TARDIVE DYSKENESIA

I have had PD for 6 years or more and one of the symptons I get is uncontrolled movements of jaw and lips. It makes it difficult sometimes to drink a cup of tea without slurping and also because the tongue is affected makes speech, especially words with s in them difficult to say clearly.  I notice  that the movements are worse when I am anxious or aware that someone is looking at me. My solution is to chew gum - not all the time but when the movement is getting the better of me or when I anticipate that I will be meeting someone.  I am being referred to a speech therapist to help me get around the talking problem.  Interestingly, my  mother in law had the same mouth movement problem but didnt have PD.  She would not take  any medication so just got on with it (and dirtied lots of table cloths in the process).  The reason I chew the gum is because I do not want to take any more medication untill I am really desperate because I fear the meds are sometimes as bad as the illness but this is my personal view...please get a proper view from the doctor.

I have not come across KEPPRA but maybe thats because I am in the UK.

Hope you get on ok and please let me know if the gum works for you....I would be most interested.

Regards BILLY

Sorry to hear you are having troubles coping with the mouth movements.  I dont know if you have parkinsons so perhaps your involuntary movements are different to mine.  All I can say is that mine started about couple years ago, thats 4 years after diagnosis of parkinsons, and its definitely worse when I'm anxious (like had a row with the wife or heard that our grandson was feeling unwell).  The chewing gum answer is not foolproof but I think what it does is to give my face and jaw something to do and, with any luck, the sharp end of the anxiety has by then gone. Why dont you just try something similar, if you can't chew gum,  try sucking a sweet....you know give your mouth something to do.  Also, just try to work out what triggers it to see if you can gain some sort of control.  I'm afraid the above is not a very clinical solution but I'm just trying to tell you what helps me out sometimes.

Hope you find the answer and keep in touch

All the best BILLY