for all the alternatives to Parkinson's because it was so unlikely that someone developed Parkinson's in their late twenties," McNasby said. "Michael J. Fox had just introduced the idea of Parkinson, who appeared early and was going to enter the public domain."
After several months of additional testing, McNasby was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 30.
"Parkinson's disease usually affects people over 50 years old. However, it can affect young people, even children. Between 2% and 10% of patients with Parkinson's disease are diagnosed before the age of 50, "Dr. Binith Cheeran, Medical Director of Movement Disorders at Abbott Healthpoint, told Healthline.
Given his age and no family history or knowledge of the disease, the diagnosis was a shock for McNasby.
"A million things are going through your head. Why me? Why now? Surely there is a cure, "McNasby said.
After his diagnosis, McNasby started taking pramipexole and, as his tremor worsened, he was also prescribed amantadine.
Although tremor is a fundamental feature of Parkinson's disease, Dr. Fiona Gupta, badistant professor of neurology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Icahn, said slow movement, stiffness and unbalance were also signs of the disease.
"However, it is essential to understand that all patients have different symptoms. There are not two people who are alike, "Gupta told Healthline.
"There are also a multitude of non-motor symptoms, including mood-related symptoms and premotor symptoms that may precede cardinal symptoms, including loss of smell," she said.
Over the years, McNasby has tried different medications to relieve his symptoms, including Sinemet, which he has remained for nearly 15 years.
In 2006, he started taking trihexyphenidyl, which he said helped stabilize his symptoms until recently.
In 2017, his symptoms became progressively worse and he took 15 tablets a day to manage them. Her medical condition reached a point that required her to retire from her role as General Counsel of Marsh.
"When you take medications to treat your symptoms, they become more intense in the beginning and you do not feel very well for a while," McNasby said.
"I went from tremor to dyskinesia, which means I went from jerking to slower involuntary movements, like rocking instead of shaking. That would fade then, and my tremors would come back and I would get back in the shaking, "he said.
Whenever he took medication, he was going through this cycle.
The constant ups and downs have led to interest in deep brain stimulation (DBS). He heard about the operation through the Michael J. Fox Foundation, to which he became involved in 2002 as a pro bono legal resource.
"I guide about 40 people who have just been diagnosed with Parkinson's, [at events]and when people call the Fox Foundation, they can send it to me as a resource, "said McNasby. "I can imagine doing this forever."
Her involvement in the foundation also helps her stay abad of the latest treatments, such as DBS, which, according to Cheeran, is a well-established treatment for Parkinson's disease.
During DBS surgery, weak electrical pulses from a pacemaker-like device are delivered by fine leads directly to the affected network in the brain.
"CPS can be a good treatment option for someone with at least four years of typical Parkinson's disease whose symptoms have been fluctuating for at least four months, despite the adjustment of medications," said Cheeran.
The way Parkinson showed up for McNasby made him an ideal candidate. However, before proceeding with the operation, he spent time discussing various system options with his neurosurgeon, Dr. Brian Kopell.
"The concept of brain surgery scared me, so I approached my fear through education. I have spoken to many people with Parkinson's disease, providers and researchers, and I have finally waited until my medications are no longer enough … Ironically, I am # 39; worried about the "permanence" of the DBS procedure, but now that it's over, I hope its effects are permanent, "McNasby said.
Kopell suggested that the Abbott Infinity DBS system was the best option for McNasby and that on January 10, February 4, and February 11, 2019, he had undergone three surgeries.
While he missed a few months of work to recover completely, he immediately noticed an improvement.
"I felt a huge difference as soon as it was activated. I could sit upright and feel the stability in my hands and legs with a lightness in my movements. It was as if someone had relieved the symptoms of my body, "McNasby said.
"I was euphoric and I started walking aggressively and even jogging in the corridors of the neurology department," he said.
As part of the initial adjustment process, he took a full dose of Sinemet, but the combination "over-excited" him, causing him dyskinesia.
His doctors concluded that he was sensitive to the combination of electric current and drugs and he developed a plan to reintroduce the current gradually.
"About a week after the initial setting, I reached a level of stimulation that looked like the initial euphoria without any Sinemet. I consider that day, March 5, 2019, as my "birthday". Today, I feel good and I notice a palpable difference in my daily life, "said McNasby.
"The DBS therapy has given me the ability to feel lighter, move more easily and stay in control. There is a drastic reduction in my tremors and reworkings. My facial expressions are back and my posture is better. "
Cheeran says that CPS can reduce fluctuations in symptom control and dependence on complex drug regimens, as was the case with McNasby.
"However, even 25 years after the discovery of treatment, many people with Parkinson's are still unaware of this option or are not offered the procedure despite many years of fluctuating control of symptoms," Cheeran said.
Gupta and Cheeran hope that many new treatments for Parkinson's are underway.
"Investment in research, particularly over the past decade, has improved our understanding of Parkinson's disease by leaps and bounds. This gives us great hopes for better treatments in the future. That said, for people with Parkinson's today, it is essential to get the right treatment at the right time; delaying treatment does not delay the disease, "said Cheeran.
He adds that technological advances are coming faster than pharmacological advances.
"The rapid progress of DBS technology has provided physicians with even more powerful tools to customize treatment. At the same time, the technology is robust, unobtrusive and requires little maintenance, "Cheeran said.
McNasby shares the message of hope.
"I share my story because she is optimistic. I had a brain operation and it worked. It's the best medical decision I've made, "he said. "Everyone with Parkinson's disease should know that there are more and more treatment options for PD and that DBS is one of them."
Today, McNasby works at Marsh on a part time basis and continues to volunteer at the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
In his spare time, he spends his time remaining active by working with a physical trainer, taking spin and yoga clbades and hiking with her husband and dog.
"If you do not have a plan or something you want to do, your ability to do it decreases. I love my job and I find it very rewarding to volunteer, "McNasby said. "I also want to be in the best possible health for my family."
Cathy Cbadata is an independent writer who specializes in stories about health, mental health and human behavior. She has the gift of emotionally writing and communicating with readers in a perceptive and engaging manner. Read more about his work right here.
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