Possible Parkinson's Victim
 

Hi all,

I am a 50 years old male. I am a professor at a private university. I am married with 3 kids.
I am strongly suspecting I have an early onset of PD.
I went to see a neurologist this week, and ask if I had PD. He replied categorically no. But I am still not convinced he heard me right about all my symptoms. One thing he said that left me doubting his diagnosis is that if PD tremors start, they will never stop. I am convinced, from my internet readings, that this is not true. And if this is not true, then his whole diagnosis is worthless for me.
Anyway, here are my symptoms, and I am hoping someone here might recognize how it all started for them and help me clear my doubts.
I had several episodes of tremors in the right hand mostly. Sometimes the tremors also occur in my legs, and even deep inside of me. I can "feel" the tremors. I am an extremely anxious person. I always dread change and life in general. I was a very happy person until fairly recently.
I had a few nocturnal panic attacks in the last year. On the first occasion, I thought I was dying. It was horrible. I run to the emergency room, they did all kinds of tests on my heart and found nothing wrong. 3 days later, I am back to the emergency room again. A doctor there prescribed me some medication. I don't remember the name but it's a benzodia-something. It did the trick instantly. I was able to relax and sleep without the panic attacks being triggered again. after a few weeks on this regiment, I decided to do some internet research about the medication I was taking. It turned that this medication is extremely addictive and very dangerous. So I stopped it cold turkey. It was ugly though. I would shake uncontrollably, have all kinds of weird things happening to me. But I am off this crap now.
Some months ago, I started having difficulties sleeping. I would toss and turn for a while before I could go to sleep. I didn't think much of my sleeping issues until lately. I now can't sleep at all. In fact, the only way I can sleep is by popping pills in. And even with pills, it's a few hours of sleep at most.
2 weeks ago, I had a big fight with my wife, and I got so stressed out and anxious that I could not sleep. I ate very little and started losing weight. I lost 12 pounds and still with no appetite and no desire to eat as much as I used to. With a couple of days of sleeplessness and sever anxiety, I started to notice a serious tremor in my right side. It lasted 2 days and then subsided. I also started sweating on my head profusely. I also noticed something interesting: I needed to tighten my biceps to be able to write properly or punch keys on my computer. In fact, my biceps are now very tight. As if I work out a lot. And I don't work out at all. I started walking lately and do some push ups. But nothing that can build such tight muscles.
I go several times to the bathroom to pee at night. And I know it wasn't because my bladder was full.
I had an endoscopy performed on me 3 days ago, and the doctor told me that my colon was contracting. He said it should be relaxed. He asked me if I had some anxiety, and I told him I had so much I don't even know how I was still walking or talking.
After a few sleepless nights. I went for a long walk and iI was exhausted. I was like in a fog and had a hard time talking. My voice was a little softer than usual. I don't know if it's because of the sleeplessness and tiredness or because of a possible PD.
The neurologist has ruled out PD after holding my hands. Bending my limb muscles. Tapping all kinds of muscles with a hammer and asking me to walk back and forth several times in his office.
I am convinced that I have PD, and even the opinion of a neurologist can't convince me.
Anybody can help out and tell me if I am right or wrong.

Anxiety can affect so much health wise, perhaps looking into that deeper and maybe finding a suitable medication for you will resolve some of your symptoms.
If not, then continue for another diagnosis.

Early on caffeine & stress would intensify my dads' shakiness.
So decaf & less stress are a good thing.

hi,
if possible get a 2nd opinion from a MDS. noone here can confirm your self-diagnosis or say for sure you don't have pd.

my symptoms started on my right side, lack of arm swing when running. trouble rubbing my fingers together to clean my contact lenses. scraping my right foot. very minor symptoms that came on gradually, totally shocked to be diagnosed at age 49.

sleep and fatigue problems kicked in years later.

a friend started with decreased smell, tremor, freezing in her right foot.

decreased smell is often a symptom.

my sense of smell has decreased to the point where I can only smell strong stuff.
I also have constant tension in my biceps and I started noticing aching back muscles and cramps in my right leg when I am driving.
I am so anxious about having PD that I don t eat anything except some fruits now and then.

