I'm in my mid-thirties and was diagnosed with PD a couple of years ago. My symptoms don't affect my working life at the moment as they are subtle. The thought of giving up work in the future is daunting as I've held down jobs since my childhood paper-round!
I realise that people have diverse symptoms / rates of progression and that differing careers have variable demands. With that said, I'm interested to hear the experiences of those who managed to carry on working post diagnosis for a period of time or if anybody branched out into a new line of work as a result of PD?
I think that most people who retire before they are 40 have an offshore bank account and own a big boat, which I do not!
Hi Matt, I was diagnosed in 2006 when I was 46 I am still working but now just two and half days and cutting this down to two 6 hour working days on a Tuesday and Friday to give me a chance to recuperate after each working day because fatigue is a massive thing for me. It's hard but I do love my job and also think it's good for me to work and also financially I need/have too.
Hi Matt and newdidit,
I was working in the airline industry for 21 years. It just so happened that 2 months after my diagnosis the company offered Voluntary Redundancy. It was a big decision but I was struggling a little. If they hadn't offered VR I probably would have stayed a while longer.
I do think the working environment helps the brain and with depression. I'm looking for a little partime work now.
Although I'll admit it puts a dent in your confidence to go to interviews.
i was diagnosed end oct 15. My symptoms remain mild with just the slight right sided tremor but a low dose of madopar seems to keep it steady. I work part time as a receptionist and at the moment manage fairly well. I expect at some point it will become harder. I enjoy the routine and also the people I meet. Oh, and of course I need the money!!
I was diagnosed with PD after opting to do temporary contracts in preference to my permanent job. The rationale was better pay on a self employed basis, more holidays in reality no sick pay etc. I was working around the country and travelling up to 100 miles away from home, staying in hotels , working in a stressful environment. After 6 years and the breakdown of my relationship both due to P.D I went from 46,000 per year to 5,200, that took a massive budgeting excercise to stay afloat.
I looked for other jobs, applied for over 200 jobs and got 3 interviews, all of which unsuccessfull. I thought then I had to look at jobs that did not pay sick or holidays, I worked as a tarot card reader, ! was weirdly successful at that but it was a little depressing to do. I then dabbled in buying and selling renting a space in an antique shop. Enjoyed the experience but as a novice more of a social undertaking rather than profit making. Then I did flea markets helped by other traders ,it was good fun but again not much profit. Up at 5.30am then packing away at 4pm eventually realised too much for me in winter but summer , yes will do it again.
Learnt so much and as not entitled to esa as capable of working over16 hrs a week am keen to try again. Might be car boots as hours are only 1/2 day and an ebay shop or Etsy need to find out about grants etc. but setting up my own business is on the cards.
At 8yrs with PD I still want to contribute , pay my way and most of all, I want to earn some cash for a holiday, never been to New York and want to return to Victoria Falls where I spent some of my childhood years.
