New Parkinson’s Medication Transforms Life for Former Nurse

A new medication designed to manage Parkinson’s disease symptoms, specifically tremors, has been credited by a 65-year-old retired nurse with restoring her quality of life. Jan Fuller, residing in Hopton-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, received a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2015, experiencing a deterioration of her health in recent years. According to her statement to the BBC, there were periods when she was unable to rise from the floor due to tremors that impeded her movement, leading to her dependence on her elderly parents, friends, and professional carers. In September, she became the second individual at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to receive a prescription for the medication Produodopa. She expressed: “I am hopeful that if this continues then at least I have a chance at living a life and having a future.” The medication is delivered through a pump, worn around the midriff, measuring 8in x 3in (200mm x 75mm) and weighing 307 grams. A slender tube links this pump to a cannula, which requires daily replacement. Ms Fuller commented that despite the system being “not easy to manage,” it had proven to be “a life-changer.” She stated: “I had no quality of life, but now my pain is reduced and my ‘on’ time increased.” She further elaborated: “Over the last year I have spent most of my days in pain and having dystonic spasms. I was getting more ‘off’ time when my medication could not control my symptoms.” She added: “I was virtually housebound before and I had people come to check on me, to make sure I was able to get to the kitchen to get something to eat and drink.” She concluded: “I can’t thank everyone enough to be given the chance to benefit from this groundbreaking treatment.” This therapeutic approach combines two medications, Foslevodopa and Foscarbidopa, to assist in managing Parkinson’s symptoms like excessive movement or tremors. The continuous infusion is delivered into the patient’s bloodstream via a cannula placed under the skin, regulated by an automatic pump that ensures a consistent flow of the treatment to maintain symptom control. Ms Fuller further noted: “Before this treatment my quality of life was poor. “For the first four days on the treatment I had no problems and only minor symptoms. “Since then, I get episodes of breakthrough tremors and dystonia, but I’m learning how to try to deal with these by using the pump and giving myself a higher or lower rate of the drug.” Produodopa does not offer a cure, but it effectively manages certain symptoms. Dr. Vaclav Dostal, a consultant neurologist at NNUH, stated that this represents the first new treatment for Parkinson’s “in decades.” He remarked: “We are proud to be the first hospital in the region to offer Produodopa to patients with Parkinson’s disease, which is a real game-changer to help control symptoms. We are able to treat a very small number of patients at the moment, but hope more will benefit as we get this service established.” For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.