*admin edit*

??????????
 

:confused:*admin edit*

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Soccertese! You've been self-medicating again!!
 

:D
The subject header refers to a classic line from one of the better wastes of photons in recent times when Niels confronted Frasier. :D

Rick

You really should try for a balanced diet, eating mostly fruits may be affecting your blood sugar levels.

Where are you located, maybe members can suggest a dr near to you?

thanks rick,
always happy to know you don't have me on ignore.

mouka. could i get more info?
 

1. what drugs are you taking, especially the ones you take to get to sleep?
2. what supplements do you take?
3. what other medical conditions do you have?
4. what does your GP think?
5. can you still work?
6. what country are you in?

I will answer your questions:
1. I started taking stillnox. It's a sleeping pill. But I am trying to get off this pill. I only took it twice or three times when I could not sleep
2. I take Magnesium and B6-B12 vitamins
3. I don't have any other medical condition.
4. My GP and a neurologist don't think I have PD because I don't have any permanent tremors.
5. I am working and my work has not been affected by my anxiety except for lack of sleep because I am so anxious I can't relax enough to sleep.
6. I live in Naperville, USA. It's a suburb of Chicago.

I just wanted everybody to know that I have already seen a neurologist, and he categorically ruled out PD. But I am still not convinced. He did some test like EEG. He held my hands to see if I had the tremors I was talking about. He asked me to hold my hands in the air parallel to ground to see if the tremors might develop and how much control I have over my muscles. He moved all my limbs repeatedly to detect muscle rigidity. I guess he didn't detect anything. He then asked me to walk around his large office, which I did while he was observing me.
After these test were done, he ruled out PD and prescribed some anxiety and depression pills. That's where I stand now.
My worried are the following:
I have a lot of tension in my biceps and most of my muscles. It's as if I am working out a lot whereas I only started working out some weeks ago. I used to be active, but I stopped exercising some time ago.
I have fine motor control on both my arms. But the tension I have in my biceps when I am writing or doing anything with my hands worries me. It sound a lot like PD to me.
I can still smell stuff, but my sense of smell has decreased a long time ago.
I am stressing out so much I am having a hard time to relax and sleep at night. That is my major issue for now. If I could wind down, relax and sleep. I wouldn't worry about anything. At least for now.
My theory is this: I am in a very early PD stage or I have something that mimics PD. I could be wrong of course.
I am going to try to see another neurologist. The neurologists I am seeing do not specialize in movement disorders. So I don't know if they are missing some crucial piece of information I am giving them. Like the tension in the muscles and the aches in my back muscles. I don't really know.
I am praying it's not PD. But deep down inside I am afraid that's what I have.

Multiple medical opinions are always a good idea, if you think they might be missing something..

I was wondering if some of you had PD long before it was diagnosed and with hindsight might have missed early warning signs?
In my case early warning signs would be:
Decreased of sense of smell
Tremors that come for a day or two then disappear for a long time.
Excessive sweating.
Frequent urinary trips.
Tension in some muscles.
Difficulties with sleeping.
Anxiety.
Nocturnal panic attacks

I don't know if the collection of all these symptoms might necessarily lead to PD diagnosis. What arre some sure signs one has PD?

I have noticed something interesting lately. I woke up suddenly less than an hour after I went to sleep. My left hand was numb. I immediately thought about a stroke. But it happened again a couple of times. It's as if I have lost all feelings inside my arm and felt like cold skin.
Is this something someone has experienced with PD or is it indicative of something completely different?

