Derbyshire Parkinson's sufferer's ‘life-changing’ transformation after taking a new wonder treatment

He was forced to take four separate oral drugs six times a day to help control his tremors and had to give up his job as a top boss at a communications firm.

But in June, he became one of the first patients in England to be given Produodopa - a treatment administered via a portable pump under his skin.

And dramatic video revealed how Damian - who previously struggled to control his upper body movements - could easily make a cup of coffee just seven days later.

Speaking about the incredible changes he said: "It’s been extraordinary and life-changing. Just shortly after first having the treatment, I was able to make a cup of coffee more easily and go to the supermarket. The massive difference is that there are now no fluctuations.

“But the most dramatic experience is the loss of pain and the ability to move a lot more normally for a lot longer than I used to. I used to go to the gym four times a week and play badminton, so I was very active. “I live near the Peak District and we have some beautiful hikes and walks open to us. I’m hoping I can get back to doing that."

Damian from, Borrowash, Derbyshire, believes his Parkinson’s symptoms began in his mid-30s while working as the head of operations at a communications company.

But the very active dad-of-four, who had enjoyed water skiing and clay pigeon shooting, was only diagnosed at 42 after he visited his GP.

He said: “I suffered an injury at the gym – I pulled my shoulder and neck. A few days later, probably over the course of a week, I lost the use of my fingers in my arm. I couldn’t hold a pen and I was dropping cups of tea and bottles.

“I thought I’d trapped a nerve in my shoulder, so I went to the hospital the following day in my lunch hour from work."

Damian was told to see a neurologist who then broke the shocking news to him that he had Parkinson’s - a disease he previously knew nothing about.

He went on: “Literally after 15 minutes the consultant said, 'I’m sorry to say, I think you’ve got Parkinson’s disease.' His exact words were, ‘It’s an irreversible, incurable degenerative brain disease.’ I was a bit shocked at the time, I was a bit bewildered.”

Damian said for the first five years after his diagnosis, he had kept up his fitness and hoped to fight the worst symptoms into his later years. But then the disease began to worsen more rapidly, and after moving into a part-time occupation, he was finally forced to give up work altogether.

Damian said he had tried ‘every oral medication on the market’ as he desperately sought to counteract the effects of the degenerative condition.

But each one produced a range of side effects that made his day-to-day life a misery. He said: “I had severe side effects from them all – I had hallucinations, paranoia, depression, anxiety… It was a really tough time.”

Damian said he was put forward for Produodopa in March after the new infusion therapy was approved for use by NHS England the previous month.

It is administered via a portable pump under the skin so there is a far more gradual release of medication, resulting in greater symptom management.

And he said the new treatment - which is not yet available for use in the USA - was revolutionary. He said: “I’m able to sit in front of the TV not in pain and discomfort, and I can get a good full night’s sleep.

“And in the past, I stopped taking my last tablet at 9pm, and then when that wore off, you’re back to your raw Parkison’s symptoms.

“Because this medication is released slowly into the body, and I can boost it and decrease it to a certain extent, I’ve got control over how much is being given. The new medication also has no side effects so far."

Damian’s wife, Amanda, 49, said the pair who got married in May this year were now loving being like “any other couple”

She said: “We have always tried to continue to do normal everyday things like going out for a meal. But sometimes it was difficult to deal with the lack of understanding from people around you and that made me very protective of Damian. Now, we are just like any other couple enjoying themselves.”

Staff at Sherwood Forest Hospital said they had worked tirelessly to implement the new therapy as soon as it was approved for use on the NHS in February.

Dr Nishantha Silva, consultant geriatrician and service lead for Parkinson’s disease, said they now hoped to expand the use to other patients.

He said: “We are proud to be the first Trust in the East Midlands to offer this and aim to build on this success by expanding access to Produodopa, ensuring that more patients can experience its benefits, providing our patients with the highest quality of care and latest treatment options.

“The successful implementation of Produodopa at SFH heralds a new era in the management of advanced Parkinson’s disease.”