How far back can you trace PD symptoms before diagnosis?

[CJ__]

I'm new to this forum but have been diagnosed with PD for more than 4 year's since the age of 65. I can remember being troubled by a deterioration of my night vision accompanied by other dry eye symptoms perhaps 10 years prior to that. It would have been about that time also that I stopped working as l felt I could no longer cope with the responsibilities of the workplace. It would be interesting to hear about others views on this aspect.

[TheresaCurley]

This is a good question. I've asked myself this many times and have a lot of trouble because so many ailments can mimic PD symptoms. I think it was over 6 years. For me it started with an achiness and fatigue...every time I went to the doctor it was attributed to getting older or depression. I've had poor balance for years and I started dropping my paint brushes often (I do oil paintings). Occasionally I would have a little tremor in my right hand but it always stopped within a short time so I never brought it up to the doctor. When walking I favored one side and pointed that out to my doctor who didn't seem to think it was anything. By now I had been labeled a hypochondriac and I joked with my doctor about it but in all honestly I found it very embarrassing so I stopped complaining. All the symptoms got worse and over a year ago I went to a neurologist who diagnosed it as low B12. So I started B12 shots and kept getting worse. About 9 months ago the tremors started continuously. This got my attention and I nagged my doctor over and over again to help me find the cause. He was convinced it was ET from the Wellbutrin I was taking and weaned me off them. It wasn't until I was off the Wellbutrin for 2 months and not getting better that he sent me to a new Neurologist. Before that though he did an MRI and started me on Sinemet. The Sinemet instantly calmed down my tremors. The new Neurologist gave me the diagnosis of PD.

[parkie13 in reply to TheresaCurley]

If I didn't drop stuff and pick it up again I would get no exercise at all. I liked the first neurologists that I saw. I had a 3-month follow-up appointment and he was not there when I went back. He must have got sent on a Hiatus because he had addiction to OPPIOD drugs that he was taking. Believe It or Not the second neurologist that I went to see thought that I was faking it I was so upset and mad. Went back to my GP and got a referral to a different Clinic. I told him I would not go back to that one. This neurologist that specializes in Parkinson's is the one that diagnose me. Mary

[laglag]

I was diagnosed in 2003, but in 1995 my Ex noticed my walking & jogging was a little different, couldn't quite understand why, but just knew it was different. Also, I was fatigued most of the time for no apparent reason. When I was diagnosed, the doctor mentioned a drag in my leg and I wasn't swinging my arm on my right side.

[Serenity_finaly-1 in reply to laglag]

They always get you with that one. Hey, did you notice your arm is not swinging? Now list off as many animals you can in a minute. Oh yes, the question I would have to say 5-6 years including 2 years telling my doctor that I had Parkinson's.

[Ratzkywatzky in reply to Serenity_finaly-1]

Face, Velvet, Church, Daisy, Red , count back in 7's from a hundred!

[honeycombe3]

My 1st symptom, a slight 'freezing' on starting to walk from being stationary, was pointed out to me as a PD indicator by my PD nurse after dx in 2004. I hadn't realised that I was doing this but when I thought back I recollected that this had been happening in secondary school!!

[paddyfields in reply to honeycombe3]

I've always been slow off the mark - PE teacher cpmmented on this. Interpreted at job interviews as lack of confidence Bad nightmares as a child and episodes of jumping out of bed and half way elsewhere before becoming fully awake in my twenties - at least that's when my husband found it a bit bothersome. Looking at work photos, colleagues mother asked if I was Japanese due to the fixed expression which I remember starting up at about age 13 After increasing number of worrying but "minor" neurological signs culminating in rapidly increasing tremor after car crash I was diagnosed at t age 69..

[Bailey_Texas]

I was DX 10 years ago and had signs 15 years before that.

[Beckey]

That dry eye business is a darned pain in the neck!

My right side tremor started five years ago. Since then, other symptoms have set in. I was diagnosed this year. I just turned 65.

[Boyce3600 in reply to Beckey]

Can u give specifics about "dry eye"?

[Beckey in reply to Boyce3600]

Yeah. It's not really my eye, it's more like the edge of my eyelid. It's mostly toward the end of the day. It gets real itchy.

[Boyce3600]

Along this same course of conversation, I have wondered about the time lag between onset of symptoms and actual diagnosis. If symptoms appear, doesn't it mean the PD is there, albeit perhaps not full blown or greatly noticeable? Neuro asked for photos with face close- ups to try and determine date of onset. Why is so much emphasis placed on date of diagnosis vs onset of symptoms?

[JohnPepper]

Hi Cj. I had Pd symptoms 29 years before I was finally diagnosed with Pd. Having been in the habit of going to the gym for one hour every day, except Sundays, might have had something to do with how long it took for the symptoms to get worse.

I started doing Fast Walking, two years after diagnosis, when my walking became quite bad and had had to give up my job at the time of diagnosis.

Since 2002, I have not needed to take any further medication or see a neurologist. I still continue to do the fast walking and at he age of 82 am regarded as very fit and healthy, even though I still have Pd.

You can view my website - reverseparkinsons.net to find out a lot more. You can also contact me and ask me anything you like, at no cost to yourself..

[TheGimba]

My husband was diagnosed at 52 with PD but eight years before that he became less interested in sex, and then not at all, his ankles were always stiff and he slept a lot. Gave up some of his passions, gardening, etc...He just seemed like an asshole that didn't give a damn, lazy...little did I know.

[TheGimba]

My husbands GP laughed at him when he complained of tremor and possible PD because he was only 52. He said "oh you think that you have it just because your mother does", so silly. Then, my favorite, you're crazy...or my second favorite, you're depressed. Some of these docs are deplorable.

[Opt8]

2007 I noticed a shooting pain from my foot up to my left leg while enjoying walking on a trail. I wondered what is this? Husband and son noticed my head tremoring. My hand tremor very slightly now no tremoring. Could feel something wrong as this weirdo illness developed. Numerous doctors and holistic methods...So many symptoms at first sounds to the untrained health care workers as a hypochondriac but I knew how I felt and that soethics was wrong. There were so many better things to do then go to doctors but I was ill. Answers came over time and as my illness developed doctors also have learned more. I have respect for doctors. This has been a road that has taken patience to get answers. My heart goes out to all who suffer with pd and are seek8ng answers.