Mouka, you live near one of the major cities in the US. If you want to see a MDS there are numerous good choices. Several possibilities include:
1. The Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center
2. The University of Chicago Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders
3. The Northwestern University's Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center

No one on the forum can give you any medical advice or advise you other than by what has already been said. Keep in mind that if you see enough doctors, at least one is likely to diagnosis you with PD. Its one of the most highly misdiagnosed illnesses that we have. So, you can search for what you want to hear or try to find the real answers. Go to a top MDS center and listen to what they say.

What I will tell you though, is take a deep breath, calm down, and focus. Whether or not you have PD is still to be determined, but stress will hurt you either way. Mental attitude is crucial is helping you overcome the symptoms of most illnesses, PD included. Life is full of challenges, cancer and other illnesses, loss of job, death of a loved one, etc. Parkinson's is just another challenge. I choose to accept it, focus on what I can do to control it, and then move on and live my life as best and as normal as I can.

Good luck,

Gary

**
 

it cost me $300 out of pocket back in 2002 for a 2nd opinion from a world renowned MDS, she said she could tell i had pd the instant she saw me by my face, but i get the feeling you wouldn't even believe the opinion of a MDS. i got my 2nd opinion a few days after my first, i had to know, i didn't start posting on message boards asking for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion. if you've ** got a wife and 3 kids and are still working, then you owe it to them to immediately find professional help or take the advice you've been given. i would expect that maturity from an active college professor. what you are doing here is understandable if you are in a panic but completely irrational imho.

you've been given some pretty good advice here, take it. it's kind of absurd to try to get get a positive pd diagnosis on a pd social networking board, i wouldn't try to do it for my best friend, much less a complete stranger whom i've never met, all i'd do is say 'why not see a doctor' cuz if i'm wrong in my educated guess there could be just a little emotional trauma as you might guess.

I am currently vacationing overseas. In Morocco to be precise. So I can't see a MDS yet.
I was just hoping that someone might read something into my symptoms.
I have no clue why I zeroed in on PD. I guess I have read somewhere that tremors are the typical symptom of PD, and I immediately assumed it was PD.
I am praying go almighty that it is not. I haven't had any real sleep in days. Some strong sleeping pills got me a few hours of rest in the last few days, but that's all.
I can't unwind and go to sleep. Something is preventing me from doing so. I talk with a softer voice now and have to clear my voice to speak louder. I also have noticed that my balance was affected. I feel as if I was going to tip over. I don't know if it's because of the lack of sleep or because of all the medication in me or simply another symptom of PD.

I suggest the best thing you can do today is get off of the computer and go shop in the bazaars of Marrakech, or visit the Merenid tombs in Fez.

I stopped doing all that. I am eager to go back to the US now and get an appointment with a MDS as soon as I can.
Having said all that, I know they will just confirm what I already am suspecting. But hey, that's life. I was dealt a bad hand. I will have to play it through. I have extremely negative thoughts. The kinds a father and husband should never have. But the thoughts are constantly running in my mind. I can't shut them down. I am the sole bread winner in my household, and if PD can't let me play this crucial role for me. Then there is no point in continuing to live.
I know I am in the early phases of stage 1 PD. I also know, from tons of readings, that it will last over a year, then phase 2 kicks in. This is usually the longest phase. I don't know if I could still work and be the bread winner in our household still in this phase. But if I can't, I will have to make a quick exit. I don't want my kids to see me crippled and hopeless. Maybe I will change my opinions over time. But for now, that's how I feel. I know that humans adapt to all kinds of conditions. But I don't see myself adjusting to this cruel disease.

PD?
 

If you have done as much reading as you indicated, you know that many things can cause many of the symptoms you have. For example:

sense of smell can be caused by a zinc deficiency (be careful how you supplement, if you do, because minerals can build up in the body and some versions of a mineral are more readily absorbed by the body than others, such as magnesium....and some minerals need to be taken in a certain balance with others)

muscle cramps and fatigue can be caused by magnesium deficiency....recent estimates are that most Americans are deficient in this mineral. Again, careful how you supplement, if you do....I would take a look at the peripheral neuropathy forum here: MrsD has excellent posts on magnesium as well as the B vitamins. Epsom salt baths are one of the easiest and most relaxing ways to supplement with magnesium if you want to do so.

