I’ve just joined the forum as i need help to understand it all as it’s truly worrying me but i don’t want to upset my dad talking to him about it.
My father 52 was diagnosed with parkinson’s a few months after a major surgery.
Since then his shaking has gotten worse and the pd nurses and doctors aren’t being of any help in regards to his medication and the worsening shaking.
Him and my step mum have recently had a kid (6 month old boy called Iver) who he is struggling to look after due to his worsening shaking.
It’s making him incredibly depressed and it’s causing him to lash out verbally at my step mum which makes me so sad to see as they both love eachother so dearly.
He talks about sometimes how he’d be better off dead and how he doesn’t want to die before i grow up. it makes me so sad as i love him to bits and he’s my best friend and i truly don’t want him dying.
I don’t know a lot about parkinson’s but i get really worried that PD causes people to die quicker. Is this true?
We have offered for him to go therapy and pd support groups but he doesn’t feel comfortable doing any of them.
I’m at a loss of what to do or what to think.
please help me.
There is a lot of information about Parkinsons online, but be careful where you/he search to avoid a much larger amount of misinformation.
I was older than your father at my diagnosis, which was made 2 and a half years ago, by a neurologist, and was confirmed only after a Datscan.
I too found it hard to begin with, the anger and anxiety almost seemed overpowering, but have been greatly reduced with the help and support of my wife and family.
It is the usual postcode lottery as to the help you receive within the nhs, we are lucky down here in Bristol area, (don’t know where you are in country).
It definitly sounds like his medicines aren’t working properly. A lot of the medications that I take are time critical and getting this right can take some time working with the parkinsons nurses, and doctors. If one drug doesn’t work for his tremor, ask them to try another. I have rotigotine patches for mine, and the strength has just been adjusted.
We also have a good network of organisations to help us in the fight against PD, there are more things he can do to reduce the effects of the disease. Gym classes, walking football, to name a couple, and there’s also technology that can help (I use a beech band). Contact the local parkinsons UK group, they are friendly, well advised, and can point you to further areas of help.
IF you want a different view of parkinsons listen to the movers and shakers podcasts, I did when first diagnosed.
I’m so sorry you’re all having such a tough time, but well done for reaching out.
You will see from looking through the forum that everyone’s Parkinson’s and reaction to diagnosis is unique to them And we are all affected differently.
But you will hear most of us describe an emotional roller coaster when we get our diagnosis and have to come to terms with a new normal.
I sometimes describe it as a grieving process because I think it often has the same stages…Denial, Anger, Depression, Bargaining and Acceptance. Those all resonate for me, I was diagnosed at 43 and definitely grieved for the loss of the life or lifestyle I just assumed I would have.as I got older.
Do you think your dad would come on here? Maybe you could help him with his first post and I promise he’d get a warm welcome
Thank you for reaching out and we’re very sorry to hear all of this. We’re here to support you and your family through this. We know you’ve already been there, but we’d firstly recommend speaking to your dad’s GP or healthcare professionals again regarding this. It’s important to receive a full medical assessment regarding his condition.
With response to your other queries please can you pop our helpline a call on 0808 800 0303 and our team are on hand to offer you support and advice and hopefully come up with some next steps.
Also, our wonderful forum members are also here to offer support and peer to peer advice.
You’re not alone, and we’re here for you!
All the best
Parkinson’s UK Moderation Team
Hi megz, Parkinson’s is not a death sentence there are pd patients that on here that have had pd for twenty years or more .
It sounds like your dad has been through a very stressful situation which can bring on a stress response .
This response can exasperate pd like symptoms.
How was the diagnosis made ?
Does he respond to medication?
It may help him if you can change his focus and have a look at adjunct therapies on YouTube, such as red light therapy, keto or intermittent fasting, nicotine patches, melatonin.
Also there are new drugs in the pipeline along with stem cell treatment and others therapies.
His tremors may be caused by extreme stress or some other condition . If he can change his focus it can help calm him down and his nervous system.
