Hello ALL, hope you are enjoying the fine summer weather. I was diagnosed with PD in 2020 and am taking Madopar four times daily. I have been doing quite well for the most part but lately I have discovered a weakness on my left side, particularly impacting my left leg. this came to light when I was cutting my lawn. I found it very difficult to keep in time with the power mower as my left leg took on a life of its own, with the result that I was dragging it. It is most annoying and I am wondering if anyone has similar problems. Being able to cut the grass gives me a sense of purpose which I don’t want to lose. I also notice a weakening on my left side particularly in my arm. Has anyone experienced anything similar? I am wondering if a change in meds might help. I am not interested in a sit on mower and am determined to overcome the issues I am having. Many thanks for taking the time to read my post. Kind regards.
Hi @boomerang83, thank you for reaching out to the forum.
We hope others will share their experiences with you and give you advice on how they managed to combat this.
It is not uncommon to have these symptoms with Parkinson’s but there are ways you can strengthen the muscles in your arms to help you overcome this issue.
We have some information on our website which you might find helpful here: Muscle power and Parkinson's | Parkinson's UK
We would also suggest speaking with your healthcare professional about your medication or you are always welcome to call our confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303. Here you can speak with our trained advisers who will be able to provide further advice so you can live well with your Parkinson’s.
Take care
Parkinson’s UK Moderation Team
Hi @boomerang83 I’m 8 years into my PD Journey, 51 years old, and completely relate to the symptoms you describe. I hadn’t realised how much I was favouring my right side until someone in a supermarket asked me if I’d previously had a stroke!
As @OlliePUKMODTEAM25 says, exercise can REALLY help and allows you to target the muscle groups that seem to be misbehaving the most at any given time. For me this gave me back at least some sense of control over my symptoms.
I’m active anyway, still work full time in quite a physical job. But I also intensively exercise for between 15 and 60 minutes every day. I find that variety of exercise helps me…walking , Nordic walking, running, cycling, boxing, swimming and resistance training with weights.
Until the end of last year I was an NHS Health & Wellbeing Coach so I’ve seen first-hand what a difference exercise can make, even gentle exercise, in a range of health conditions including PD. My advice would be to try whatever forms of exercise interest you and see what suits you best.
Definitely not time to submit to the ride-on lawnmower just yet!
Simon
Hi boomaran,
I believe you are experiencing bradykinesia , motor problems, rigidity which can feel like weakness on the affected side. I don’t think you suddenly lost strength. The answer to the problem I believe is a adjustment to your medication.
So thankful for your advice. Much appreciated!
Thanks so much for your prompt and helpful advice. I will try to put it into practice.
I think reaching out for help is a powerful step . You are such a strong person.
Get well soon.