PD tremors are when the muscle is resting. But there are a LOT of causes of tremors, and there are actually three or four different types of tremors. I know a lot of people who do not have PD, who have had those "internal" shaky feelings and they are stress-related and resolve when you can get yourself grounded again, if that makes sense.

No wonder you can't sleep with the level of stress you sound like you are dealing with. Whether or not you have PD, it would help if you could get a handle on your anxiety: medidate, do yoga, walk, sing, whatever helps you reset. Deep breathing is also good: I read that it is impossible for your autonomic nervous system to be racing in overdrive if you take long deep breaths, so this is a good way for you to force your body to s....l....o.....w d....o....w....n. Again, this helps everyone whether they have PD or not. Exercise is also great, again, for those with or without PD.

Make sure you get enough sunlight: not only for the vitamin D3 we all need, but because the sunlight hits the retina of the eye and helps with melatonin, which we all need plenty of to be able to sleep. You can google melatonin production together with sunlight to learn more.

I would be at the office a reputable MDS specialist, if you really want to know whether or not you have PD. If you are so anxious about this that you are neither sleeping nor eating, your body is in a difficult place: no food, no rest (sleep deprivation was a form of torture during wartime, fyi, for a reason!), extreme anxiety creating high levels of stress hormones in your body, what do you expect your body to do? Even a person without PD would have health issues under these circumstances.

And don't jump to conclusions: even if you have PD, you can have a very full life if you have the mindset to do so. You make it sound like having PD means life is over: it is not. On this forum alone we have members who have had PD for decades and are still gardening, traveling, enjoying their lives and their families and grandchildren. Any of us could get hit by a truck tomorrow and be gone. We all have the gift of today.

Being practical: I'll repeat some advice that's been posted previously on this forum: make sure you have all the insurance/coverage you might want or think you need (health insurance, life insurance, disability, etc.), BEFORE you get a diagnosis. IF IF IF you have some medical condition, PD or otherwise, it will be much harder and more expensive to get coverage after a diagnosis.

Best of luck to you:)

grLurckingforacure your replay is right on the dot. Personally, it made me evaluate the supplements I am currently taking. Thank you for that.

To Mouka, this forum helped me to look into the future with less dread that I felt after being diagnosed with PD year ago. Yes, the thought to "end it all" before it "ends you" came to mind but I decided to fight it and learn in the process about myself and about this disease. I would apply this to any sickness I might still to face. Look at Nan Cyclist doing things that many "healthy" persons couldn't do and many others on this forum who research, volunteer for trials, and take time to answer questions from people they don't even know. The decision how to react to this situation is with you. If it would be happening to your best friend or to your wife what would be your advise to them?

Bo

I have insurance through my work. That's a fact. I also have life insurance. But I don't know if I can keep them it if I lost my job. I know that my job is offering long term disability insurance. I will see what they will tell me.
As for PD. I am convinced I have it because unfortunately, I present every possible symptom. It'as just that I don't have visible tremors now. But I know they are on the way. I still can type and write but I have to tense my biceps tremendously to still have fine motor control. The final effect being that my biceps are hurting from the constant tension. My back muscles also hurt because they are tense all the time.
I am under an enormous amount of stress because I dread the future and know what's in stock for me. Sleeping pills buy me a couple of hours sleep each night. I am sweating constantly.
I guess I had PD all along. I just didn't pay attention to it until symptoms became too obvious. I withstood enormous hardships to achieve the relative success I enjoyed. I don't want to go away. I still have 10 years of mortgage left to pay and 3 kids to raise. My son is severely handicapped. So forgive me if I am stressing out about the future. It's what I am dealing with that is stressing me out.

stop already!
 

