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1

Hi All

Many Thanks for adding me to your community.I have only just started to visit the GP with my symptoms after i admitted to my wife i am having issues with my daily life,to which i have been marched to see them.I have kept most of them hidden and recently been suffering in silence.I suppose i am looking for support as most of my symptoms lead to having slight PD 

so here goes 

A little background on myself , I am 45 and was a Infantry Soldier straight from school and spent 10 years of my life there,thus the bad spelling.

After leaving the services in 96 i retrained as a Rigger and Industrial Abseiler working all over the world.11 years ago i started my own Rigging company,which is doing really well .I have always led from the front being the one who climbed the highest and carried the heaviest weight and is well known in the industry for completing the difficult jobs.

2 years ago i contracted a virus that Ube known to  me at the time led to a heart attack.Heart all fine with good function now ,infact i was running and training to return to full duties 2 weeks latter to the Doctors dismay,But i knew everything was fine the only person agreeing with me was the Cardio Consultant ,saying you know your own body better than anyone Steve.

The problems i have been having over the last year or so are completely different,i have researched my symptoms using sites like this and i guess what i am asking is how long does it take for diagnosis and can the professionals and is it common for another condition that anyone has heard of to be confused with PD.

I feel inside that something is widely wrong the way i am operating and looking at things.i have a range of symptoms sorry to list my symptoms like this but its the first time i have opend up about it and cant to my Family or GP.

I have a poor sleep pattern , with only 4 hours needed a night if that , Fatigue in the daytime is a great problem and has been noticed by my Family.I have always been so active.

I have lost at least 40 percent in strength in my left arm and shoulder.Although i do not have a resting tremor all the time i have had times when i have noticed it ,with looking and feeling i am pushing a shopping trolley over cobble stones.However my upper Arm constantly twitches and is visible to others.my hand is noticeably slower than my right and it is frustrating that i feel i have to consciously send extra signals to it to operate.Being left handed is a pain.

my left leg is always uncomfortable especially at night where i have to keep moving it or feel the erge to instantly get up and move.my ankles are always stiff ,infact the morning stiffness is all over,feeling like i have done major training the day previous.my toes on that foot are also constantly cold.

i have noticed my neck is always stiff.with a jerky up and down movement like a rachet spanner when going to drink.Also mood swings are becoming an issue.i have no reason for this ,none at all as life couldn't be better.

ill cut this short now as ive been going on a while ,its the most ive said about the subject and feel a little embarrassed. Anyones thoughts and advice would be great

Kind regards

Steve

 

 

 

 

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Hi Steve,  Wow, you have had a busy life have'nt you!

I'm not sure of any other symptoms that that replicate PD. Did your GP refer you for a MRI head scan or refer you to a neurologist to look into your symptoms further, if he has'nt I suggest you go and see him again. Most of all your symptoms point to it being PD. the stiffness, restless leg syndrome, tremors on the side you have PD, mood swings (depression), the weakness in the muscles.Try and open up to your wife about how you feel, she needs to understand the problems and to help and support you regardless of what the outcome is. 

Take care and all the best..........Sheffy

 

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Hi Steve,

 

May we ask why you cannot approach your GP?

As for length  of time to diagnose PD, its my impression that the younger you are ( anyone below about 50 is classed as "young onset") the longer it takes because the rarer it is.and the neuro needs to be doubly sure.   Having said that any competent neurologist specialising in movement disorders will have a pretty good idea  by just looking at you. The main basis for diagnosis is clinical observation and a trial with the PD medication sinemet.  For young onset they will probably add in a dats scan.  Your have some classical symptoms and some individual but everyone has a different set of symptoms.  At the risk of saying the bl....ding obvious,  if you don't tell anybody, you may never know.  Or you might develop such a range of debilitating symptoms that. it will take   longer to regain your previous function when you get meds.  And in most cases, once on meds.  people who have resisted starting on them wonder why.they did.

Having said all that, I am not a medic, and you might want to ring the helpline above.  They are staffed with experienced professionals and can help you to think things through

 

Best wishes