My passions are not so strong and intense any more. Some are gone,- I use to read much ,new and old literature, classic books several times, always finding something new and exiting ,new experience. Last week I tried to read Doris Lessing ,she got the Nobel Litteraturpris this year, but I had to put it away.

I like to listen to books at my Ipod , but I chose criminals, biographies,
good story's, podcast. Have lost my intense listening to music, difficult to put the finger on what it is, but something is gone.

It is not Ahlsheimer, I remember quit well,- -how do you live with this , I have not told anybody about my loss of interest ,except two of my daughters.
That is enough for them I think.
Do we talk about the Lewy bodys- .

Annelise

Annelise,

I'm sorry to hear this. This sounds like some depression happening. You should speak with your doctor about this!

I was doing the same thing like sleeping more, not doing the things I liked. She gave me some medication to help relieve the depression, and I'm doing much better. I'm not saying this is what you need, so as I've said here talk to your doctor for help.

John

Annelise -

I lost my interest in reading while taking agonists (both Mirapex then Requip). This is a phenomena also noticed by PD friends of mine who used to be avid readers. Stopping or severely limiting the amount of agonists took care of this problem, and also cleared the "brain fog" associated with agonists. It seems that the agonists can interfere in concentration - so what you are experiencing may not be a lack of interest, but a lack of focus.

Just one of many possibilities. If you are taking an agonist, I would not change dosing without consulting your doctor.

As John suggested, I would not rule out depression as well.

Dear Vertigo,

I have certainly lost the passions I had when I was in my 30's and 40's. Then I would accept nothing but the best in myself. I play in musical groups, still, but not out of the desire to be the best, but to enjoy making music with others, not being superior to them. I also share my joy of being able to play with the audience by wearing funny hats and such, and talking to them afterwards, espiecially the older folks, to thank them for coming.

My husband and I have not had sex in over a year. It is no longer a marriage based on passion and desire, but on support, commitment, and love. I give him a reason for working and he gives me help in every aspect of my life. We are both aging togeather and laugh about the aches and pains we share. My children are my greatest gift to him. All three of my boys have accepted him in their lives as an important person, which has helped him feel accepted as a Dad.

Yes, many passions have passed into my past, but have been replaced by more deeper and trustworthy pleasures. I wonder at the wonderful father my son has turned out to be. My oldest son has taught me that the struggles he underwent as a child (the school geek everyone picked on) can be overcome (not without suffering) as long as someone in their lives never gives up on them.

There are days my husband gets sick or is too tired when he gets home to talk. I think about how much easier to stop taking from him what he gives. To live alone, decide when to eat, not have to deal with his family, but I for me, I have learned to allow myself to rely on other family members and not always be the one in charge anymore.

Passion was so important in my younger years. It drove me to acheive and be productive. But I am now happy to watch my children have the passion for their families, their jobs, and to make a difference in the world. Their time has come to excel and my time has come to step back and allow them. It is simply the flow of life, not the effects of Parkinson's disease.

Vicky

perhaps in the area of sex?
-yet my passions are alive and well...

I take Requip 15mg ,Madopar 3tbl. (last month), and Cipralex 10mg for depression (1 year) ,1 sleeping pill every evening. The side effects are listed in this packing, enclosure,- you hope for the best and swallow what you are told.

One side effect I think I had : I used a lot of money on buying things I did not need, clothes ,wrong color ,size, style, things for my kitchen, paintings,:absolutely horrible picture, materials, my plan was to make curtains, dresses.-- I had enough of everything, I gave my sewing machine away 2 years ago, so after a while I started to wonder :what should I do with all this things and why was they in my home? I DID NOT LIKE THE THEM, I put them in the closet and the cellar, special one big picture was trash and ugly. For me it was absolutely stop shopping when I become aware of what I was doing.

Later I have heard about people getting addicted to gambling,- as a side effect, : I had shopping ,using ca 15 000- 20 000 kr, make it $ -,1$ is about7-8 kr.
I have also become new interests, like P.C.-surfing ,reading the papers on the net, writhing mails, writing my personal story about my life , my family can read it if they want when I am gone. New interests is also all this new technical things for science and communication , the future , quante theory,
string theory, it´s so exciting,- I take notes , and wonder --.

In Norway we have a little society, " The right of having a worthy death ".
I am a member , my children must sign in on the document as witnesses and
if I can not speak for my self, the health personal must , it is to be hope, do what I wish in the document , it is a support for them : to give me the right care .

I do not think that I am much depressed, only realistic in my situation. Something new is going on in my brain.
Pleace give me some worlds if you have similar experiences. It woud make me feel " more normal" .

Annelise

STenaLouise-,
Sex was the first passion that left, it was 7 years ago, but I still look at men and think they are nice and attractive, like their attitude and the thing that they are different from us woman . Very sorry, it´s not for me any more.

Annelise

Thanks dear Vertigo for bringing up this great topic.
For me, the circle area of my interests and passions have been shifting and shrinking for some time ... partly by physical and mental new limitations and partly by consious realization and diffrentiation of what really matters.
Only the other day, I was desperate and felt life has no purpose or meaning .. my body was shivering .. I was crying ..
Today .. I feel the wonder of life .. the light shines .. and I can enjoy it's music .. I will work on it ..
You need a belief .. a blind belief .. beyond reason or logic .. IN LIFE..
To the very end .. like a devoted Yogi, I will breath the air and think that is enough if be it !!

Before the PD, I'd read several hours a night. Now the books sit and collect dust.
It's odd that you mention drifting towards the tech side of things. I never could grasp biology or the bio-med reports related to PD. But for about a year now I've found myself studying quantum mechanics (I've even dabbled a little on quantum psychology)!!!! I have trouble staying focused on anything, including the subject of a conversation. So my interest in the quatum realm has both my family and myself baffled.
At my last neuro visit I asked about "losing my greed", a incorrect decription on my part. Better described as; if I no longer have a use or need for something, I will freely give it to anybody that does. Several years ago I would have sold it to them. The neuro could offer no explanation
I do fight the depression monster, as stated in the above post. And many of the personal interest/passions are gone, sex included.
But with these lost passions, I find myself at times with more COMPASSION to others.

My horses are the great passioin of my life. If anything, as they age and as PD progresses that passion gets even stronger. I have limited time left with them and I will enjoy it as much as possible. That passion has kept me alive and moving through too much to ever let it go.

Mary