Unless you are a doctor, stop trying to do a layman's override of a man who went years to get his medical degree! Right now the only dx you have is a negative: you DON'T have PD. You could have any number of things, horrific stress, mineral imbalance, severe Vitamin B deficiency (which has to be rectified correctly, just popping a B vitamin will not work...see the pernicious anemia forum here)...etc.

I would suggest you read the book "Could It Be B12?" written by Sally Pacholok and Jeffrey Stuart. Severe B12 deficiency has a ton of symptoms of much scarier conditions. And many drugs docs prescribe can mask what is really a B12 deficiency, so be on the lookout.

Your thyroid may be totally out of whack as well, you don't say how old you are in years, but stress will age us like nothing else does. I would suggest you read "The Thyroid Solution" by Ridha Arem, because he lists the tests one needs to fully see what is going on with the thyroid.

With both of these, you will see that the acceptable "ranges" medicine has set for vitamins, minerals, and hormones are flawed: what level is good for me is not necessarily good for you....also, the level I needed when I was 20 is not going to be the same level I need at 40, 50, 60, etc. These "levels" medicine has set are fixed, and if someone is within the range, they are deemed to be fine. But our bodies do not stay the same our whole lives, we are constantly adjusting as we encounter this or that stressor (emotional like a new job or physical like a broken arm or getting the flu)...so it only makes sense that our body's need for various vitamins and minerals would fluctuate as well.

Sometimes when things like this happen, it is a good time to take a look at where we are in our life. You are stressed for a reason (or sounds like, many)....make a list of those things worrying you and see if can find a way out. You will probably put PD on your list: the only doctor you have been to has told you that you do not have PD. Why in the world take on a burden you have been told you do not have? You have huge stress, put that on your list instead and you and your wife try to figure out what you can do to alleviate at least part of it.

Looking deeper: are you happy? If not, why, and what can you do about it?

We cannot always fix what is not perfect in our worlds, but we can work around those things and try to be at peace with them. .

Would you rather be told you do not have PD by a doctor, as you have been, than to be told you do have PD, put on PD meds for years and dealt with the horrible side effects of those drugs, only to find out decades later that you did not have PD? This has really happened to people! Be careful.

I am sorry for repeating the same tune over and over. I am convinced I have PD. The doctor that checked me is a neurologist, but he does not specialize in PD. He just looked for obvious signs of PD: Muscle stiffness, hand not moving while walking, tremors. He ignored other symptoms I mentioned, like tension in my biceps to achieve fine motor control. back aches that he said were of some other condition. The stiffness I sometimes feel, unable to bend over. Or the back aches I feel after being i a sitting position for a while and standing up. This is why I didn't take his opinion seriously. I am planning to get an appointment with a MDS doctor and see what the deal is once and for all.

On a different note, if I were to try some PD medication, what would be some obvious positive effects? Would it help with my balance? Would it help with my emotionless face? Would it help with my back cramps?
Does PD medication deal with all these aspects at once or does one have to take a whole set of medication to deal with each aspect of the disease?

If you have done a lot of desk work /reading postures over many years, that can be why you have some of that stiffness & muscle tension.

If head/shoulders are rolled forward or hunched it can cause a lot of strain in the upper back/neck muscles, even trigger points that would need to be treated for them to resolve. A good PT should be able to assess posture and treat.

Might be good to look into some physical therapy, I'm surprised the dr that you went to didn't at least suggest trying that.. :confused:

He didn't do any of that because I went to him to check me out for PD. When he asked me why I was there, I answered him I was afraid I had PD. Maybe that's why he did not suggest seeing a physical therapist. I also told him I had issues with my wife, and he probably zeroed in on that too as being a source of my tension.

