Do You Feel That When You Look Back, That There Were PD Symptoms As Early As 15-20 (or Any Number Of) Years Before You Were Diagnosed? | MyParkinsonsTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up Log in
Resources
About MyParkinsonsTeam
Powered By
Real members of MyParkinsonsTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.
Do You Feel That When You Look Back, That There Were PD Symptoms As Early As 15-20 (or Any Number Of) Years Before You Were Diagnosed?
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭

I would have sudden, uncontrolled jerks. Once my jaw jerked so hard I broke a filling in a tooth. Also trouble playing fast music evenly. "Startles" (suddenly jerking awake) when I got sleepy. Tremors after a burst of adrenaline. Leaning forward when I walk. Sleeplessness or unwillingness to get to bed. My face would get stuck in an expression (when laughing).

posted November 19, 2017
•
View reactions
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member - hang in there! I can't smell either, but at least I'm not a fussy eater! (Slow, yes, fussy, no) As far as I have experienced, physical & occupational therapy can help a lot with gait & postural problems. I have also found that if I just concentrate on moving correctly, that helps, too. Posture - what has helped me has been (in order of what idea occurred to me first): 1) Sky hook - I pretend that there is a big hook just above the top of my head that lifts it up! 2) Stick out the tits & try to make the shoulder blades down & close together in back (like the character of Sarah MacKenzie on JAG - beautifully played by Catherine Bell). 3) Lead with my knees when taking a step & the most helpful was the "curve of life" - the curve in the back of the neck that keeps the head balanced on the shoulders. I looked & looked for that picture of the x-ray that so impressed me so I could share it with you, but so far it is eluding me. Basically, keep a nice open backward arch in the neck instead of poking the neck forward from the shoulders. This effort has improved my posture (& my balance) more than anything.

posted November 19, 2017 (edited)
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

I believe you are correct. Sometime I wonder if we are born with this. I was diagnosed at 75 but sometimes remember something long ago that could easily relate. Such as dreams, jerking and slight tremors occasioally.

posted November 20, 2017
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Prior to retirement, I noticed some changes that I turned a blind eye to. I still had to work so I adjusted how I did things to make the workday easier. One issue that occurred should have sent out alarms, but didn't. I worked in banking and some of the documents were filled out in pen and paper and not on a computer. I would find that I had difficulty writing or printing. Since these were legal documents, I had to make sure my writing could be clearly read. Sitting in front of clients and attempting to fill out the forms was daunting. Talk about anxiety. So, whatever I could to on the computer was a relief. I built some of the hand written documents into computer forms to make my life easier. Interestingly enough, once I retired, those issues went away to some extent. Anxiety is a bugger.

posted November 21, 2017
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Definitely. I lost my sense of smell at least 30 years prior to diagnosis. I started to clip my right toe when I walked, causing me to stumble. I'm 2011 , prior to my daughters wedding, I noticed my posture was slumped, my head jutted forward and I was not picking up my feet when I walked. But, after all, I'm getting older and that is what happens. In 2013 I started having trouble focusing my eyes and speech volume loss and vocal fatigue. Depression and severe fatigue were creating into my days. Double vision sent me to a optomoligist then a neurologist. Sometimes I feel like PD has been with me half of my life,

posted November 19, 2017
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member, I started with a slight tremor in my right hand at the age of 25 years; I was diagnosed with PD at the age of 61. But with what I have learned about PD, I've had many more symptoms than a tremor for a very long time, and in fact, I had signs of a potential problem since I was a child, namely a sleep disorder. Eventually I believe researchers will find that PD begins at a much earlier age than what is currently known, and in fact, they already know that symptoms don't show up until the brain is quite affected. I guess I would say the saga continues...

posted November 19, 2017

Related content

View All
I Have Developed Droop Neck I Do Neck Exercise But Little Improvement I Have Very Short Walking Distance. I Am 77 And Have 13 Years Diagnos
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭
Has Anyone Been Disgnosed Under The Age Of 50?
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭
What Was Your First Indication That You Might Have PD? Was It Something You Noticed Or Someone Else?
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Google
Your privacy is our priority. By continuing, you accept our Terms of use and Privacy policy.
Already a Member? Log in