Parkinson's Disease
75-year-old Hexiang, from his husband
“After just a couple months, he surprised me by peeling a mango on his own—it had already been nearly a year since he last was able to use a knife.”
My husband, Hexiang, is 75 years old this year [2019]. We have lived together for more than 30 years. His physical condition makes him seem much younger than his actual age, but since 2015, his hands sometimes shake, and he shuffles when walking. His reaction time and memory have also declined, and in June of 2016, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
He began taking medication for the disease, but his symptoms only became more and more apparent, and the medicine’s side effects made him have to make very frequent trips to the bathroom. I watched him staggering each day, his expression wooden, his responses sluggish. It seemed like he had aged overnight. I was worried and afraid, and for a whole month, I held his hand at night, silently crying and unable to fall asleep.
At the beginning of 2017, Hexiang began using PS128, at first only because I was desperate to try anything. I didn’t imagine I’d see any actual results, but just a month later, Hexiang regained strength in his fingers and his hands stopped trembling enough for him to be able to replace his hearing aid batteries all by himself. After just a couple months, he surprised me by peeling a mango on his own—it had already been nearly a year since he last was able to use a knife.
As Hexiang’s energy and movement improved, I started trying to go out exercising and even traveling with him. Family and friends noticed he was in a better mood, that he could clearly express himself once again. After using PS128 for around six months, he no longer had to get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and could sleep much better. With his doctor’s consent, Hexiang gradually reduced his anti-depressant and sleeping pills.
In September of 2017, the neurologist observed Hexiang’s improved gait and movement and agreed for him to stop using Parkinson’s medicine. Every three months he has an appointment with the doctor, who has continued to tell us Hexiang doesn’t need a prescription for his Parkinson’s.
Looking back on the past few years, we would conclude that the biggest factor in Hexiang’s improvement is regularly taking PS128, right along with eating a balanced diet, exercising right, and getting enough sleep. I know many Parkinson’s patients and those taking care of them may want to try all sorts of therapy to find something that works. My advice is as long as the treatment is proven safe, start as soon as possible.