Parkinson's Diseas -another reason to be on the bike

[telegirl]

My mother-in-law died from Parkinson's about three years ago and last night I watched a story on our local news about how one research project found that Parkinson's symptoms are decreased significantly by cycling. Then I found this other story this morning.

Parkinson's disease sufferer rides bike to healthier life
http://www.marinij.com/ci_5742551?source=rss
By Richard Halstead
Article Launched: 04/24/2007 06:37:06 PM PDT

Parkinson's disease cost Jim Wetherell his job and his marriage, but he says cycling on a three-wheel, recliner-style bike has given him back his life.

Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1995 at 52, Wetherell takes a minimal amount of medication. His initial symptom, a tremor in his right hand, disappeared after his first 12,000 miles on the bike.

"I call my tricycle my bridge - because it's my bridge between having a life and not having a life. It kept me sane," Wetherell told a group of a dozen Marin residents with Parkinson's disease gathered at The Redwood retirement community in Mill Valley on Tuesday. The Parkinson's support group meets there on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

Wetherell, who lives in Hemet in Riverside County, drove a tour bus for 21 years before his diagnosis. Soon after he lost his job, he also lost his wife.

"The last woman I was married to couldn't handle the Parkinson's so she asked me to leave," Wetherell said. "We got married just before I got diagnosed."

Wetherell, who has experienced mild anxiety all his life, fell into a deep depression. He had no idea what the future held.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from
degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement. Some Parkinson's sufferers become severely disabled. The wife of one of Wetherell's friends who was diagnosed with the disease at the same time he was died two years later. The disease can also cause depression, personality changes, dementia, sleep disturbances, speech impairments and sexual difficulties.

Because exercise had helped Wetherell with his anxiety in the past, he turned to that as a refuge. He no longer had the balance required for a two-wheel bike.

"So, I tried a tricycle," Wetherell said.

During his first 15 months on the bike, he logged 10,000 miles. Currently, he rides with friends three or four mornings a week - riding anywhere from 20 to 50 miles on each ride. He also participates in bike races throughout California and sometimes travels to rallies in other states. Last year, he rode 385 miles in six days during a race in Iowa.

Marilyn Munyer of Novato, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1998, invited Wetherell to speak to the support group. Munyer said she discovered Wetherell's Web site, www.inevergiveup.org, when she was looking for alternatives to taking medication. Munyer said Wetherell inspired her to buy her own tricycle.

Dr. Ilkcan Cokgor, a San Anselmo neurologist who treats a number of Marin residents with Parkinson's disease, said there is a theory that exercise can delay the onset of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease. But Cokgor said she is unaware of any studies substantiating the theory.

Still, Cokgor said the theory makes sense to her.

"Exercise always delays the mental, cognitive decline and the deterioration of the muscles," Cokgor said. "If you don't do anything, you're going to atrophy, and you're going to get more balance and cognitive decline."

Although there is no official count of people with Parkinson's disease in Marin, Cokgor estimates there could be 500 people with the classic disease and another 1,000 with similar symptoms.

It is estimated that at least 500,000 people in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease, and about 50,000 new cases are reported annually. These figures are expected to increase as the average age of the population increases.

[Aggie_Ama]

There is a former pro cyclist, Davis Phinney, who is also fighting the disease. I read a very inspirational article on him in Bicycling Magazine shortly after I was daignosed with a movement disorder. I plan to do his ride next year, that article was the reason I stopped feeling sorry for myself and learned to live with my own illness.

http://www.davisphinneyfoundation.com/

[mimitabby]

when I was in Italy last fall, I saw an older woman with P. D. riding a bike.
She cruised up as natural as she could be. I didnt realize she had a problem until she got off the bike. I'll try to find her photo.

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/211...o?vhost=travel

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/211...o?vhost=travel

[Python]

This actually does make a lot of sense. My late mother worked until she was 69 when my brother put serious pressure on her to retire. She worked part-time in a fashion shop and she loved it. She enjoyed the company and meeting people. She didn't really want to retire then but had got fed up with my brother constantly nagging her so she finally gave in and retired. It was the worst thing she could have done. Within a few years she developed Alzheimers Disease. From then on it was a steady decline. She went from being a very active woman who didn't look (or act) her age to a woman who didn't even recognise her own family or be able to do basic things for herself. Before the disease really took hold, she remarked to me more than once that she was fed up staring at four walls day in, day out. My brother says now (hindsight is a great thing) that he meant the best for her but forcing her to give up her job was the worst thing he ever did.

I do believe if she had kept working the onset of Alzheimers could have been delayed. By contrast my Mum's life-long best friend is now 88 years old. She is in a care home because she has now gone senile but she was still doing voluntary work at the local hospital, driving her car, travelling alone to Spain to visit her son, baby-sitting her great-great grandchildren and being very active up until early last year when, unfortunately, she took a series of mini strokes which sadly has left her senile.

[IFjane]

My father died of Parkinson's Disease in 2002. He had been exhibiting some symptoms for years (undiagnosed until 5 years prior to his death) & I am sure that he would have declined much more rapidly had he known earlier. He was an active sailor & the only thing that made him stop boating was his balance. He was afraid he would fall in while walking around on the boat so he quit....and went downhill from there.

I have seen Davis Phinney at races in Colorado and the man is an inspiration. He and his wife, Connie, have produced a super cyclist in thier son, Taylor, too.

[ChainsOflove]

My mother died of Parkinson's December 30, 2006. She was sick for 15 years and broke her neck at the end. It was a horrible death.

She was never active in her life, and I wonder how much it would have helped her.

[Aggie_Ama]

when I was in Italy last fall, I saw an older woman with P. D. riding a bike.
She cruised up as natural as she could be. I didnt realize she had a problem until she got off the bike. I'll try to find her photo.

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/211...o?vhost=travel

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/211...o?vhost=travel

Mimi- How did you know she had Parkinson's? I ask because my disorder (Essential Tremor) causes me to shake with out medicines. I was terrified that I might have P.D. until I got in the care of a good neurologist. It would be much better if that lady had ET, I can't believe she just rides naturally though.

[weathergal]

Thanks for posting the article telegirl. My dad has Parkinson's (diagnosed in 1995) and is on partial disability. He spends a lot of time just hanging around the house being bored. I've thought about getting a recumbant for him, and reading this has started that ball rolling again.

[twin]

My mother also died of Parkinsons about 12 years ago. I ride now and if I thought I would be spared Parkinsons because it is a horrible way to die I would ride more than I already do and then some.