Here is part of my personal story, which I share with the intent of helping those who would like the info. It's only my experience.

Saw my neuro for an HOUR. He is one of the brightest and best and I'm a lucky gal with decent health insurance.

I found myself again challenged to offer my views on why I'm doing so well almost 8 1/2 years after diagnosis (with symptoms several years before that). One thing he pointed out is that I've always kept my meds very balanced, keeping myself neither too on nor too off, never shocking my brain if I can help it. I brought up a disagreement with a different neuro on the amount of Sinemet I should have, and this neuro said I had been right. I take Sinemet and three things to stretch it out: an agonist, Comtan, and experimental KW6002. I also take an antidepressant daily since 1999, which, besides the obvious, protects the brain from damage due to depression, isradipine for slightly elevated blood pressure, and lipitor for hereditary high cholesterol, plus a baby aspirin, a multivitamin, and folic acid on general principles.

So neuro says that not shocking the old melon may be why he can't find any cogwheeling on the right (left first affected) when I'm on and I almost walk normally 11 months after hip surgery. My cognition is improved. My posture is improving with exercise, and beside, the hip hurts if I don't stand "tall." On meds, I still feel Parkish, but others can't tell except for some dyskinesia. Exercise helps with that. My tremor breaks through occasionally and I feel like poop a lot of the time, but I have energy to do things now, since the hip surgery took care of most of my major stressor, pain.

So it's not just that I'm lucky, I'm also vigilant and, well, stubborn. I tell you all this so it may help you all. None of this going off to see what happens, or gulping extra med before a demanding event. Other factors about my life are indeed lucky, but much is under our control with the right information. I'm here to share all I can for what it's worth, and I usually receive more in return than I give.

Last thing the good neuro told me was it's possible I have a milder strain of the disease than most, as do many young onsets. Here's hoping.

Now watch me go on a huge downhill slide tomorrow for opening my big mouth.

Jaye