Jerry: Dancing for the First Time in Years

This story recounts the experience of one patient who is receiving Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy to reduce some of the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Please bear in mind that the experiences are specific to this particular person.

In 1996, during their annual vacation in Hawaii, Jerry and his wife Gail were enjoying their morning run. They took different courses, and Gail had beaten him to their meeting point. As she watched him run, Gail noticed that Jerry no longer swung his left arm when he ran.

"I've been running with dogs for years, so I just assumed it was a habit from holding the leash while I ran," says Jerry.

A few months later, Jerry was showering for work when he realized he could hardly move his left side. As a chiropractor who has treated many people with chronic conditions, Jerry knew something was seriously wrong. He called a neurologist friend.

The neurologist ran several tests, including imaging of his brain and spine, a lumbar puncture to examine cerebral spinal fluid, and blood and urine tests. Surprisingly, the test results were all within normal limits. The neurologist referred him to a neurologist with advanced training in movement disorders.

The specialist diagnosed 44-year-old Jerry with young-onset Parkinson's disease and prescribed medications. "The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease was quite a shock for me and my family," says Jerry.

Looking for Symptom Relief from Medications

Jerry's symptoms worsened. Rigidity, sluggishness, mild tremor and speech difficulty all added up to a need for more medications. However, Jerry found that the higher doses he needed to control his symptoms carried intolerable side effects. Two years after his diagnosis, Jerry was forced to reduce his activity and stop practicing as a chiropractor.

"My rigidity made the quick and fluid movements necessary for chiropractic treatment impossible," says Jerry.

"Writing also was a challenge, and my speech difficulties compromised communication with my patients." Because his medications caused extreme fatigue and nausea, Jerry would often fall asleep during conversations with Gail.

Discovering DBS Therapy

Then, in 2004, Jerry and Gail watched a news program in which a man with Parkinson's disease and severe dyskinesias got up out of a wheelchair and danced once his Medtronic DBS Therapy system was turned on.

"I looked down the road ahead of me," says Jerry, "and knew that being severely disabled by Parkinson's disease was not the road I wanted to travel."

Jerry received his Medtronic DBS Therapy system in September 2004 during two separate procedures that placed two neurostimulators over an 8-week period. He experienced little pain during his procedure, and within a day of each procedure he was walking for exercise.

Setbacks and Steps Forward

In the spring, Jerry began experiencing shock sensations in his chest and suspected it was related to his DBS Therapy. It was determined that tissue and fluid had built up around one of the two neurostimulators causing a short in the system. The neurostimulator was replaced. Unfortunately, within months Jerry's DBS Therapy was not holding its settings for more than 20 minutes at a time. An MRI revealed that a lead was 1 mm off in his brain. After a revision surgery, the device was successfully programmed.

Years later, in October 2008, the neurostimulators were nearing the end of their battery lives and were replaced.

"By the following February, I was having difficulty writing and my right hand was slowing down," Jerry recalls.

His neurosurgeon found that the battery on one of Jerry's new neurostimulators was depleted. The extension lead that went from Jerry's brain down the back of his neck and behind his ear was shorting out, causing shocks that drained the battery. The extension lead and left neurostimulator were replaced in April 2009. After that procedure, he developed a hematoma in the area where the neurostimulator was placed. This was resolved in a matter of weeks.

Risks of the Procedure and Stimulation

DBS Therapy requires brain surgery. Risks of brain surgery may include serious complications such as coma, bleeding inside the brain, seizures and infection. Some of these may be fatal. Once implanted, the system may become infected, parts may wear through your skin, and the lead or lead/extension connector may move. Medtronic DBS Therapy could stop suddenly because of mechanical or electrical problems. Any of these situations may require additional surgery or cause your symptoms to return.

Medtronic DBS Therapy may cause worsening of some motor symptoms associated with your movement disorder, and may cause speech and language impairments. Stimulation parameters may be adjusted to minimize side effects and attain maximum symptom control. In patients receiving Medtronic DBS Therapy, depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide have been reported. Occurence of "fall" has also been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Celebrating Daily Victories

Despite some setbacks, Jerry remains enthusiastic about DBS Therapy and what it helps him accomplish.

"I would have the therapy placed again in a heartbeat," he says. "Before DBS Therapy, I couldn't tie my shoes, button my shirts, or tie my own tie. After the therapy, I could do all of those things myself, and facial expressions that had been gone for four years returned."

Today, Jerry walks, drives, types, teaches orthopedics, and performs intern assessments at a local college. One day a week he performs acupuncture on patients. He goes to therapy for his voice, gait, and balance. During the summer, he bicycles four days a week. In the winter, he attends spinning classes at his local fitness center.

When asked about a favorite memory since receiving DBS Therapy, Jerry shares one special moment. "When I returned home from the doctor, my wife and I danced for our daughters for the first time in years. It was a very emotional moment."

Next: Talk to a Patient

Medtronic invited this patient to share his story candidly. Not everyone who receives Medtronic DBS Therapy will receive the same results as the individual in this story; some people may experience significant symptom relief from DBS Therapy, and others may experience minimal symptom relief. Talk to your doctor to determine if Medtronic DBS Therapy is right for you.

This therapy is not for everyone. Please consult your physician. A prescription is required. For a complete list of adverse events that have been associated with the therapy, please refer to Important Safety Information.