PatientsLikeMe ™

I am 52  as of last December. I am gay and have been partnered for 10years; In hindsight, my first symptoms started in 06-05 with hand stiffness and pain. I was treated for 1 year for arthritis with no success.   My partner thinks I was having symptoms while I was still at my old job since it was becoming more difficult and I was having trouble keeping up with the load. Plus, it required a lot of driving all over the state of Georgia, which I had always enjoyed, but it was becoming more difficult-I would run off the right hand side of the road-for no apparent reason. So I took early retirement and began looking for another job. In the mean time I began to fall at home-just fall over. People notice that I had "retired man syndrome"- in that I was slowing down. We all attributed it to de-stressing. My speech was slower, walking was slower, eating took forever. I also became depressed-major depression with suicidal thoughts. This led to hospitalization at the end of 2006 into 2007.

I first noticed symptoms around mid 2005 and was diagnosed in 02-2008. For me the diagnosis was a relief of sorts.  The reason is that I honestly started believing that I had made up everything in my mind.  When the neurologist said “Parkinson’s” I yelled to myself “YES”  I was excited that some else knew what was wrong with me and that “it” had a name.  Since being diagnosed , my symptoms were not controlled by medication until after approximately 18 months.. My symptoms: : poor balance, speech problems, hand and arm (left side) and leg cramps, etc varied abruptly with little change. Finally about 1 year ago the new  started kicking in which kept the symptoms at bay for longer periods of time.

Initially, my meds would only  keep the symptoms at bay for less than 3 months, then they would return.  While the meds worked, I put PD in the back of my mind.  Then, when the symptoms returned it was like a slap in the face, a cruel reminder that the disease would return and most likely progress.

I am still learning about PD.  I recently found out that what I mistook for PD pain was in fact a heel spur, Planters Fascitis.  However that is PD related.  I also now have  fallen arch’s in both my  feet - this is the side that is affected by PD.  This is being treated and much of my left pain has subsided.  I have been to Physical Therapy to  learn how to walk properly and how to use muscle stretching  exercises.