Have I got Parkinson's : I hope people don... - Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson's

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Have I got Parkinson's

25 Replies

I hope people don't mind me asking, Parkinson's runs in my family , my fathers family had it and my grandmother I have trouble walking with cronich tiredness and depression and panic attacks for the last 20 years but lately the racing heart and shaking sometimes makes me think I have Parkinson's, I have a slight tremor which the doctor said could be anxiery, somerimes I feel my body goes forward and I nearly fall over, I am having no treatment for anything as the doctor just send me to the mental health department everytime I visit him. Is there a test for Parkinson's. I have never been able to walk probeley and the doctor said it was anxiety, sometimes I walk normal as my husband has said I am undera lot of stress as my husband has copd, thankyou.

25 Replies
etterus profile image
etterus

Are you seeing a neurologists? A good neuro should see it right away. A movement disorder specialist-a neuro-would be even better.

in reply to etterus

I went to see a neurologist last year because of the fatique and he made me walk up and down he looked in my eyes and made me push with my hands he said I had a slight tremor but said it was due to anxiety as I was crying in the office due to my mother dying and he also said there was no ataxia whatever that was he made me walk and done diffrent things and said my anxiety was due to PTSD which I still don't believe . But he discharged me from the cronich fatique. Clinic and said I had to see a berevement counsellor, if I go to my doctor, he says the some things about counselling .

movinngroovin profile image
movinngroovin in reply to

MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT PD REALLY IS PTSD TURNED INSIDE OUT....PTSD IS SO MUCH MORE COMMON THAN WE KKNOW--THIS, COMING FROM A 35 YEAR COUNSELOR VETERAN...

quirkyme profile image
quirkyme in reply to movinngroovin

there'd be a lot more patients with PD if PTSD was related directly to PD. PTSD Ii so common. My husband has it. He did not have a traumatic childhood or trauma in his life. I think there's multiple causes, mostly likely genetic.

movinngroovin profile image
movinngroovin in reply to quirkyme

Ofcourse....

movinngroovin profile image
movinngroovin in reply to

I ALSO HAVE PTSD FROM MY CHILDHOOD--HMMM.. PAUSE FOR THOUGHT?

in reply to etterus

I went to see a neurologist last year because of the fatique and he made me walk up and down he looked in my eyes and made me push with my hands he said I had a slight tremor but said it was due to anxiety as I was crying in the office due to my mother dying and he also said there was no ataxia whatever that was he made me walk and done diffrent things and said my anxiety was due to PTSD which I still don't believe . But he discharged me from the cronich fatique. Clinic and said I had to see a berevement counsellor, if I go to my doctor, he says the some things about counselling .

in reply to etterus

I went to see a neurologist last year because of the fatique and he made me walk up and down he looked in my eyes and made me push with my hands he said I had a slight tremor but said it was due to anxiety as I was crying in the office due to my mother dying and he also said there was no ataxia whatever that was he made me walk and done diffrent things and said my anxiety was due to PTSD which I still don't believe . But he discharged me from the cronich fatique. Clinic and said I had to see a berevement counsellor, if I go to my doctor, he says the some things about counselling .

fwes profile image
fwes

What do you hope to find on these pages? Certainly not medical advice, which we are too shrewd to offer and you are too wise to take. what do we have you want?

What we do have that may be of value to you is a little wisdom that comes from the experience of accepting that we have PD and learning how to live with it. Certainly your family history is cause for concern and you are doing the right thing to seek the best medical advice and to contnue to monitor your physical situation. But are you keeping an open mind to accept the medical advice, when it differs from your prior convictions? For many, Parkinson's is about physical rigidity. From the words you shared with us, there is more evidence that your mind is rigid then that your body is.

Whether or not you have PD, there is a danger that you are letting panic rob you of your good years. If you do not have PD it's a shame to squander a perfectly good life worrying about something that isn't happening. If you do have PD you would be wise to enjoy the years that you have now. Live in the moment!