I can't sleep now. I have twitches in my muscles. I feel some numbness in my hands. Especially the left hand. When I start relaxing to sleep, something jerks. A hand or a leg, and it wakes me up. Now while I am writing, my biceps are tensed to a maximum. They should not be involved in my typing. But I guess I am tensing them involuntarily to achieve fine motor control. These are the issues I am dealing with. And the doctor did not pay any attention to these issues.
Maybe I have some other disease, other than PD. But after doing a lot of reading on PD, all my symptoms match. That's the bottom line.

I was wondering if I were given some PD medication and my symptoms would disappear, that would indicate PD. Am I right?

Why not try a therapeutic massage therapist while on your vacation to see if that will help? Sauna's or hot tub may help with the muscle tension..

Can someone please answer this simple question: Does PD medication address all issues related to it or just motor problem? I mean by putting some dopamine, or dopamine like substance inside one's body, does that alleviate all the symptoms one suffers from?

no, sadly, not really
 

If you do any reading about PD from people who have it and deal with it every hour of every day, you will soon learn that the PD drugs help in the beginning....they have a honeymoon phase (although we never really got that, not everyone does), and then the side effects begin. If it were me, I would never "try" a drug to "see" if it helped me....you can get addicted or worse, your body can be damaged.

Our take on PD drugs is this:

sinemet, WHEN IT IS WORKING, a big IF (better not eat anything, you won't get any benefit) helps, sometimes, with mood, vision, and gait....it does not help our tremors

Sinemet does not last very long, unfortunately...do some reading and the range is a few hours, depending on the person, his/her metabolism, if they've eaten and what they ate, etc.

Mirapex, WITH ITS HORRENDOUS SIDE EFFECTS, can help with tremors....be prepared to get sleepy every time you take it, start suffering brain fog where before you were mentally crystal clear, and worse, once you start taking it, you will be a slave to it. We have tried to get off of it three times and failed, the withdrawal/pain was simply unbearable, and we have a very high pain tolerance and a very strong will.

Please do not think if you have PD you can simply take a pill or two and all will be well. Like many, I could write a book on our experience with PD meds but suffice it to say, they are: 1, unpredictable in their effect (degree of benefit as well as duration) 2, include side effects that are the very symptoms they are designed to alleviate (dizziness, shakiness, nausea, to name a few) and 3, sometimes, even if you take them on time, they just don't work and you have no idea why.

Not to preach, but I would be spending my time working on my relationship with my spouse, sounds like there are some issues there, and focusing on my kids. Sure, go see an MDS, get the second opinion you seek....but that is just a dx, and at the end of the day, whether or not you have PD does not define the type of person, husband, and father you are:)

I have settled my issues with my wife. But not with my PD. I am so depressed *admin edit*. It seems that medication does not work and that it's a slow downhill path. This is not what I want.
*admin edit*
I have 2 daughters 13 and 7. The 13 years old will learn how to cope with this, but my 7 years old will be devastated. She is extremely close to me as we spend a lot of time together. My son was born with a sever handicap. He does not even know I exist. So my presence or absence won't make much of a difference for him. My mom will be crushed too as I am very close to her. She is a strong lady and raised 5 kids without my dad. My dad died in service almost 40 years ago.
I am so lost now. I can't sleep. I take sleeping pills and they buy me 4 hours of sleep at most. Then I am back running in circles like a hamster in his wheel.
This crap is so unfair.

Mouka, if you think that ending your life will be less devastating for your family than having a PD diagnosis then you really do need counseling!.

As our guidelines request that members please keep discussion of suicide to our special forum for that I have had to edit your post. Here is the link to our SOS forum http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum29.html

We have this guideline as it can be very triggering and upsetting for others to read suicidal posts on our other health forums.



I really do think our members have tried to be as helpful to you as they possibly can be. You have had a physician tell you that you do not have PD and our members have mentioned many other issues that could cause the symptoms that are troubling you.

Once you are back home, you can follow up with other physicians who will hopefully confirm what you have already been told, that you do not have PD.

