The Parkinson's Experience podcast

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Sheryl Lowenhar
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Health & Fitness Society & Culture
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480 - 800 listeners Neutral 4.5 rating 32 reviews 100 episodes USA
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30s Ad: $17 - $20 60s Ad: $20 - $24 CPM Category: Health & Fitness
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The Parkinson’s Experience is a podcast hosted by a Person with Parkinson’s (PWP) and based on her daily experiences. Listen in on her journey living with the disease and how she lives her best life with humor, generosity, empathy and knowledge. Her conversations with experts and patients like you are fascinating and authentic. They cover relevant topics from DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) to exercise to diet to medications to much more difficult subjects like personal relationships. Of the few podcasts available on this topic, don’t skip this one from the viewpoint of a patient.

Thank you to my sponsor – Boston Scientific, the maker of Vercise Genus, a Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS system. To learn more about Parkinson's treatment options, please visit DBSandMe.com

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Recent Hosts, Guests & Topics

Here's a quick summary of the last 5 episodes on The Parkinson's Experience podcast.

Hosts

unknown Unnamed Host

Previous Guests

Patrick Morrisey
Patrick Morrisey is an athlete and advocate who became the first person with Parkinson's disease to complete the World's Toughest Row, a grueling boat race across the Pacific Ocean. He is a member of Team Human Potential, which raised over $41 million for the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research. Patrick's journey highlights his commitment to overcoming challenges associated with Parkinson's while inspiring others through his endurance and strength.
Brendan Cusick
Brendan Cusick is the skipper of Team Human Potential, known for leading the team during the World's Toughest Row. His leadership and teamwork were crucial in navigating the challenges of rowing across the Pacific Ocean. Brendan's experiences during the race not only showcased his skills as a sailor but also emphasized the importance of camaraderie and support in overcoming physical and mental limitations.
Dr. Dan Peterson
Dr. Dan Peterson is a researcher specializing in movement disorders, particularly in the context of Parkinson's disease. He leads a lab focused on studying gait and balance issues faced by individuals with these conditions. His work aims to understand the underlying mechanisms of these symptoms and to develop potential interventions to improve the quality of life for patients.
Lisa Volenec
Lisa Volenec is a television professional who was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's disease at the age of less than 50. As a member of the 10% of the Parkinson's population diagnosed with this condition, she has navigated the challenges of living with the disease while maintaining her career in a high-stress environment. Lisa has become an advocate for others in similar situations, sharing her journey and insights on managing both her health and professional life. She has also made the decision to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery, which she discusses in her conversations, highlighting the outcomes and personal significance of this choice.
Dr. Ospina
Dr. Ospina is a Movement Disorder Specialist with expertise in treating patients with Parkinson's disease. She is known for her ability to explain complex medical concepts in an accessible manner, making her a valuable resource for patients seeking to understand their treatment options. Dr. Ospina has contributed to discussions on various treatment modalities, including new medication delivery systems and long-acting oral levodopa.
Indu Subramanian, MD
Indu Subramanian, MD, is a neurologist and movement disorders researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She specializes in the treatment and research of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease, and has contributed to various studies and publications in the field.
Al Saad, MD
Al Saad, MD, is a neurologist with expertise in climate change and its impact on health. He is affiliated with the University of Colorado and focuses on the intersection of neurology and environmental factors, particularly how climate change affects patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Topics Discussed

World's Toughest Row endurance strength friendship Team Human Potential Patrick Morrisey Brendan Cusick Parkinson's Michael J Fox Foundation Pacific Ocean gait balance Parkinson's disease movement disorders research Dr. Dan Peterson young onset Parkinson's disease DBS surgery personal stories health policy community support employment stress management medication delivery systems pumps FDA approval Movement Disorder Specialist People with Parkinson's oral levodopa Crexont DBS heat preparation neurodegenerative diseases heat-related complications heatstroke climate change

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Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on The Parkinson's Experience podcast.

0:00 46:27

114 World's Toughest Row - a story of endurance, strength and friendship

Hosts
unknown
Guests
Patrick Morrisey Brendan Cusick
Keywords
World's Toughest Row endurance strength friendship Team Human Potential Patrick Morrisey Brendan Cusick Parkinson's Michael J Fox Foundation Pacific Ocean

$41M, 41 days, 2800 miles. Those are the stats for Team Human Potential who competed in the World’s Toughest Row. The boat race happens annually and showcases teams of four, rowing across the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii. Patrick Morrisey with Team Human Potential became the first person with Parkinson’s to finish the race. They raised over $41M for the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research. Amazing.

We spoke with Patrick and his skipper, Brendan Cusick about their experiences, challenges, commitment, and learnings on the trip. What did it reveal about working together and becoming close brothers in the end? How did Patrick manage his symptoms while rowing and living on a small boat for 41 days? What did they learn about their mental and physicial limitations? What’s next?

