Work and PD

[ion_ion]

I'm wondering how many years someone with PD can still have a job after the day he/she was diagnosed? Can someone still have a job after starting medication like Sinemet or something else?

[CivilMatt]

ion_ion,

I still do, but I work from home.

If I don’t make some big strides in the near future, those days are numbered.

I love work, but I think the PD may take a much larger portion of my time to address. I am trying to employ what I read here in hopes of some “good times”. It is a major task.

CM

[CivilMatt]

ion_ion,

Don’t get me wrong. I have been fighting the PD since 2012. I refused to believe the diagnosis and gave my first C/L back to my first neurologist and said he was wrong (I showed him). I want to understand this stuff and I want more control of the on/off times, it is just a mystery to me. I honestly think the members on here have an inside track to handling this disease properly, at least as well as can be expected.

AND I wish you much luck and success.

CM

[andrehypnotic in reply to CivilMatt]

What are you taking at present for your PD?

[laglag]

I believe it depends on how much stress you have on your job. I worked for 10 yrs before I retired and it was the best thing I could have done for my symptoms.

[Lionore]

Everyone is different. I was able to transition into a less stressful job the last few years of my career. I worked two years post dx but at least four years after the tremor started, fortunately on my non dominant left hand. I retired finally because the increased savings didn’t make up for the precious time I needed to exercise. I was too tired to do anything after work and a long commute. Your type of work, heavy vs white collar, will also be a factor, as well as your age, dependents, financial situation and sadly, what country you live in. In the US, getting approved for Social Security Disability is very difficult and often takes years. I know that I was fortunate to have been several years past retirement but still worry about having enough money for long term care.

[jeeves19]

I’m still teaching after 2 years but the school has had to make some accommodations (grudgingly might I add). I think I could last longer if I could sit behind a desk but 30 x 15 year olds can be pretty darn demanding!

[ion_ion in reply to jeeves19]

I think this is a very stressful job. I wish you handle it for many years from now.

[Lionore in reply to jeeves19]

Teaching is incredibly stressful below the college level . I did it for two years decades ago and nearly had a breakdown and it was way before pd symptoms appeared.I admire your fortitude!

[mleec]

Trying to figure out the same thing myself. No meds yet but having a tough time finding time to exercise and this appears to be vital in controlling this “thing”!

[Hidden]

I too work with relatively mild symptoms. On Neuro patch 3 mg and Azilect. I can manage my projects most days. My work is very stressful requires long hours and waking up at 5am to exercise is difficult after 6 hours of sleep. I wish I could retire but I am only 55 and don’t have enough saved and need my health insurance. I am married but my husband does not earn enough for me to retire.

[moparkie715]

I unfortunately only made it 3 years past diagnosis. It really depends on your job and the symptoms you have. I was a middle school teacher and I had balance problems/walking, illegible handwriting and my speech became incomprehensible. I knew i needed to exercise but at the end of a very long day i was way too exhausted.

My job was way to stressfulĺ for me thus making my symptoms progress much quicker than I ever expected.

I retired at 56 begrudgingly as I enjoyed going to work, enjoyed receiving a salary and medical benefits.....however, I am now more able to work on my health.

[LynnBourg]

Hi I am also a retired teacher. I retired about 3 years ago just before symptoms showed up. Then for the last 3 years thought I was going crazy. Just diagnosed a month ago and I'm 66. I now teach one class 2 days a week at the local adult school. I love it and the students don't notice or don't mind my symptoms. I have a place set up in the room where they come to me for help. It's an independent packet algebra class. They are all adults so they catch on to my system of helping them. While I'm there most of the time my symptoms disappear. Gives me time to take my mind off of me just for a couple of hours.

[ion_ion]

Interesting. I noticed some people who wrote here are teachers. Teaching is a stressful job so the stress can be the cause of PD. One doctor specialized in Motion Disorders said that is not true but I think he is wrong. I have a very stressful job, too, and I had periods of time when I worked Monday to Sunday 12 hours a day with no break for 2-3 months. I think I killed myself.

[jdc3]

I'm a 65 yr old computer programmer who is lucky enough to work at home. It's been 3 yrs since I've been diagnosed, but I've had symptoms for many more years. I'm still doing good work, but I've had to work at a much reduced hourly rate. This is because I made the mistake of telling my client about my condition, and he figured, correctly, I'd have a hard time finding work elsewhere. So he said I could continue working but cut my bill rate substantially. Still, I'm grateful I'm working.

[ion_ion in reply to jdc3]

I'm software engineer doing industrial software for auto plants production lines. There is a lot of stress involved and I have hard times to handle it now; I still can program very well as long as I keep the stress at a minimum. I did not tell them at work about my issues even one of the bosses noticed my arm tremor.

[jdc3 in reply to ion_ion]

I started to move in slow motion, and I speak very softly. People look at me and know there's something wrong.

[ion_ion in reply to jdc3]

At the beginning at 2017 my fellow workers were stopping at my cubicle and said : "you are here? I taught you are gone to a customer site. What happened you are so quiet?". I was the guy making a lot of jokes and talking politics and having fun of all politicians.

After accepting I had PD I started joking around again and no one is asking no more if something is wrong with me. But I'm not exactly like I used to be and I did not started meds ,yet.

[StayPosEvryDay]

All of us know Parky affects each of us differently. I was diagnosed at age 61 the same year that I won a fittest executive competition for age 50+. I am now 71 and continue to work as a self employed business adviser. I still make exercise a part of my daily life and, like many people, feel that it contributes to better overall health and mental attitude. I also believe that medical marijuana in the form of vapor just prior to a more strenuous workout several times a week brings symptom relief and a positive connection to the natural world. My predominant symptoms continue to be severe right arm/hand tremor and early morning foot dystonia. For me, work, community service, exercise and appreciation of the natural world keeps me in the moment. Suggest that you embrace what's important to you, live for today and be positive as you look to the future and reflect on the past.

[ion_ion]

I would like to know if Sinemet or other medication is helping keeping the job or at contrary, the side effects force people to stop working? I have more 3 years till retire and I'm reluctant to use medication as I'm concerned about side effects will prevent me to do my job. The most bothering symptom is tremor in right hand ,especially when I'm stressed out.