I am slowly getting a handle on this PD issue. I was dreading what's in store for me. But I am clearing up my mind a little.
I have bradykinesia in my left arm and it feels a little numb too. So I am back to square one.
I will wait until I am back to the US to see a MDS specialist, and I will take it from there.
I will keep up a journal of how I am doing.

mouka
 

I have been reading all of your posts and if you don't mind could you answer a few questions for me. Have you been out of the States for long and secondly when and what led you to the "conclusion' you have parkinson's

You seem to have gone to the Neurologist with a diagnosis that you felt was accurate and looking for validity. Why how did this occur that led you to Parkinsons and not anything else. Are you related or aquainted with someone who has or had this foul disease.

It's a horrible experience for you it seems and I hope this can be of use in getting to a decisive conclusion. Good luck

My hands and arms go numb all the time. Even while sleeping on my back.

Symptoms
 

Sorry to hear about your troubles it can be very frightening assured. Hang in there and always remember " Its called practicing medicine " because they are still practicing. Doctors don't know it all AT ALL ! Even in a 2nd opinion one doctor will say one thing and the next one says the other one was wrong. They in general like to be right period ! It may take 2nd, and 3rd opinions. Take it one step at a time, try to relax even though its hard. But you will know when your diagnosis is right, it will make sense to YOU ! Like an Ah Ha moment. Don't stop until you get it. Medications only mask the symptoms, not the cause of what's going on. You don't want to cover up your symptoms with medication to a point where any disease underneath gets a lot worse until they diagnose it. There are so many disease labels that match your symptoms so it takes time, patients and persistence to get to the truth and a darn caring doctor not a factory physician pushing patients through as fast as possible for a plushy bank account balance. Have you ever taken Cipro or Levaquin or any antibiotics that have the word Floura in them ? Your may also want to look up Floraquinilone (SP) Toxicity. These antibiotics can cause symptoms such as yours. Even after one pill. Symptoms can happen right away, months afterwards even later. The symptoms can last for months, years after being floxed. Floxed is a nick name for getting poisoned by this family of treats were given easily for infections. Not sure but looking up the side effect to the Central Nervous System after taking those babies might help you out if you have had any of those antibiotics. Hope this helps and Good Luck. Signed by a " Floxie " short for others that have been poisoned by these Antibiotics.

I have been out of the states for over 5 weeks now. I will return on the 11th of this month. So I have only a few more days left here. Thank god.
The neurologist I have seen talked to me for a few minutes. I told him what I was afraid of: PD. He looked for the primary signs of PD: Tremors, muscle stiffness, and walking posture.
He ordered an EEG and found some discharges that should not be there. But he said they were within the normal ranges.

Here are the main reasons why I am thinking I have PD:
1. My muscles are all stiff and tight. There is too much tension and they feel tight, I can't relax them even if I wanted to. As of now, while I am typing, my biceps are so tight they hurt a little.
2. I had several episodes of tremors in my arms and legs that lasted a couple of days. The last one happened not too long ago.
3. I started sweating enormously. The heat cannot explain the sweat. It's anxiety that is the only explanation. I have always been sweating abnormally. But lately it got worse.
4. I lost my sense of smell gradually.
5. I pee several times before going to bed.
6. I have what one might call generalized anxiety. Sometimes I even have panic attacks.
7. When I go to sleep. My legs would jerk while I am relaxing and getting sleepy.
8. I feel that muscles in my left hand are slow.
9. The general anxiety I am feeling is preventing me from sleeping. And this in turn aggravates the whole situation. Instead of breaking this vicious cycle, it's feeding it.
10. When I walk, I am pretty balanced, but not as much as I used to. I have a hard time walking along a straight line if I wanted to.
11. My voice got softer. I can't explain why. But it got softer. And sometimes I even have a hard time saying some words. After a long walk, if I bump into someone I know and start talking. I feel disconnected from the whole conversation. As if I am doing it by reflex only. I am not into the moment if this can make any sense.