Listen on to enjoy some time with this engaging, generous and courageous team.

https://humanpoweredpotential.org/

https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html 

0:00 53:16

113 Gait and Balance Explained

Hosts
unknown
Guests
Dr. Dan Peterson
Keywords
gait balance Parkinson's disease movement disorders research Dr. Dan Peterson

It is difficult to believe that in the over 100 episodes of the Parkinson's Experience, we have not talked extensively about gait and balance. Gait and balance is something a lot of us Parkies face at some point in our journey. This symptom can be very scary and life limiting and, therefore, important. Why does this happen and what can we do? I spoke with a researcher in this space, Dr. Dan Peterson, who has a lab and studies people with movement disorders and making some progress on finding some help. The discussion is next. Stay tuned.

Resources:

FOG tricks & hacks paper :

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000201159

Mancini article about gait:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41531-025-00897-1

Nice presentation by Bas Bloem (leading expert in PD, on the benefits of exercise generally for PD):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6d0J81VomY

https://gaitandbalancelab.asu.edu/

https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html

0:00 42:04

112 Owning Your Truth - a YOPD Story

Hosts
Unnamed Host
Guests
Lisa Volenec
Keywords
young onset Parkinson's disease DBS surgery personal stories health policy community support employment stress management

Some of my favorite episodes are when we hear personal stories from people on the same journey as us. Every story is different but all of them can help us find our way, learn from each other and get motivated to live your best life. On today’s episode, I have a conversation with Lisa Volenec. She was diagnosed as young onset PD which is defined as diagnosed at age of less than 50. It is estimated that only about 10% of the PD population is diagnosed with young onset. However, we know this is growing due to many factors including pesticides and our diets. This is a growing concern for health policy and community support organizations.

Lisa represents this demographic. Still working at a TV station and under a lot of stress, you’ll hear how she navigated her disease and employment over the years. How she came to a place where she decided to "own her truth." She will also open up about the decision to have DBS surgery and the outcomes from that.

https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html

https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/early-onset-parkinsons-disease

https://www.3newsnow.com/rebound/positively-the-heartland/stunned-by-an-early-onset-parkinsons-diagnosis-omaha-woman-now-finds-purpose

0:00 29:11

111 The New Medication Delivery Pumps Explained

Hosts
unknown
Guests
Dr. Ospina
Keywords
medication delivery systems pumps FDA approval Movement Disorder Specialist People with Parkinson's oral levodopa Crexont DBS

Have you heard about the new medication delivery systems or pumps recently approved by the FDA? It has generated a lot of buzz at support groups, clinics and social media. What do these pumps do that makes them different and a new tool for our Movement Disorder Specialist to use to help People with Parkinson's live well with Parkinson’s? What can you expect? When should I ask my doctor about if its right for me?

I asked Dr. Ospina these questions and more, including the new long-acting oral levodopa called Crexont.  She has answered other important questions in the past and has a great way of explaining things so regular people can understand.

If you want to learn more about the pumps or even a recommendation of when to go from oral to pump to DBS, this is your episode.

https://www.vyalevhcp.com/

https://www.onapgo.com/

https://crexont.com/

https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html 

0:00 34:40

109 Connect and Prepare for the Heat

Hosts
Unnamed Host
Guests
Indu Subramanian, MD Al Saad, MD
Keywords
heat preparation neurodegenerative diseases Parkinson's disease heat-related complications community support heatstroke climate change

As the earth continues to get warmer and we see record high temperatures across the globe, scientists tell us that this pattern is going to continue and be more common. Higher temperatures, more frequently has led to more heat strokes and other conditions when people aren’t prepared for this situation.  Additionally, people with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s are at greater risk for heat related complications,

A recent article published in JAMA Neurology, describes the issue, what to look for, and how we, as individuals and community, can help to prevent people from heat related complications. It was co-written by my guest today, Indu Subramanian, MD, a neurologist and movement disorders researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Al Saad, MD, a neurologist with expertise in climate change at the University of Colorado.

With summer around the corner, this is a great time to prepare for the heat and work with your healthcare team on a plan to prevent any heat related issues. We as a community need to look out for our neighbors, friends and family. Our neighbors   may be isolated or scared if they have Parkinson's diseasae or are older. As a community, we should come together to identify people who may need our help during a difficult situation such as heatwaves and higher temperatures, especially in areas in the world where they are not prepared to assist. We should keep in touch, check in, offer some water.  

Learn all about how to prepare, provent, find help as well as recognizing the symptoms of heatstroke on this episode of the Parkinson's Experience.

https://www.parkinsonsecrets.com/

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/news/heat-intolerance-rising-parkinsons-risk-climbing-temperatures/

https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/indu-subramanian

https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html

 

Ratings

Global:
4.5 rating 32 reviews

USA

4.7 ratings 24 reviews

Canada

5.0 ratings 4 reviews

Australia

3.3 ratings 3 reviews

UK

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