Panorama

[Tilly56]

Did anyone watch the amazing documentary on BBC, the woman who can smell parkinson

[KemptonD]

No, but what does she smell?

[Tilly56 in reply to KemptonD]

She can detect parkinson before its diagnosis, it's a musty smell

[Xenos]

It is quite easy to spot PwPs : rigidity, gait, arms not moving, etc.

[Hidden]

Yes, I did watch it. Apparently dogs can smell it also.

[Tilly56 in reply to Hidden]

I knew about dogs, but a human that's amazing

[RS313]

yes it was odd but the first thing that came to my mind was... just another thing i have to worry about with having this disease is that now i am going to smell???? geesh lol

[Roram in reply to RS313]

RobynS, you may have "this disease" but you also have a great sense of humor.

[Tilly56 in reply to Roram]

What do you mean

[Enidah]

Hahaha, I agree Robyn. As if we don't already have enough to worry about!

[JohnPepper]

I did not see the documentary but I have been tested by a dog that has been trained to sniff and identify Pd. Dr Laurie Mischley in Seattle has had her dog trained to identify Pd. If dogs can do it, I suppose people can, but they would have to have an exceptional sense of smell.

[jeeves19]

I knew about this lady about a year ago. The person that I saw on the TV was Scottish? But I had to ask myself, when alls said and done ..................so what?!😊

[NRyan in reply to jeeves19]

It helps in early detection. Since early detection is unheard of....even when you know it, the Dr refuses to confirm as you aren't fully in the throws of it. I know I would have liked to have known 13 years ago when my first signs appeared.

[jeeves19 in reply to NRyan]

And would you have been able to act on this information if you had it available? What might you do?

[NRyan in reply to jeeves19]

nutrition, exercise, etc. I believe the early the better to make changes in the PD...even if it just slows it down or makes it more mild. I'll take that.

[Astra7 in reply to jeeves19]

Take up smoking!

[Cindy27 in reply to jeeves19]

I wouldn’t have taken on a more stressful job.

I would have traveled more.

I would have retired earlier.

[jeeves19 in reply to Cindy27]

Ha! Would love to do all 3 but am broke with the exception of my beautiful house which might be why I’m broke !

[Cindy27 in reply to jeeves19]

Me too! Took on too much house and too much stuff. Had to keep working longer/harder to pay for it all. Ahh if hindsight were 20/20!

[Tamarisk]

Dont miss the point, this lady can smell PD before the sufferer knows they have it.

I am sure anyone with a keen sense of smell can do so, but do not recognise it for what it is, my husband definitely had a different smell about him, a greasy smell and his body extruded an oily substance, marked the furniture, finger prints on glass, if his forehead rested on the glass of a door it left a large print, now in an advanced state this has disappeared.

[windhorsepixy in reply to Tamarisk]

Yes, Parkinson's often creates an excess of sebum. I think that is what is smelled. It comes out of the skin & especially the scalp (& probably face) . My husband's pillow would get an awful dark yellow - no matter how often I changed his pillow case. Now I always have an under zipper cover - but still it comes though. It was one of the first symptoms that appeared for him - but I had no idea. It would have been nice for for him to have been diagnosed sooner - PD affected his work life (& us financially) long before they would diagnose it. Perhaps he could have gotten supplemental social security disability.

[RS313]

Yes I try to keep my sense of humor it's better than feeling depressed and one thing I do know is that I have not lost my sense of smell with my PD so hopefully I will know I stink before anyone else has to tell me

[Tilly56 in reply to RS313]

Lol I was diagnosed last month, feeling happier, im going out for a pint, I'd better wash the parkinson off me first then spray myself with lynx. Wer do you come

[Ratzkywatzky]

telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/0...

saw this about early detection and one article said early detection could stop Parkinsons , this one says could slow it down, I find this very confusing as it adds to the start medication early side of the argument.

"Currently, Parkinson’s disease is often diagnosed when a person is already suffering from tremors and rigidity, and by that stage many of their dopamine-producing brain cells have died.

The earlier doctors are able to administer treatment, the larger the number neurons (sic) they can save, significantly slowing the progress of the disease." ???

Sloppy journalism? I have been detected early, (detected myself with google pretty much) but not taking meds, am i wasting a golden opportunity going against advice to start meds to save dopamine receptors?

[alaynedellow in reply to Ratzkywatzky]

I have been diagnosed before tremors or rigidity have set in, I have refused meds apart from Azilect. I don't think I am ill enough to take levodopa etc and am trying through exercise, including walking twice daily, running , yoga and tai chi to improve my health and I have continued to eat my own home grown veg and cut out processed products to withstand parkinsons symptoms.

I will begin to take Mannitol next week. Even though i am early dx I believe I have an opportunity to improve my quality of life before i start quaffing medication which , personally, i dont have much faith in as it just keeps increasing. I have not been impresed with being told to take levodopa/siminet just because myhand doesnt work properly.

You have to decide what best for you but my health- running etc and feeling alive has been its best for years and whats to not enjoy about a walk!

Good luck on your journey

[Ratzkywatzky in reply to alaynedellow]

Ditto with the exercise, probably fitter now than I've been in decades. Just wish there was some specific test or trial which gave the definitive course of action re meds rather than having to go on a personal hunch! Good to hear other peoples opinions, good luck to you too.

[Tilly56 in reply to alaynedellow]

I've been diagnosed last month with pd they have put me on sinmet I don't think I need them yet

[arwenmark]

I have a very keen sense of smell and my husband's smell has not changed at all, been married almost 50 years so I should know by now what he smells like.

[PJSammy]

Several years before I developed Parkinson's symptoms I noticed a change in my own body odour. No one else could smell it, including doctors. Even though my ability to smell has decreased, I still notice it from time to time when pulling a tshirt or sweater off over my head. Best description is Parmesan cheese.

Early and easy diagnosis would likely be a good thing.