Hi, I’m 47 and newly diagnosed. I’ve been having investigations since June and had my pd diagnosis a couple of weeks ago - it’s now day 3 of medication. I’m constantly fluctuating between feeling fine to feeling completely devastated. I’m an artist and beekeeper and I’m obviously worried about how tremors and change in movement will affect these things. I’d love to hear particularly from any artists with pd. Thanks J
Sorry I’m not an artist in any format but as a fairly new parky I will wish you all the best. You can gain some good advice on here. Also try spotlight yopd! The main thing is to use the parkinsons nurse to answer all your questions to try and get your head around it.
Hope all goes well with the meds
LWYMI
Thanks for you support and direction - much appreciated.
Hi JanetB
I’m not an artist but I do have PD diagnosed spring 2016 and started beekeeping spring 2017. Having decided it was “now or never”, (I had dithered a long time before).
So very much a beginner bee keeper. My tremor is a resting tremor and comes and goes anyway so handling the bees is not a problem so far but I do find working with them calming as of course they don’t like being rushed. If I’m not feeling too good I delay an inspection for a day or so. Daffy
Hi Daffy,
It’s only my second season of beekeeping but I love it. I too find them very calming. When I’m feeling low I go and sit and watch the bees coming and going with their pollen baskets and it makes me feel happy. There’s a phrase from Edwardian times (I think) “tell it to the bees” where people used to tell their worst fears to their bees - I can relate to this.
Nice to hear from you. Janet
Hi janet
Great to meet a fellow bee person. They so fascinating, to watch, work with & learn about.
I’d be interested in what you think about the following as I’m finding it hard to get anyone to take me seriously.
Since PD I can get bouts of insomnia. I have consistently noticed that when ever I have handled a queen right colony I feel really well and sleep really well for one, sometimes two nights. i’m convinced it’s to do with the queens pheromones.
My husband has seen the effect and when I’m having a run of bad nights suggests I go sniff a bee hive! And my bee mentor was not surprised as he credits his bees with saving his life 30 years ago when he had prolonged severe depression. But everyone else looks at me as if I’ve lost the plot! What do you think? Daffy
You know what, I think they have some healing powers we’re not aware of.
My beekeeping friend and I have a coffee after we’ve done our inspection and always discuss how content and happy we feel.
I eat the honey left over that’s not been filtered and I’m sure it has super powers.
Lets keep sniffing those hives 
I am not a professional artist but I am creative sometimes. I am on day 1 of my meds
Hope you get on with the meds okay. Day 5 for me 
All the best.
Hi Janet, I’m 35 and recently diagnosed, Ive been on Sinemet, Ropinirol and sertaline ffor a few months now and feel great. I have issues still with rigidity which is annoying as I’m a guitarist.
I genuinely feel that positivity is the key, I enjoy life more than ever now with my young kids and wife, Its a kick up the ass to live.
Stay strong and remember an illness wont define you. Always happy to talk.
Drew
Hello JanetB
I work a lot with textiles, mainly surface decoration, hand embroidery. I was diagnosed in 2010. I can still stitch well in a wide range of styles, but there are some things I have lost. I can’t knit – it seems to me that knitting involves a tight repeated pattern of movement with my hands and they clench and won’t perform, but handling a piece of cloth and working with needle and thread keeps my hands moving in a variety of ways. Difficult to explain, but I think the more you do, the more you will be able to do.
Hi Drew,
Thanks for your reply - made me feel better.
Yes, really trying to stay positive and just ‘crack-on’.
I intend to try to adapt my painting and drawing techniques to be able to continue and maybe even improve 
.
“You been given lemons, so make lemonade”.
Best,
Janet
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Good luck and bet wishes to you too
Hi Mosie,
Thanks for sharing your experience.
It’s funny how very specific movements are affected- I can no longer shade in or cross hatch when I’m drawing/ sketching.
I guess we just need to adapt and enjoy what we can do.
Best
J
Hi there , am no beekeeper ( sadly) or artist ( husband is…so am close to one ) but did love sue monk Kidd ‘s book The secret life of bees ( fiction)
Warm regards , Pippa
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Hi Pippa
Bees are wonderful. If you can’t do beekeeping it’s still wonderful understanding and watching their behaviour.
Best regards,
Janet
Hi I was diagnosed 3 years ago at 44 I’m an artist too but still manage to paint and draw infact more now than ever it helps me to relax my philosophy is you have Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s don’t have you so enjoy what you do and don’t let it beat you x
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Thanks Danny.
You give me hope. I’m certainly going to keep on creating.
J x
Stay positive, enjoy what you can do, shrug off what you can’t, and laugh when the net pd result is funny, even if it is a retrospective laugh
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Hi,
I don’t know if I am posting this in the right place. I am just introducing myself to the forum.
I was diagnosed (eventually) with Parkinson’s 6 months ago from a DAT scan. I also have Prostate cancer; some of the symptoms overlap such as urinary problems. Now I am on medication I seem to have settled down to enjoy the delights of PD in a more managed way. I have found Parkinson’s UK and this forum useful for tips on how to cope with PD and hope to contribute as I gain experience of living with the beast.
DavidT
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