British dad Damien Gath has been given a new chance at life thanks to a revolutionary treatment that has helped him manage his Parkinson’s disease.
Gath was one of the first patients in the UK to be fitted with a portable pump that gradually releases the new drug Produodopa throughout the day to help manage symptoms, according to NHS England.
Produodopa or foslevodopa-foscarbidopa is a continuous infusion therapy recommended for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease who experience severe changes in their movement abilities and for whom standard Parkinson’s disease medications no longer provide sufficient relief.
An extraordinary video shows Gath making a cup of coffee in his kitchen before and after treatment.
Before starting treatment with the revolutionary drug, Gath’s wife recorded the 52-year-old’s efforts to stir his drink because his tremors and other symptoms made it difficult for him to grip the spoon and stay still.
A few days later, Gath was walking around the kitchen with ease.
He grabbed some milk from the fridge and poured it into his mug before stirring the drink without any trouble, while the water bottle-sized pump was clipped to his belt.
Gath, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 12 years ago, has been under the care of Sherwood Forest Hospitals since 2016 and received his first Produodopa treatment in July, according to Health England.
“It’s amazing and it’s changed my life. The biggest difference is that there are no more fluctuations,” Gath said of the treatment. “Shortly after the first treatment, I was able to make a cup of coffee more easily and go to the supermarket.”
He started the new treatment after his condition worsened and he was taking four different oral medications six times a day to try to control involuntary movements that made daily activities difficult.
“The big difference is that there are no more fluctuations,” he says, because the treatment has also helped him sleep better at night.
“I also sleep much better and the duvet doesn’t weigh a ton on my legs – I can turn over whenever I want.”
Gath said that before taking Produodopa, he was in extreme pain at night and was unable to sleep or turn over.
The effects of the oral medications diminished overnight, causing significant fluctuations in his condition.
The infusion treatment, which Gath was trained to administer himself, offers the patient minimal fluctuations, a common experience with oral medications.
The patient can also administer an additional dose if necessary.
According to the Movement Disorders Clinic, Produodopa is currently only available in the UK and the European Union.
Gath isn’t the only one grateful for the breakthrough drug, as his wife says the couple can do more activities together.
“We always tried to keep doing normal everyday things, like going out to restaurants,” Amanda Gath said. “But sometimes it was hard to deal with the lack of understanding from the people around you and it made me very protective of Damien.”
“Now we’re just like any other couple having fun,” she added.
