Coffee as an aid

About Parkinson's and health Treatments and therapies
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Hi :wave:. My dad has Parkinson’s. Diagnosed at 75, a month after getting the all clear from throat cancer.
He has found drinking black coffee helps both his mobility and coordination, as well as his speech. Has anyone else had experience of this??

His consultant is going to do a paper on it. I can tell immediately how many coffees he has had according to how he is. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes to kick in. Always important to drink water to stop dehydration. He now gets it through his nasal nutrition tube (influenza complications in last few weeks) and will also have it administered once he gets his peg fitted, along with water flushes. I would be interested to hear of anyone else that has similar experiences of things that work for them that isn’t medication.

Also, I wondered if anyone has any experience with “melt on the tongue” mints etc as he can’t swallow but can still taste so I am trying to source anything that will allow him a taste pleasure without risk.

Thanks in advance

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Is it possible that the lack of milk in his coffee is beneficial rather than the coffee itself? The protein in milk can interfere with medication. If I drank milky coffee early in the morning, I would not expect my medication to work soon or well.

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I have read that coffee helps with PD symptoms but it has the reverse effect for me. If I drink any coffee the tremors get really bad. I even drink decaf tea now because of this.

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Thanks for your reply, dad has always drank it black so can’t compare but I did read someone’s comment from 2016 that said they drank it with milk and still had some benefits.

5

Thanks for your reply.

Although dad can no longer eat/drink, he doesn’t really have any tremors and after coffee is able to walk/exercise.

I have heard bananas are also good but even liquidised, they would be difficult to get down his tube

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How interesting. I drink Soya Milk, wonder how this fares with meds -anyone know? I do drink green tea sometimes or mint tea - but do love my coffee although I tend to drink decaf but by far prefer ‘proper’ coffee.

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Thanks Eve1 for your reply. I have heard different views re milk (not specifically soys) and the thought was that the coffee had better results without milk. Dad likes it black anyway. We may try versions of tea once he has his peg in, unfortunately he doesn’t get the pleasure of drinking/tasting it - unless I give him a “lollipop” with a light dip in the coffee.

Good luck. I look forward to seeing updates on your feedback if you get more information to suit you

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Just realised you also mentioned banana’s. Well, I have one most days, I will keep a diary of how I am doing and what I have drunk, ie coffee decaf or otherwise.

It certainly makes you think - they do say and I was one of them that a precursor to Parkinson is IBS. When I was diagnosed with PD and put on medication, my IBS has almost disappeared, although at the moment I am cutting back on Gluten as I am a bit off IBS wise.

I feel I am quite lucky (fingers and toes crossed as I write this), I was diagnosed in 2007 and if it wasn’t for my Pong with dead arms and ‘tight’

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Don’t know what happened there my lap top died on me !!! As I was saying I feel I am quite lucky (fingers and toes crossed as I write this). I was diagnosed in 2007 and if it wasn’t for my Parkinson related stoop and back ache, dead arms and tight muscles in my stomach and legs, am getting along just fine I know I shouldn’t have said this - you watch I will come a cropper for saying this ha ha.

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Hopefully you haven’t jinxed yourself :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:

I would be very interested to follow your updates re coffee, bananas etc.
The bananas may help someone (I think even liquidised it will be too think for dad’s peg, but it may be possible to get it in his “meal”, I will be asking the nutritional staff when I ask about helping his weight.
He didn’t have IBS previously so I suppose that’s one good thing.
I hope that the coffee continues to help dad and if it helps anyone else who tries it then that would be fab.
Good luck, take care

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I am due to see the Parkinson Nurse in April, will be interesting what she says.

Wouldn’t it be just wonderful if something this simple could help? I have committed the ultimate sin and looked on the internet. I have to say, it was quite interesting.

Hope your Dad is doing ok. He is fortunate to have someone as caring as you to look after him and take care of. I never tell my family if it is a bad day. I feel when anyone says “hello, are you ok?” or “Hi, how are you?” they don’t really want you to say well actually …………

The only place I am able to let my guard down is when I go to my PD Gym classes and we are all of like mind. By the way, I will mention you and coffee to them and see what they say.

Does your Dad go to anything like that? We all have different stages and symptoms and if we are concerned about something, there is always someone there who has gone through it or knows someone who does.

I suffer with ‘dry mouth’, I do have mints but only ordinary butter mints also chewing gum so sorry can’t help you on that one.

My tremors are not that bad, but if I am out with friends for a meal or chat, and I have a glass of wine or a G & T, gone ……… My friends always watch out for this happening and while we have a laugh or a giggle it is true and the tremors go away for a couple of hours. I don’t do this on a regular basis though and can imagine it would be easy to become addicted.

