The reason

[gurdeep11]

Hi my all fellow Parkies, I was interested in starting a discussion to see how many of us know the reason/caus for their PD. Please share your views/input.

Thanks

[Gladyscon1]

I'm one that can't even guess the cause. Im 86 and like my siblings grew up in a California beach town, no known pesticides in the area but oil wells many miles away. My sister is still living at 94, in a nursing home but with no Parkinson's symptoms. My brother died recently of lung disease at 87; he was a smoker with no sign of Parkinson's.

[gurdeep11 in reply to Gladyscon1]

it seems you are holding good, God bless

[firefly0780]

I believe that the reasons are rooted in emotions. If there is trauma or prolonged stress then chronic disease can develop. It's a body out of balance. Alongside that, environmental factors such as mercury poisoning from fillings, fluoride in water etc.may also contribute. There may also be issues with digestion and gut problems. So to summarise, it depends how hardy you are which determines whether you succumb to all the other factors. Just my personal opinion.

[gurdeep11 in reply to firefly0780]

i do concur with you, inversely then we might be able to overcome it

[firefly0780 in reply to gurdeep11]

I believe so. There are people who have, although they are far and few between. Maybe there are more but not in the public eye

[gurdeep11 in reply to firefly0780]

exactly but even if few why not we be those few, it will be great

[Emily1957 in reply to gurdeep11]

Wonderful optimism; thank you

[driller]

I worked in the offshore oil Ind and was exposed to all the chemicals

REGARDS

ERIC

[gurdeep11 in reply to driller]

ok tx

[Pelley]

It seems so me that human nature enters into this equation. We must have a reason for everything. In turn it is so easy to search for and blame something. I have long since stopped blaming people places and things for causing this or anything else in my life. Life is short enough and I personally choose not to waste my time on building resentments against some pesticide company or the stress level of my choice of profession. Life simply is what it is until it isn't any longer. It is altogether too easy to blame a hangnail on the mutation of your genes caused from a vintage B-17 spraying your town for mosquito control when you were younger.

[gurdeep11 in reply to Pelley]

it is not about blaming anyone but to see if we can help someone by making more aware or ourselves stop something wee might be doing detrimental to our recovery

[michaela13]

I had chemo I'm breast cancer along with radiationI didn't have Parkinson's before this I was also supposed to pesticides where I worked

[gurdeep11 in reply to michaela13]

I think in your case it might be true

[park_bear in reply to michaela13]

Pesticide exposure, especially to *permethrin*, is assoicated with a high risk of developing Parkinson's. Permethrin is the active ingredient in most household "flea bombs" and is likley how I got my PD. For more detail see Parkinson's and Pesticides here: dailykos.com/story/2016/9/2...

[gurdeep11 in reply to park_bear]

thanks for sharing

[mistydog1]

During my college days I worked at a drill manufacturing plant during semester breaks. The factory would have a shut down during this time of the year. Shutdown meant the manufacturing machines were taking off line to be degrease and be re-tooled the solvent we were given and used to clean was trichloroethylene (TCE). Being college kids, money was good we didn't know any better put on our little rubber gloves and used this stuff like water! Now I am older and wiser and really believe there is a link to my PD today

[gurdeep11 in reply to mistydog1]

oh wow must be feeling bad it happened like that God bless

[Kadie57]

I had severe lymes disease(deer tick) it went so long that I had bad nerve damage then the PD came into play, I do not feel I did anything to caused this to happen, I was ill and 12 yrs ago Lymes was not taken seriously, so I had antibiotic's in IV form for 2 hrs a day 4 days a week for 1 1/2 yrs.

[gurdeep11 in reply to Kadie57]

of course no one will intentionally do something but in our ignorance we get things that cause it, let see if we find any common things

[jebbers]

It took 18 years of suffering with gluten intolerance before I found out that was the problem. All those years of poisoning my body along with continual high stress are what I believe led me to develop PD

[gurdeep11 in reply to jebbers]

so you pin it down to gluten great, i think stress can aggravate it but not cause it or can it?

[jebbers in reply to gurdeep11]

yes, there is alot of new research going on regarding gluten. Pick up the book by Dr. David Permutter titled "Grain Brain'

[Lillee76]

I have no idea what caused my PD. No one in my family had it. I had, and still have, polymyalgia rheumatica

for ten years before the diagnoses of PD. A lot of the symptoms are similar such as stiffness, pain, slowness of

movement. Prednisone helps PMR, but does not help Parkinson's.