The best I can offer is that you listen to those that know you and love you and care about you. Do your very best to find a way toput panic aside and to enjoy what time you have. I would offer the same advice whether you have PD or do not have PD. That doesn't matter. What matters is you have good days here and you should allow yourself to make the most of them.

If you ever do develop advanced PD symptoms it will be important that you find a doctor that you can trust. In that case probably a movement disorder specialist. It might not be a bad idea to start working now on finding a way to get medical advice that you can trust.

in reply to fwes

Hi fwes. Yes you are right I don't think it will do me any good trying to get advice about medical matter about Parkinson's as I suppose I panicked yesterday thinking this can't be just anxiety, yes I understand where your coming from . Thankyou for your advice and common sense.

wifeofparky profile image
wifeofparky

If you want a good diagnosis, I strongly suggest you be examined by a Movement Disorder Specialist, that is a neurologist who specializes in PD. I don't know where you live but in the US you can go the the National Parkinson Foundation website and search for assistance.

pdspouse profile image
pdspouse

I agree that you need to for now follow the medical advice you are getting. If you do not agree with medical advice find a neuro that specializes in PD. I think you should also find a doc that can help with the anxiety to help make a better decision on what might be wrong..Live for now and if you have PD take it as it comes but don't let it take from your life now.

charsie profile image
charsie

Here is something I created that might help you make up YOUR mind, then change to a movement disorder specialist. I have a list of 100+ Parkinson's Symptoms. E-mail me @: macbunch@Hotmail.com simply put "Symptoms" in the subject header. I will send you this info in an Excel form.

Note: Anyone reading this is welcome to make the same request...

Charsie

Leilani23 profile image
Leilani23

Dear Daffodil,

It sounds like you have a lot to think about, a lot to cope with. In addition to following up with the neurologist and/or movement specialist, I think it would be really helpful to take advantage of the counseling to help with the loss you've suffered (of your mother) and your complex and painful feelings and worries. Grief and anxiety can exacerbate or even cause fatigue. And depression makes absolutely everything in the world feel worse. (I'm a psychologist, and in addition to treating depression, I know what it feels like). Working with a counselor can help you make sense of your feelings and help you think of ways to proceed in figuring out what to do with them and about the Parkinson's issues. It can help clear your mind so you can plan future actions. You might even find medications like antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds to be helpful for a while. It's amazing what they can do to bring you back to your normal self so you can function better. You don't have to be on them forever. They are not habit forming.

Best wishes to you,

Leilani

Thanks for your replies I have been having counselling since I was 10years old I am now 60 can you imangine why I have no confidence and a tablet phobia, I have no faith in the medical profession at all I am not interested why I am like I am I just want to move on and have some happiness in the years ahead, if you know what I mean . Counsillors want to know about childhoods etc I am only interested in how I can get over this anxiety and panic disorder. I seem to get a bit better and then go down again,. There is not a lot of help where I live or support groups. As for my berevement yes it is very painful and I do miss my mum .but that was two years ago I was a carer to my mother and my father and younger sister died 5 years ago a year part, so maybe these losses are keeping me like this don't know?. Sometimes talking makes me feel worse.

michaela13 profile image
michaela13 in reply to

Were you checked for hypoglycemia? Tried a diet for that? No sugar, no caffeine, exercise?

paddyfields profile image
paddyfields in reply to

HI Daffodil,

Have you tried Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. My understanding is that it concentrates on changing patterns of thought rather than trying to get to the bottom of the cause of the negative thoughts. Makes a lot of sense to me and I believe it gets results sooner. If you google it you will no doubt get much more authoritative information than I can come up with just now.

fwes profile image
fwes

You have so much to deal with. You are strong, you can do it.

Keep in touch. We care.

movinngroovin profile image
movinngroovin

I HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF ESSENTIAL TREMOR WHICH IS CLOSELY RELATED TO PD==PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL TOXINS. MY SUGGESTION IS TO LOCATE A SPECILIST NEUROLOGIST IN MOVEMENT DISORDERS--IT IS VITAL TO HAVE AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS SO GET ONE AT ANY COST!!

