Hi to all
I have been seeing a Psychiatrist for about 8 month's following a period of deep depression, which I am now out of, thankfully. She refered me to a Nurologist because on my symptoms, which include wobbly right hand (tremor), restless legs, lack of sense of smell, depression, slow right arm movement, ect. I am interest to know what others found to be their early symptoms and at what stage do the Nurologist's confirm PD?
I am 49 years old and have had my problems for a few years now.
Best wishes to you all
Stuart
My symptoms that led to a diagnosis of PD were - lack of sense of smell, tremor in right hand & difficulty writing. I am 65 and was only diagnosed in March. The tremor showed up in February. So far, I have dealt with my diagnosis surprisingly well. Forums like this have helped as there are good people here who have lived with PD for a long time and seem to be leading relatively "normal" lives. I now approach the disease with this in mind, "There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them."
Good luck.
Good luck.
Hi Wobbly Stu (love the name!!)
My first symptoms were a tremor in my left leg which is apparently not a very common early symptom. Opinion was that it was connected with an old back injury. 6 months later my left hand started to shake and the rest, as they say, is history.After he had given me the good news my neurologist gave me the best piece of advise I have ever heard - 'go away and get on with your life'. I have done exactly that and,9 years later, with a little help from medication, I continue to lead a more or less normal life. I have just come back from a two month trip 'down under'; cycle, swim and walk (although not as far as before. I even started running again while I was in Australia.I am now 62, and took early retirement 6 years ago. Life is good for me. However (isn't there always a 'however') this disease is a complex one. Not everyone follows the same pattern and rate of development. I am one of the lucky ones, and I am quite sure there are many on the forum who are fed up with my rosy outlook but its what keeps me going - I refuse to let pd get the better of me.
Good luck
Janey
My first symptoms were a tremor in my left leg which is apparently not a very common early symptom. Opinion was that it was connected with an old back injury. 6 months later my left hand started to shake and the rest, as they say, is history.After he had given me the good news my neurologist gave me the best piece of advise I have ever heard - 'go away and get on with your life'. I have done exactly that and,9 years later, with a little help from medication, I continue to lead a more or less normal life. I have just come back from a two month trip 'down under'; cycle, swim and walk (although not as far as before. I even started running again while I was in Australia.I am now 62, and took early retirement 6 years ago. Life is good for me. However (isn't there always a 'however') this disease is a complex one. Not everyone follows the same pattern and rate of development. I am one of the lucky ones, and I am quite sure there are many on the forum who are fed up with my rosy outlook but its what keeps me going - I refuse to let pd get the better of me.
Good luck
Janey
I was diagnosed after 10 seconds when the N saw me walking down the corridor - the classic not swinging the affected arm.
the loss of sense of smell is a dead giveaway as well.
the loss of sense of smell is a dead giveaway as well.
Welcome to the forum Stu
Loss of sense of smell was probably my first symptom but I think that happened quite a while before I was diagnosed and went unnoticed at the time. The first symptom that I noticed was loss of dexterity in my left hand. My GP seems to be unusual in that she accurately predicted a diagnosis of PD based only on my slightly unresponsive left-hand. By the time I had the diagnosis confirmed by a second neurological opinion I was displaying droopy shoulders, dull facial expression and a very definite reduction of fine motor control in the left-hand.
Depression is a pretty frequent sidekick to Parkinson's too.
As turnip describes neurologists are pretty good at spotting Parkinson's people based on lots of subtle symptoms.
I too got the same advice that Janey describes "never mind this, go and get on with your life". It was, and remains, good advice but sometimes it's hard to stick to it.
I wish I had found a forum like this when I was first diagnosed. It really helps to compare notes with other people on the same journey.
EF
Loss of sense of smell was probably my first symptom but I think that happened quite a while before I was diagnosed and went unnoticed at the time. The first symptom that I noticed was loss of dexterity in my left hand. My GP seems to be unusual in that she accurately predicted a diagnosis of PD based only on my slightly unresponsive left-hand. By the time I had the diagnosis confirmed by a second neurological opinion I was displaying droopy shoulders, dull facial expression and a very definite reduction of fine motor control in the left-hand.
Depression is a pretty frequent sidekick to Parkinson's too.
As turnip describes neurologists are pretty good at spotting Parkinson's people based on lots of subtle symptoms.
I too got the same advice that Janey describes "never mind this, go and get on with your life". It was, and remains, good advice but sometimes it's hard to stick to it.
I wish I had found a forum like this when I was first diagnosed. It really helps to compare notes with other people on the same journey.
EF
Many thanks everyone for the replies.
I would like to attend a local support group, does anyone know what is on offer around Cambridge?
Regards
Stu
I would like to attend a local support group, does anyone know what is on offer around Cambridge?
Regards
Stu
Hi Wobbly Stu
If you follow this link you'll get to a search page - enter your post code and you'll see all the support groups close to you:
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/local-to-you/find-local-branches.aspx
Hope this helps.
Luis
Moderator
If you follow this link you'll get to a search page - enter your post code and you'll see all the support groups close to you:
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/local-to-you/find-local-branches.aspx
Hope this helps.
Luis
Moderator