[gurdeep11]

I see so in your case you are not even sure of PD, but try to think of something like food fish, environment etc.

[landman]

Lead poisoning from pumping leaded gas.

[gurdeep11 in reply to landman]

it looks lead is a big one, can tuna cause it too?

[Melodysam1890]

My Dad has Parkinson's - around 78 when diagnosed - now 86 ..,I was diagnosed at 59 - now 63 .. Dad rec'vd no medical care, physical therapy or Meds & now is wheelchair bound & cannot hold his head up or feed himself .. I began Meds immediately & am very active by comparison. .. Emotions? Could be ..

[gurdeep11 in reply to Melodysam1890]

great i hope you stay healthy

[grandmasanta]

I think that the mold, mildew and asbestos in the courthouse where I worked for more than 32 yrs could have caused it...approx 8 people there now have PD,,,when an average of 40 folks working in the County Courthouse...

[gurdeep11 in reply to grandmasanta]

oh i see, i too worked with insulation for a couple of months maybe i too got something but my list is long

[Sunnysky]

Hi The Reason in my twenties and early thirties I was constantly dieting and I consumed stack loads of artificial sweeteners like jellies jams tinned fruit soups sauces diet drinks heaps of these had Aspartame Nutri-Sweet and sacherin having had Polio as a child my neurons would have been compromised so I believe the artificial sweeteners gave me PD in my mid fifties be interesting to find out the consumption of artificial sweeteners amongst other sufferers Keep Positive. Sunnysky

[gurdeep11]

hi, thanks it is very interesting and we should try to see if others have had such experience

[quirkyme]

my husband was born after his mother had several miscarriages and one stillbirth. I wonder about something during his development in utero. He was diagnosed in 2007 and is doing well, though we really work at dealing with the many issues that come up. He's of English, Scottish, Irish background and I think there might be some link there. (His mother was of Irish descent).

The proximal cause when he was diagnosed was he was driving 90 minutes each way to and from work. He has always 'driven' his body hard (sorry for the pun--not really). The nurse who runs the APDA (American PD Assoc.) groups in the area says that PwPD are often intelligent, hard working, accomplished people. She has no statistics but sees a lot of people. Doctors, college professors, etc.) He was in computer management. I think about all this a lot but we do tend to let it go and just deal with the 'now'.

By the way there are a lot of young onset PwPD in our area, Massachusetts and RI. What's up with that? I do know they are a different population in that their needs are different. I lead an APDA group and would like to start one for a "young onset" group.

[Emily1957 in reply to quirkyme]

As to YOPD in the region, I spent all of my summers on Cape Cod, in Osterville, as a child; then lived there year-round from 1982 to 1987, in Hyannis and then Onset. (hey, living in Onset might've done it: "young onset", get it?) Do we have data showing regional clusters of PD? The unique factors in each place could, of course, lead to possible causes. The only thing I can think of that is unique to the Cape right now is the salt air. Oh, the cleaning chemicals used at Cape Cod Hospital apparently killed one person who started working there in '83. He complained that the chemicals were making him sick, but the hospital refused to change them, and he died of cancer. The chemicals in a factory on the Cape sickened another loved one in 1983--he was vomiting blood and quit the job. He recently died of liver cancer. Maybe that's where it originated. Could pollution of the ocean waters and beaches in the area be a factor? Could this saltwater air we love so well be carrying more than salt? Just brainstorming. I am very seriously considering moving back to Hyannis for much of the year, God willing. I'll be eager to meet people and get involved.... (I have other posts from you to answer,--thank you! – but I am typing on my phone and can't find the posts now; I need to get to a real computer...)

[gurdeep11 in reply to Emily1957]

yeah, i too can hardly type so forgive my brief replies but i too am yopd 37 now, yes my aim of post to just think and try to reduce few reasons out of life and educate others

[quirkyme in reply to Emily1957]

my husband used to visit his aunt and uncle in Hyannis a lot. His uncle used to sprinkle Sevin around the house to keep ants out. But I don't think it was that. Hyannis and the Cape are nice. Love your sense of humor.

I don't know about clusters of PD. Good question to ask separately here. Doctors used to say PD was not familial. Now they say there is. That's the only links I know of.

