A 52-year-old man has shared his remarkable experience with a new Parkinson’s drug, showcasing a dramatic improvement in his condition through a before-and-after video.
Damien Gath, the first patient in East Midlands, England to receive the innovative drug Produodopa, demonstrated the significant impact it has had on his life.
Before starting the treatment, Gath’s wife recorded him struggling to stir his drink due to severe tremors and other symptoms that made even basic tasks difficult.
Just days after beginning the drug, Gath was seen moving around his kitchen with ease. He was able to retrieve milk from the refrigerator, pour it into a mug, and stir his drink without any problems, all while wearing a water bottle-sized pump attached to his belt.
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 12 years ago, Gath has been under the care of Sherwood Forest Hospitals since 2016 and started his Produodopa treatment in July, as per the English healthcare system.
Produodopa, also known as Foslevodopa-Foscarbidopa, is a continuous infusion therapy designed for patients with advanced Parkinson’s who experience severe movement difficulties and have not found relief with standard medications.
“I can hardly believe that’s me in the video,” Gath told the BBC. “For the last three years, I had been shaking uncontrollably for two to three hours each day. Now, it’s down to just five or ten minutes a day.
“The change has been extraordinary and life-changing. Just shortly after starting the treatment, I was able to make a cup of coffee more easily. I’m starting to think about returning to a more normal life.”