MANY VLESSINGS ON THIS JOURNEY...

judam9 profile image
judam9

go see a neurologist, and have and MRI . it is difficult to diagnose Parkinson's. but it sure sounds like you do have it. a GP is not equipped to handle this diagnosis.

HeatherBB profile image
HeatherBB

A DAT scan can confirm your diagnosis, that is what I had, but either way - get up, put on a smile and have the best day you can. Tomorrow is another day, so get up and do it again. We, and maybe you, have parkinsons. We have to appreciate the good days and forget about the bad ones. Worrying and being depressed doesn't change anything. Doesn't make it better. Might make it worse. So I choose to wake up with a smile - if I allow the day to beat me down before I get started, I might as well quit now...but I am not a quitter. I am thankful for all that I have been blessed with.

Thankyou heather BB. What is a dat scan? I don't know what I have wrong with me, I do smile and have a leaf I laugh at myself as I have been told by a million doctors it some sort of self protection thingy, they have nemes for everything don't they, I am seeing another doctor in a few weeks to fine out what is going on with my dizziness and fatique and depression/anxiety, I was only think the other day, when I was eighteen years old my mother used to take me to the psychiatric clinic in london for depression and she used to say to me that I used to walk really slow, one doctor told me that I am a really tired woman and the sooner I get used to it the better, !!! Anyway let's hope our days are happy thanks for replying.

HeatherBB profile image
HeatherBB in reply to

It's a scan that is done like a MRI. They inject something into your vein and put you in a tube all like a MRI. It measures the dopamine levels in your brain. First real test that has been available. My insurance would not pay for it so the hospital told me they would do it for $1,500.00. Since my mother had just died from complications to parkinsons, I wanted to know. So know I know. Does it make me worry less? Probably not, but at least I know now. I have a worrying type personality, but I have had to learn to let go some. Don't worry about things you can't change, only those you can. I have a giving personality, but I have had to stop and ask myself if the tables were turned would that person do the same for me? Usually not, so there again, no need to stress. I have had my share of problems/issues too. I have had to care for my aunt with dementia who passed away 3 years ago, my mother with parkinsons/dementia who passed away 2 years ago, my best friend who was paralyzed for 30 years and passed away this year and now my 83 year old father who is just aging - then I can try to help myself. But a full life keeps me busy. My health has been all over the place - I have 2 rare diseases that are hard to keep under control...but I have to get up, smile, and make the most of my days, I have been blessed with wonderful family, life, friends and doctors. I can do this, each and every day - with a smile (some days a very tired smile).

Heather You say it's no good being worried and depressed as it doesn't help, I don't choose to be depressed and worried I have a lot going on with my husband and son . If I told you my story you would understand then again it could be genetic or somerhing yes maybe I think too much but that is who I am. If I could chuck this thing over my shoulder and wake up a diffrent person I would I have been told it's hormonal then it's PTSD then it's grief so at the end of the day it's there and I don't want anymore medication which makes me feel more spaced out than I already do. I take each day as it comes and I have to rely om me doing things as other people don't understand how I feel. I am taking my granddaughter to see Father Christmas tomorrow, I don't know how I will be as I haven't been out for a few days because of giddiness and weakness but I am determined to go, have a nice christmas and new year,

Yes I was a carer to my dad who died 5 years ago with Parkinson's and my younger sister died a year later from being in a vegative state for 10 months due to a cock up at the hospital, my mother who had cancer died two years ago who I cared for as well , my husband has copd and is getting worse he also has post herpetic shingles pain from a year ago and my only son has crohns and I have a anxiery disorder as well as depression. My daughter lives abroad, my brother cut his self off when my mother died. So I have asked my doctor for some help with things indoors as it's hard hoovering and shopping although I still do it myself , I haven't any friends weel not close friends nor family such as cousins etc and I don't count doctors as friends. So there is not a lot of help wwhere I live, yes you have to make the best of it whatever situation your in . I suppose so I have booked for me and my husband to go to the local carvery for our Boxing Day dinner where I propose to get drunk as his driving ha ha. Yes I wish I had close friends , I know loads of people I suppose my sister and mother were my friends until they went . But thanks anyway for replying.

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