The Good Days and Bad Days of Parkinson’s Disease

Story of Interest:
This article excerpt is taken from the Messenger Winter-Spring 2013 Newsletter.

A common story often heard in my clinic is the marked difference some people experience from day to day in the control of PD symptoms. Although not appearing in neurological textbooks, the “good day/bad day” phe- nomenon is a puzzle that has engaged my curiosity for years. Patients who find that their tremor or slowness of movement varies markedly despite stable medication regimens have no obvious explanation for the seemingly random nature of these fluctuations. Certain problems common to everyone may provide some explanation. For example, missing a night’s sleep, having a gastrointes- tinal illness, or great deal of stress can interfere with how well someone functions, especially a person with PD. Yet, the unpredictable experience of many hours in a “down” state followed by the spontaneous return of good mobility makes me want to understand more about what is behind this type of fluctuations in so many per- sons with PD.

Article written by:


PETER A. LEWITT, MD
Director, Parkinson’s Dis- ease and Movement Dis- orders Clinic, Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield; Professor of Neurology, Wayne State Univer- sity School of Medicine; President, Michigan Par- kinson Foundation and Member, MPF Profes- sional Advisory Board

For the full article visit the Michigan Parkinson's Foundation Website!
Lovingly, Alwaysadiva