My name is Jon and I was diagnosed 2 years ago aged 39, symptomatic since aged 36. I’m recently married (after my dx) and have a 7 month old.
Some days I just want to run away from my responsibilities, partly because scared, partly because I feel a burden on my good wife, and partly because I feel what good am I to my wife and daughter. How is my dx going to affect her well being and upbringing!?.
Also, I’m thinking of going on to a low dose of sertraline for anxiety and depression or both. In busy or social (stress) situations my symptoms kick up and my wife gets upset. Do you think this will help?
@azmilo1977 Hi Jon, first of all you sound like a great husband and father to me! So don’t worry! The feelings you have are natural and all part of the dreaded PD. Talk over your worries with your wife and seek advice and support from as many people (both professional and fellow sufferers) as this may help her to stop getting upset in social situations. What actually does she get upset about? My mum use to say she couldn’t go out to eat because she feared people would stare at her shaking. This was total nonsense as they were most liking getting on with their own meals! Is it other people’s reactions or your symptoms that upset her do you think?
As for sertraline, I’m assuming this is a kind of antidepressant(?) and I personally would suggest trying something for anxiety and depression as this can play an enormous part in the symptoms of PD. Talk to your doctor to get yourself on the right drug. (I don’t have PD myself, I care for mum) but am taking venlafaxin for anxiety which I personally find extremely helpful. (It took a while to get me on the right drug and doze but we got there).
Jon, please don’t worry about being a good dad/ husband, you sound very caring just by writing into the forum for help! Go out and enjoy life as well as you can and treasure your daughter growing up…it happens all too fast!
Big hugs and smiles Debbie xx
I was diagnosed just over 10 years ago at 41 after two years of investigation.
The non motor functions of PD were harder to deal with than the tremor, stiffness etc.
I would strongly recommend that you discuss your feelings with your Consultant, GP or Parkinson’s nurse.
Believe me I completely understand how you feel,these feelings are completely normal and are part of the condition that can be very successfully managed by medication.
I take the medication you reference and it works really well for me.
Your wife will want to do everything she can to help you. It’s really important to keep talking to your partner as I held a lot back to protect my husband but actually I was excluding him and he felt helpless.
Are you working.? Is your employer supportive ?
For me exercise and diet are key.Not only do they help with general well-being but also help with all the psychological issues that Parkinson’s can bring,
By feeling better with the help of medication your quality of life will Improve. Your daughter has a loving father and she will love you unconditionally.
The best advice I can give you is focus on the hear and now , focus on The everything you can do to ensure you are the very best you can be.
Don’t feel pressured in to doing things that make you unwell. Get plenty of rest and sit down with your wife as she will be frightened too and discuss your joint action plan.
No two people are the same with PD but what we all have in common is the ability to give ourselves the very best life we can.
Aw thank you to both of you for replying. It means alot to know you guys care enough to write - thank you xx
I’m feeling more positive and will be starting a low dose of sertraline on Monday. I’m hoping it will calm down the anxiety enough so that my symptoms are not triggered so intensly in public. PD is such a complex disease I am beginning to learn.
My wife is great to. She’s giving me the space to relax more over the weekends which i need after workimg in a busy hospital all week. I just hope i can work for longish time to help support financially. What will be will be.
Thank you so much for caring. I was on a very low point when i wrote the post but im coming through it.
xx