Laura,
Several months ago I read about a study at Vanderbilt U. in which they were recruiting PD patients who were still in early stages of the disease in order to try to determine if DBS administered early in the disease process could delay or arrest progression of symptoms. I have heard nothing more about the study since then. Recruiting subjects may have turned out to be more difficult than they anticipated.
Robert

Laura, One more thing to consider and ask about (as if you don't already have enough) is that previous brain surgery and specifically DBS may exclude you from future PD clinical trials.
linda

if i were you i'd try to talk to as many dbs patients of that neuro that i could. and of course consider the affect on my kids i came out worse - that would be the 1st thing i'd consider and ponder if it might be better to wait until they are older.

Laura,
I don't have any first hand information about DBS but I do know a little about surgeries in general and about how many things can and do go wrong. If there are alternatives, I would try them first.

There may be nothing for you that is better than surgery, and I have met several people who have had DBS and even after years with PD they appear to be perfectly "normal". But doctors can be quick to suggest cutting when there remaln other avenues yet untried that can have good results with far fewer risks.

As with everything else knowlege is power. You will know when it is right for you.

Laura - get a second opinion! Certain surgeons who perform DBS have been pushing for younger patients for quite awhile now; it is not a new notion (and you can't discount some of their motivation being its high cost and value to their practice). But it is not accepted as the right way to go by many. I'd give some thought to going to the Cleveland Clinic, as one option, for an evaluation.

I'd also check out Jackie Christensen's book "Life With a Battery Operated Brain: a Patient's Guide to Deep Brain Surgery for Parkinson's disease"; you can get it at amazon http://www.amazon.com/Life-Battery-O...3839533&sr=8-1

Her blog is here: http://livingwithbob.typepad.com/ Jackie is a young mother with two boys.

Please don't enter into this without doing MUCHO research! Do not think that you do not have time - you do - a lot of time! So take it!

Laura,


As you can see, many patients who communicate with each other tend to use DBS as a last resort, but you need to do what is right for you. I do caution you to do it for your own reasons, not because a doctor talked you into it. They all do.[try]
I left an appt one time with my doctor sticking his two index fingers into his head and making a goofy face. But i still haven't gotten one.

paula