“Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS surgery) doesn’t cure Parkinson’s, but it helps a lot,” says Gerlach Roomans, guest speaker on the latest episode of our Parkinson’s Life podcast.
In this episode, we explore Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, and the impact it can have on people with Parkinson’s.
Gerlach was diagnosed in 2009 and decided to have a DBS procedure after a discussion with his neurologist. In this episode, he shares his experience of being diagnosed. He talks about how he felt in the lead up to the procedure, the experience of surgery itself, and how it has affected his life since.
Recalling how his brother-in-law sent him a video showing the before-and-after effects of DBS, Gerlach says: “I was scared before watching it, and I was even more scared after. If somebody is trembling a lot before the operation and almost at ease after the operation, you also say to yourself, how can that be?”
Individual experiences
Joining him for the discussion are Lucy Partington-Smith, a DBS and advanced therapy nurse specialist in Manchester in the UK, and Veerle Visser-Vandewalle, a neurosurgeon and Head of the Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Cologne.
Both have years of experience working with DBS patients. Veerle was part of the pioneering team who performed the first DBS in 1996, while Lucy’s first experience came in 2011.
“I was asked to be a part of that in its infancy. I’m still here leading the service from a nurse perspective, so obviously found a lot that I enjoyed,” Lucy says.
Veerle and Lucy discuss how it is decided whether DBS is suitable for a patient. They also explain the risks associated, potential side effects, and the ongoing support that’s provided after the surgery.
All agree that DBS can change people’s lives, but the impact on people with Parkinson’s and each experience is individual to the patient.
“We should manage expectations,” says Gerlach. “I always say, this is my story – 100 patients in a room will have 100 different views.”
Listen to the full episode on Spotify via the link above, or on your podcast provider of choice. If you like what you’ve heard, please rate and review – it helps make sure others can find us.
Find out more about Deep Brain Stimulation surgery in our in-depth interview, feature Ivan O’Regan from Ireland (a person with Parkinson’s who has undergone the surgery), as well as Professor Lennart Stieglitz, a neurosurgeon at Zurich’s University Hospital in Switzerland who regularly performs Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, and DBS expert Dr Alexandra Boogers, a neurologist at the University of Toronto, Canada.
Explore more of our Parkinson’s Life podcasts, with episodes covering Parkinson’s research, how to deal with “off” periods, sex and intimacy in Parkinson’s, and women and Parkinson’s. Never miss an episode by subscribing to the Parkinson’s Life podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, or your streaming service of choice.
Parkinson’s Europe is sharing this article for information purposes only; it does not represent Parkinson’s Europe’s views and is not an endorsement by Parkinson’s Europe of any particular treatments, therapies or products.