[gurdeep11]

Wow great yeah I am too YOPD, and would like to start a group, so far no response. stay in touch

[Emily1957 in reply to gurdeep11]

Have you tried starting a group on Meetup.com?

[gurdeep11 in reply to Emily1957]

no but great suggestion, thatswhy interaction is best med

[PatV]

Many possible exposures. I spent summers on a farm, and my dad allowed me to apply herbicides. Also exposed to plastics in a plastics factory. Several head injuries requiring stitches. 31 years of abusive relationship. It was my ex who pointed out to me that I walked without swinging my left arm. Started in my 40's that I recall. So I had symptoms early on but the death of my son coincided with visible symptoms (stiffness, etc.) 12 years ago. So who knows. I am the cure.

[gurdeep11 in reply to PatV]

My heart goes to you, you are a brave person, i too have had lot of similar problems but after losing my dad my symptoms first appeared

[PatV in reply to gurdeep11]

my neuro says I might have got it at 80 plus instead of 62 but grief accelerates the progression.

[Annie81963]

Hello, since no one in my family has PD , I believe it may be due to the fact that I followed "the mosquito truck" as a kid, I had 2 concussions and had a solid steel door slam shut on my head in a bad rain storm. Who knows for sure?

[gurdeep11 in reply to Annie81963]

no one does but it was just to avoid something bad we might still be doing hindering our recovery.thanks

[Hidden in reply to Annie81963]

I too followed a "squito truck" as a kid. I do have distant relative that was PD

[GRANDMA6]

PD doesn't run in my family. As far as pesticides, our lawn is the greenest on the street, thanks to Chemlawn. This may be one clue why I developed PD. I was only recently diagnosed in April 2014, but my hands have had a tremor for a year. I had Gastric Sleeve surgery in May of 2013. The surgeon found a hiatal hernia which he repaired. A week later, my right hand & wrist swelled up and they were throbbing in pain so I went to the emergency room. No broken bones but my blood work was far from normal, very high esr (sed rate) and very elevated wbc. I took antibiotics and wore a hand/wrist brace for two weeks. Afterwards, I have been extremely tired all the time. I constantly take naps on weekends, but I am still working full-time but plan on retiring soon.

[gurdeep11 in reply to GRANDMA6]

wow great, what kind of work you do

[Emily1957]

Good question. I tormented myself with wondering what caused it for the first few years, and then I finally dropped the question: idiopathic means we simply don't know, and I accepted that. I can now think of many possible causes without blame or remorse: we had well water when I was little; I've hit my head numerous times; I used insecticides liberally when I went camping; exposure to pesticides and chemicals; amalgam fillings; playing with mercury when I was a kid; using white out and having clothes dry cleaned; & many unknowns. Rachel Carson wrote about a few environmental chemicals in Silent Spring; TIME magazine reports that we now have 160,000 of them. I ultimately think, however, that it was because I had a lack of security and love and many extremely stressful periods in my life. This is something that can be corrected. I have realized that the only way to get better, or slow the deterioration, is to learn to truly love myself and take care of myself, and create peace and love, and reduce stress. I need to become extremely serious about diet and exercise and doing meaningful things I enjoy. I am studying more, and am carefully moving from synthetic to natural medications and to a more holistic approach.

[gurdeep11 in reply to Emily1957]

great reply God bless you, where you from

[Emily1957 in reply to gurdeep11]

Thank you. PA now; hope to move to Hyannis, MA for at least part of the year

[gurdeep11 in reply to Emily1957]

i too prefer holistic approach any time

[grower]

Interesting reading this post later on. I'm 64, been diagnosed only 18 mths or so but clearly have had PD for much longer. I'm an orchardist (aha! you say) but an organic one, so it can't be pesticides. Have lived my life with good diet, happily, only usual stress of raising kids etc. no PD in the family... go figure.

[gurdeep11]

we cant figure that sucks

[sasnak123]

I was given Compazine a powerful anti psychotic as a treatment for nausea during chemotherapy. Was on it too long and developed neuroleptic induced PD.

[gurdeep11]

too bad

[sharron2]

My husband is a Vietnam vet and is presumed to have developed his Parkinson's from exposure to agent orange. The correlation is strong enough that anyone that set foot in Vietnam or was on a ship in the waters surrounding Vietnam that develops Parkinson's automatically is rated a disabled veteran and eligible for medical care and monthly compensation.