If his consultant does do a paper on it, could you let me know if we are able to get a copy.

I am away at the moment, for the week, in Northumberland. I always feel at peace here and always go back home feeling great emotionally.

Don’t run yourself ragged, please take care of yourself too. Please don’t take offence at that sentence, it is meant with the best of intentions.

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It would be amazing if a few simple things could make a bit difference. Dad is in hospital at the moment. His consultant has asked us to monitor and assess dad’s “swallow” after coffee (having lost it completely recently due to complications, he was assessed as never being allowed to eat/drink again). Today, he managed to actually swallow a few times without too much effort. Obviously we don’t know yet if he can get it good enough to be allowed to try small amounts of drink etc but it’s much better than we have had. We are going to experiment with types of coffee once he gets home.
Re classes, dad attended classes for quite a while at the start but tbh we do so much at home usually that he didn’t feel the need but I still take him to attend occasionally. I will definitely update if further research occurs.
It’s important to have someone to chat with. At least you also now have here and people understand here. Don’t hold it in, - better out than in :ok_hand:
I am lucky to need very little sleep so at least I can do things that make my day fab as well as rejoice in small achievements. Today was a tough day for dad, he was very tired due to lack of sleep because one of the ward snores so badly, but we decided to use the wheelchair for some fresh air and to see the newly planted flowers around the hospital. Later we watched the videos of the outings and he was showing them off and was better before I left at the end of the night.

Enjoy your time away, chill, relax and make lovely memories to look back on when you return.
Thanks re mints etc but unless his swallow miraculously comes back it won’t be an option. Will let you know how we get on if the tabs arrive. Take care

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What a lovely message, thank you, I was really moved.

I almost feel a fraud as I have after all these years, still few symptoms (was diagnosed in 2007 and am 73).

I go to a History Class run by the WEA, have been for years. I have made friends with several people who go. One lady in particular is a devout Christian and am amazed at her strength. Both her son and daughter committed suicide some years ago. She tells me it was her belief in God that pulled her through this dark, dark time.

She knows I have P.D. and says she prays for me every day. No matter what life throws at her she

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sorry twitched and pressed the wrong button.

I was saying no matter what life throws at her she fights on.

I think PD is a bit like that despite what it does to you, you fight on.

I am sure your Dad pulls strength from you and your love for him.

We always rent a house for our holidays. I am usually up anytime after 3.30 and have noticed in the bungalow we are staying when I am on my own reading or watching something on tv I kept hearing a peculiar noise and so did my dog who then ran to the point in the room where the noise came from. This morning I plucked up courage and went over to that part of the room and there was a slight smell of perfume. It did cross mind the bungalow was haunted - then the noise came again and a puff of perfume wafted before me. I suddenly realised, it was one of those air fresheners that act on someone passing by it -boy have I laughed.

Take good care of yourself.

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:joy::joy::joy::joy: at least it gave you something to laugh at, but I am very pleased that it wasn’t something else.

Never feel like a fraud. I am thrilled for you that you don’t have lots of symptoms and I hope that this continues for you.
Have a brilliant time away. Take care and I look forward to seeing your updates

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Dear FF sorry I am not able to add anything to your request for information on drinking coffee. I was interested in your Consultants test for your Father’s swallowing - I note that his has an ng tube and plans to have a peg fitted.My Husband was 78 and fitted with an ng tube for a few weeks.I was not very happy with The Speech and Language Therapist at the Hospital who was very cautious about my Husband’s ability to eat or drink anything safely. When he came home he did manage ice cream. Your Father has been through so much with his throat cancer - I wish him well.

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Joanne,

Many thanks for your reply. Although dad is getting fitted for the peg next week, we have been practicing breathing, coughing and swallowing. He has actually managed to swallow over the last few days, which was not possible at all over the last few weeks. It is much better after coffee and we are now testing to see how long the effects last between coffees. It has given him confidence and although he may never get back to properly eating, it would be fantastic if he was able to have something occasionally. I am looking into flavoured swabs at the moment to make it nicer when doing his oral care.
Hopefully both dad and your husband can manage to get some pleasure from eating in the future :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:

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Canada has done research into the effects of coffee in improving PD’s and Alzheimer’s. Dark roast = best

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I am really interested in this, as I am sure are many others. Just saw an item on the tv which says PD and Altzimers is affected by healthy bacteria in the gut. I used to have IBS symptoms which went away when I started on PD Meds. Seems to be coming back though !!!

You mentioned Canada carrying out research in the effects if coffee - do you have a link?

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Hi

I googled - Canada coffee Parkinson’s and found various articles including the ones mentioning Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Each different article had links both in Canada and here and other countries