Morrie's Story
This story recounts the experience of one individual who is receiving Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy to manage symptoms of essential tremor. Please bear in mind that the experiences are specific to this particular person.
Living with Essential Tremor
Morrie, essential tremor patient
For more than 10 years, Morrie lived with the frustrations of essential tremor. His hand shook uncontrollably, and daily tasks like shaving, eating, and drinking were difficult.
Morrie gave up his favorite pastimes, including golf, woodworking, and bridge. Writing became impossible. The embarrassment of his symptoms kept Morrie home most days. His medications helped somewhat, but eventually they became ineffective. They also caused unpleasant side effects.
How DBS Helped Morrie
In 1996 Morrie was referred to a movement disorders neurologist who introduced him to Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy for Essential Tremor. DBS uses a surgically implanted medical device much like a cardiac pacemaker to deliver electrical stimulation to an area in the brain to help treat essential tremor or parkinsonian tremor. Electrical stimulation is delivered to one side of your body to treat tremor in one upper extremity.
Stimulation of this area of the brain blocks the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of essential tremor. The electrical stimulation can be non-invasively adjusted to maximize treatment benefits.
Risks of the Procedure and Stimulation
Risks of DBS Therapy can include risks of surgery, side effects, or device complications. Implanting the neurostimulator system carries the same risks associated with any other brain surgery. Morrie feels a slight tingling when he turns his neurostimulator on, but says it's not bothersome.
"I feel like I'm as good as I can be."
Since receiving his DBS Therapy implant, Morrie says he feels tremendous. "I can get my own coffee and drink it without spilling, carry a tray, and eat without help from my wife," he says. "I can play golf – even putt, play bridge, hold the newspaper while reading it, and handle small tools well enough to repair a lamp."
With his tremor under control, Morrie is able to attend parties and dinners without feeling self-conscious. He takes pride in writing out annual Christmas checks for his children. "My writing is 98 percent better," says Morrie. "I feel like I'm as good as I can be."
Medtronic invited this patient to share her story candidly. Not everyone who receives Medtronic DBS Therapy will receive the same results as the individual in this story; some people may experience significant symptom relief from DBS Therapy, and others may experience minimal symptom relief. Talk to your doctor to determine if Medtronic DBS Therapy is right for you.
This story reflects one person's experience. Not every person will receive the same results. Talk to your doctor about your treatment options.
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