Hi all, diagnosed today, in total shock. I’m a 54 yr old mum of 3, I consider myself quite fit and active for my age and work full time . I swim a lot and started noticing my stroke was weaker on one side last year but I put it down to a shoulder injury. Noticed a very mild tremor this Sept and went to the Dr. What do you know - it’s Parkinson’s. I don’t know how to move on from this but I know I will because I have to. I love swimming - especially cold water, sea and distance swimming. I’d love to connect with some like minded people, if you’re out there…
A very warm welcome to our forum and I am sorry to hear your news, however I am sure many people within this community will assure you there is life after a Parkinson diagnosis. Please do have a look at our newly diagnosed section - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/newly-diagnosed-parkinsons. In addition we have a younger persons group - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/young-onset-parkinsons.
It may also be worth contacting our helpline on 0808 800 0303 or email: [email protected] as they can give expert advise on many subjects and put you in touch with your local adviser.
Kind regards
Sue - moderation team
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Hi totally feel for you, I joined the forum not long ago, there are some really useful resources on here and some wonderful people with lots of advice and experience to share. I’m still waiting for a confirmed diagnosis after DATscan in May and started meds in August so totally understand the shock. I take each day as it comes, stay positive and as I’m sure you will receive replies about keeping a positive outlook, I haven’t been able to swim for over two years following a shoulder injury, water was my escape - once under nothing mattered everything else faded and just concentrated on the breathing, really missing it, though not up to cold water swimming! Take care 
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@Swimmer_with_P welcome
Give yourself time to digest the information, don’t put pressure on yourself to do anything, read anything for awhile. I’d almost recommend you almost forget about it for awhile and let your subconscious deal with it for awhile.
When you’re ready you’ll find nothing (for the moment ) has changed. You’re still the person you were before and probably (aside from it being ever present in your thoughts for awhile) things will be the same for maybe years.
There is no right or wrong way to deal this, but there is a whole community here and someone will have dealt with whatever you wish to discuss
All the best to you
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Hi @Swimmer_with_P and welcome to the forum. As @Lainer has basically said because you have been diagnosed with Parkinsons doesn’t mean to say that you’ve got to change your life to accommodate it. Carry on as you are, don’t bother looking to read up about it as you will only go into panic mode. You will know yourself when to make changes in your life, in the mean time live your life to the full and be positive in thought and everything you do. The best way I can describe it is, you have Parkinsons, it doesn’t have you, bear that in mind you will have nothing to worry about. As you will learn from others, everyone is different, we all have it and we all have different ways of coping with it. You are never alone on here as there is always someone about who will help you with any questions you may wish to ask. Hopefully there’s someone on here who shares your passion for swimming. In the mean time take care and stay safe.
Les
Hi @Swimmer_with_P 
I’m more of a cyclist_with_P 
but I am a similar age and, like you, at the very beginning of my PD journey, having been diagnosed last year.
You’ve had some good advice already. Lots on this forum to digest but also lots to avoid, including all about the later stages. I don’t want to hear any of that yet, I’m years away from needing to.
Someone once said PD is a marathon not a sprint and I think that’s a good way of considering it.
In the mean time I am keeping as active as possible, keeping my symptoms in check and enjoying life. You only get one. 
Paul
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Welcome. I am pretty much in the same boat as you. I was diagnosed one day before my 55th birthday, and on that day I was due to start training for my fourth Ironman. I went to head and got round well within the cut off in July. My consultants expression is that it is better to be a moving target then a sitting duck, and I would love to have a chat with you about training and exercise because most of the people I have met on here consider a couple of miles walk to the exercise, whereas I like to do full on long-distance events. I also have left side movement issues and although my swimming is okay it was never very good in the first place! My running has got worse because of left-sided leg issues and a few problems for cycling, but I managed to cycle across America a year after being diagnosed, so it can’t be that bad! If you or anyone else who is into long-distance swimming cycling or running would like a chat we can set up a group?
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Hi! Great idea, can’t quite work out
How
To message privately … let me check
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Hi @Swimmer_with_P @Pcyc great to hear from swimmers. Though not a great swimmer, it is the form of exercise I enjoy and my thinking time. The consultant told me that intense exercise was needed to slow the progression so I thought great, I swim 4 to 5 times a week, but he said swimming wasn’t intensive enough, so we got an exercise bike . I ride 30 mins a day but my heart isn’t in it. I still swim but now find my legs are getting less strong ( or is that just psychological now the consultant told me my right side was affected). I was just thinking of asking my son’s swimming coach whether paddles or fins would help. I too am only 55, with 4 children. Life was full on before covid!
Gill
Can you join a masters swim
Club ? I agree that plodding up and down isn’t strenuous at all but club swimming certainly is-especially when your coach gives you 50m on 50 secs x 10( x 3) . 
Fins and paddles will make swimming easier unless you do sets. Sorry if you already know this, don’t mean to tell you what you might already know. I’m training for a channel relay swim this year … no idea when I can start back in a pool, currently doing Nordic cross training x 30 mins to get my heart rate up. Reach your Peak physio do great pd specific exercises and hiit workouts - and a fab boot camp - look them up!