Hi,
I’m new here and looking for some advice please. My husband (76yo) has recently been diagnosed with PD. He has had Essential tremors in both hands for 5 years. They did say then it could be the onset of PD. For the past 6 weeks he has been taking Co‐Careldopa 12mg/50mg 2 tabs 3 x daily.
His main issue is eating, i.e. using cutlery, whilst he has had slight improvement it’s still the main thing that upsets him the most. Does anyone have any tricks or tips to help him please? We no longer go out for meals / drinks etc as he feels embarrassed. Thanking you in advance.
Hi Po,
Welcome to the group.
I understand exactly what he is going through as I experience the same thing occasionally.
If I am at home, I quietly curse to myself, my wife tells me not to swear, I swear again, and then it’s over. It does allow some light relief.
You can either laugh or cry and it’s just so much easier to laugh.
When it happens whilst we are out at dinner, I can usually see/feel it about to happen when I first pick up the fork/knife.
I simply put it down, put my hand below the table and make it into a fist which I clench tightly for about 30 seconds.
That does help and I am able to hold the fork or knife properly again.
I never, well seldom, get embarrassed, as my friends know my situation and understand.
If they didn’t I wouldn’t have them as friends.
And of course it does happen with acquaintances, but there is basically very little I can do about it, other than what I have mentioned .
I am not prepared to let this $%^&* disease control my life until I absolutely have no choice.
Que Sera Sera.
Hi Clive
Thanks for your reply, the problem is his hands tremor all the time the only time it stops is when he’s asleep. I like your attitude to it though!
Hi Po,
Sorry for the delay in responding.
I was away and did not have my laptop with me.
Ok, that is of course a different situation.
What does his Neuro say?
Have they thought of changing his medication?
I know these sound-like stupid questions however when you say
"He has had Essential tremors in both hands for 5 years.
It seems totally asinine that, they say ‘it could be the onset of PD’
To my mind it is like saying to someone who has fallen off a wall and they have a bone sticking out of their skin ‘that they might have broken their arm’.
Sorry to be flippant but it just sounds like a brain dead conclusion.
What may help, is getting the heaviest knife/fork/spoon you can find.
That does reduce the tremors while he is eating.