CHARLOTTE — For Lou Morris, enjoying a day with friends at the pickleball court is exactly what the doctor ordered.
“The fact that I am out here and still able to run around and be active – it’s a game changer for me because of how I live my day to day life,” Lou told Channel 9′s Damany Lewis. Lou was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive brain disorder that impacts movement, nearly 10 years ago.
Doctors have long said daily exercise is one of the best ways to offset some of the symptoms including tremors and depression. Now, Novant Health says it’s one of the first healthcare systems in the country treating Parkinson’s patients differently with a new drug called Vyalev.
“Rather than having to take pills 4-5-6 times a day, people with this new drug actually can have a small device slowly administering the same medication almost directly to the blood stream to offer more of a steady flow of medication,” said Dr. Robert Wiggins, head of movement disorders at Novant Health in Charlotte.
Dr. Wiggins said Vyalev was FDA-approved in October and works like an insulin pump. The drug converts into dopamine, which is what the brain needs to control tremors.
“The fact that patients don’t have to change the dosing with meals, the fact that they don’t worry about leaving a pill box at home – it’s definitely game-changing,” Dr. Wiggins said.
Lou said he used to try to time his pills around his eating schedule, but it was hard to predict when he would have a full enough stomach. He said managing his tremors is a lot easier now, which allows him to focus on staying active in many ways including boxing.
Between his community of friends and new medication, Lou said he’s winning the fight against Parkinson’s: “I am optimistic for a cure. I would love to find a cure tomorrow, that would awesome, but I am focused on my life and living it day-to-day.”
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