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• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> Over 12 years >> Tom - Interview 06 >> Tom goes through many states with each dose of levodopa. Moments later he realised he had forgotten to take the medication which would prevent dyskine

Tom was 27 when he was diagnosed. His medication includes levodopa. He experiences ‘on’ and ‘off’ periods most days. During the on period he may also have dyskinesia. He set up the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> David - Interview 43 >> David explains why he was not put on levodopa at first.

When David was diagnosed with PD he was put on Requip (ropinirole). When he realized that he had a problem with hypersexuality he was changed onto Mirapaxin. He then got disastrously involved in gambling. Now he no longer takes dopamine agonists and no longer experiences any compulsive tendencies.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> David - Interview 43 >> David develops dystonia if his levodopa levels are too high.

When David was diagnosed with PD he was put on Requip (ropinirole). When he realized that he had a problem with hypersexuality he was changed onto Mirapaxin. He then got disastrously involved in gambling. Now he no longer takes dopamine agonists and no longer experiences any compulsive tendencies.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> David - Interview 43 >> He uses pill boxes with alarms on them to be sure to take his medication on time. This way he avoids unwanted fluctuations in his symptoms.

When David was diagnosed with PD he was put on Requip (ropinirole). When he realized that he had a problem with hypersexuality he was changed onto Mirapaxin. He then got disastrously involved in gambling. Now he no longer takes dopamine agonists and no longer experiences any compulsive tendencies.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 8-12 years >> Sharon - Interview 31 >> If Sharon forgets to take her medication she soon goes ‘off’.

Forced by her Parkinsons symptoms to retire from a career she loved as a teacher Sharon turned things round by becoming a business woman creating the very successful Cake Bake Company.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> David - Interview 43 >> David always read the leaflets which came in the pill packets which is why he is sure compulsive side effects were not mentioned.

When David was diagnosed with PD he was put on Requip (ropinirole). When he realized that he had a problem with hypersexuality he was changed onto Mirapaxin. He then got disastrously involved in gambling. Now he no longer takes dopamine agonists and no longer experiences any compulsive tendencies.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 8-12 years >> Natalia - Interview 18 >> Natalia experienced 6 weeks of depression when she went on pramipexole (Mirapexin) but eventually felt benefits from it.

Diagnosed in 1999, Natalia takes Madopar and Mirapexin but has times during the day when she feels weak, and has difficulty standing and understanding and participating in conversations.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> DBS >> Neil - Interview 21 >> Neil used to keep a record of on and off times to tell the neurologist at his hospital appointment.

Diagnosed 13 years ago, Neil has had GDNF and deep brain stimulation which improved his symptoms. Now he has stiffness, slow walking, and sometimes his speech is affected.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 8-12 years >> Alun - Interview 24 >> Alun finds his compulsive symptoms harder to explain than his Parkinson’s but was relieved to find someone who had also experienced this.

Alun was diagnosed nine years ago. Physically, his mobility is most affected now. He has experienced obsessive compulsive disorder from the medication he has taken.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> Over 12 years >> Geraldine - Interview 28 >> Sometimes Geraldine will go ‘off’ soon after a dose of Sinemet.

Geraldine was diagnosed in 1990. She was a single parent with three teenage children. She never-the-less succeeded in holding increasingly demanding executive jobs in the voluntary sector and was finally chief executive of the Charities Commission before retiring recently. And she is still working on many projects and committees.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> Over 12 years >> Tom - Interview 06 >> Tom’s ‘offs’ are both dramatic and scary to anyone observing them though he knows he always comes out OK at the end.

Tom was 27 when he was diagnosed. His medication includes levodopa. He experiences ‘on’ and ‘off’ periods most days. During the on period he may also have dyskinesia. He set up the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> Fiona and John - Interview 09 >> Fiona’s husband could not tolerate the nausea when he was on ropinirole.

Fiona’s husband was diagnosed in 2003 at the age of 42 with early onset Parkinson’s Disease. He has continued to work full time.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> Brian - Interview 35 >> Brian was put on pergolide by a GP who was not aware that he had had rheumatic fever as a child.

Diagnosed 14 years ago Brian was on Madopar for 3 years, When Pergolide was added it affected his heart which had been damaged in childhood from Rheumatic fever. He is now on Apomorphine, delivered by a pump into his abdominal wall.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 3-4 years >> Philip - Interview 36 >> Philip can predict when he will need to sleep after each dose of pramipexole and can arrange his life to fit in with this.

Since Philip was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 4 years ago he has always felt uncertain which of his symptoms were caused by this and which were due to the pain he gets from a severely arthritic hip.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 5-7 years >> Bob - Interview 22 >> Bob had a psychotic reaction and had to be taken off his medication.

Bob was 51 when he was diagnosed. He has tremor in his right hand and is slower at doing things. He continues to work full time.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 3-4 years >> Eddie - Interview 37 >> Eddie developed breathing problems and was sure they were caused by the Sinemet he was taking, so he decided to stop it and the problem went away.

Eddie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about 3 years ago. He was put on Sinemet but began to experience breathing difficulties at night. Although his consultant encouraged him to continue on the medication he decided not to.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 3-4 years >> Humphrey - Interview 01 >> If the dose of Mirapexin pramipexole was too high Humphrey felt that it would be dangerous to drive because of falling asleep.

Humphrey was able to continue working as a writer, broadcaster and musician after he was diagnosed. Although his Parkinson’s was progressing fairly quickly he maintained a resolutely positive attitude, trying to solve each problem as it presented itself, such as voice recognition software when typing became difficult. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 2005.

• Nerves & brain >> Parkinson's disease >> 8-12 years >> John and Julie - Interview 02 >> John had made a record of his feelings about Ropinirole which had been added to the Sinemet he was taking initially.

John’s symptoms started in 1999. He now has difficulty getting dressed and he is slower with walking, but he is grateful that his symptoms have progressed slowly.