Jeremy Paxman feels ‘beaten and dejected’ because of Parkinson’s
Jeremy Paxman says doctor spotted his parkinson's from quiz show
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In the one-off documentary, Paxman: Putting Up with Parkinson’s, the British journalist learns more about the condition and reflects on how it is impacting his life. In a solemn moment on the ITV special, Paxman said: “I’m beaten and dejected.” The 72-year-old, who was given the formal diagnosis 18 months ago, says Parkinson’s disease is “frustrating”.
There is no cure for the condition and, over time, the condition will get worse.
Committing to physiotherapy, and taking medication, is key to maintaining a person’s capabilities for as long as possible.
Visiting Sharon Osbourne, whose husband – Ozzy Osbourne – also has Parkinson’s, Jeremy asks if there’s anything positive that can come of the disease.
Sharon replied that her family now spend “so much more [time] together”, even if every time she looks at her husband, her “heart breaks for him”.
Jeremy is disheartened about his Parkinson’s diagnosis
One bit of advice that Paxman is keen to explore, however, is Sharon’s revelation that Ozzy takes CBD to help him sleep at night.
Symptomatic of Parkinson’s, Paxman has started to experience “extraordinary” and “amazing” dreams, otherwise regarded as hallucinations.
In the later stages of the disease, such hallucinations can become frightening and can cause sleep disturbances.
Researchers from King’s College London are currently investigating the impact of CBD on people who have Parkinson’s disease.
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CBD is found in the Cannabis sativa plant, which has shown initial promising results in alleviating disturbing dreams for people who have Parkinson’s disease.
Markedly disheartened by the reality that Parkinson’s doesn’t get better, Paxman is seemingly underwhelmed that a cure has not yet been found.
At present, the NHS states that people who have Parkinson’s are initially prescribed mediation called levodopa.
“Levodopa is absorbed by the nerve cells in your brain and turned into the chemical dopamine,” the NHS explains.
The chemical dopamine is then “used to transmit messages between the parts of the brain and nerves that control movement”.
Despite medication, people with Parkinson’s will “eventually have to adapt” to a different way of performing “simple everyday tasks”.
Regular exercise is encouraged to help relieve muscle stiffness, stress, and to help improve mood.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
The NHS says a loss of nerve cells in the brain leads to symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms include involuntary tremors, slowness of movement, and muscle stiffness.
In the documentary, research suggests that Parkinson’s is a metabolic disorder linked to the gut.
More funding for research charities, such as Parkinson’s UK, is needed to develop new treatments and to understand risk factors associated with the condition.
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