Man shares before and after videos of his Parkinson's symptoms after taking 'life-changing' new drug
A man showed the progress of his Parkinson's disease symptoms following his treatment on a new drug - which he called 'life-changing'.
According to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 1 in every 37 people are being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at some point in their life.
The condition can be very debilitating, with it's main symptoms being tremors, muscle stiffness, and slow movement and other symptoms can include balance issues and nerve pain - currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease.
52-year-old Damian Gath, from the UK, was diagnosed with the condition 12 years ago in 2014 and has been under the care of Sherwood Forest Hospitals (SFH) in Nottingham since 2016.
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However, Gath has since become the first person in the UK to test a new drug as part of a new treatment - and he shared a video of his progress two days apart from each other:
He is only one of six people in the UK to have taken the drug, known as Produodopa.
It is administered via a portable pump under his skin as part of a 'new infusion therapy treatment, according to Sherwood Forests Hospitals, and Gath has said that it has changed his life for the better.
He said: “It’s been extraordinary and life changing.
"Just shortly after first having the treatment, I was able to make a cup of coffee and go to the supermarket."
In the footage, Gath shows just how much concentration it took for him to make a cup of tea, while his arms and legs struggle to move as he would like.
Following his treatment, he is now able to make a tea like a pro and is also seen walking his dog without much bother.
He told the BBC that he 'almost couldn't believe that's me [him] in the video'.
Prior to his new treatment, his condition had recently worsened and he had been taking four different oral tablets six times a day to control his involuntary movements.
Because of reduced effect of the drugs during the night, he was left unable to sleep due to the fluctuations of his condition, causing him considerable pain.
And following his therapy treatment, Gath says the biggest difference he notices is 'there are now no fluctuations', adding: "I am also sleeping much better and the duvet doesn’t feel like a ton weight on my legs – I can turn over when I want to.”
While it might not seem like much to most people, he admitted that the transition has affected him emotionally.
“I haven't stopped crying for three weeks, It's been so emotional. My family and friends have been so supportive they're so happy for me. My children are just blown away from it." he told ITV News in July.
"I've gone from 10% to 90% in the last three weeks. I could even consider getting back to work that's the big thing.
"And cooking a meal for family and friends, a good meal not beans on toast or a microwave meal, a proper meal".
The Director of Policy and Health Strategy at Parkinson's UK, Rowan Wathes, also told the publication that those suffering from the disease can look to Gath for 'optimism' about future treatments.
While Dr Nishantha Silva, Consultant Geriatrician and Service lead for Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders at SFH, described it as 'a new era in the management of advanced Parkinson’s disease'.
Gerrard Kaonga