Well there you have it. These are all the symptoms that have led me to believe I have PD. And it's a pretty darn long list of issues I am dealing with.

I know that the cardinal symptoms for PD are:
1. Tremors
2. Bradykinesia or Akynesia
3. Stiffness
4. Posture and gait

I also know that if 3 out of 4 of these cardinal symptoms are present, then PD is a possibility.
in my case, I think I have all 4 symptoms. Although the tremors are not visible yet. Sometimes the tremors show up for a couple of days and go away.

Mouka,

Anyone as unhappy and anxious as you right now could dip into a low dopamine state and exhibit some symptoms of pd, temporarily. If I were you I'd be in no rush to get that dx set in stone.

Anyone in withdrawal from benzos/tranquillisers is going to have massive rebound anxiety. In order to ditch Stilnoct I had to go without sleep for three nights. But it was worth it to get off that rubbish.

What u should be addressing right now is the cause of your anxiety and an apparent tendency to ruminate. Seek counselling immediately. Get away from the computer. For god's sake approach diet in a grown up fashion. Take up exercise. Do yoga, meditation, anything to retrain your mind. Try and restore some balance to your life.

Mouka,
Parkinson disease is very hard to diagnose, even for experienced neurologists. It is mainly what is known as a diagnosis of exclusion, i.e. when all other potential cause of symptoms have been excluded then Parkinson is considered.

This is because the symptoms can be caused by many other conditions, especially as there are so many of them. People with PD have often travelled a long road to diagnosis. While many hear will freely say that it is a difficult diagnosis to have, and a difficult disease to manage, on the whole most people with Parkinson disease lead full and happy lives, they get one with life, because actually idiopathic PD is a slow moving and long term condition. In fact many people have transformed their own lives after such a diagnosis, and some have gone on to be extraordinary in the way they advocate for better treatments and possibly a cure. Some of those people visit this forum.

I am in no place to tell you what you should or should not think or do. I can say though that the things that you mention could be the symptoms of a number of other conditions, as well as the side effects of medication withdrawal. Some of the things you think you know about PD are not accurate, neurological signs are more complex than you suppose.

I will advise you to go to your GP doctor and discuss your fears, and let him/her investigate what you are experiencing without you insisting it is PD. It is possible you have some wholly treatable problems, and this approach would help clear them up. If your symptoms persist after other possible causes have been eliminated, then see a neuro, but one experienced in PD.

Don't be in a hurry, PD never is, and even those who do have a diagnosis do not always go onto medication straightaway these days, as exercise and a good lifestyle can help, and the medications, to be absolutely honest, are no picnic to be on.

as a group have we done all we can for mouka?
 

is it time to move on? everyone seems to be giving him the same advice, see a MDS and/or get counseling and it seems to have no affect. he's convinced he has pd, 2 healthcare professionals said he didn't, i seriously doubt he's going to take any advice given here that disagrees with his strong opinions. we've made a noble effort as always to help a newbie. just my opinion, but he seemed to come to this board to help relieve his anxiety about pd, to hear from long time pd'ers to see how they are doing and we have responded, life isn't perfect but we adapt. what more can we do for him?

just my opinion.

I would add this
 

Not to minimize anyone's fear of being diagnosed with any illness, PD or otherwise (and yes there are much worse than PD) but titling your post "PD VICTIM" already sets you up mentally for a horrible mindset.

As many here have said, attitude is everything. We all know millionaires in this world with nary a concern and they are not happy. They not only are miserable themselves, but seem to have no problem with spreading that unhappiness to those around them, often ruining lives in the process. Take a look at Hollywood, what an example of how not to live.

Seeing yourself as a victim, particularly after the only dx you have gotten is a negative, sets yourself up for harder coping than need be. And it can't be good for your health! Look around you at the incredible people living full and happy lives with PD, cancer, MS, etc. We all have a choice in how we live our days, why not make them as good as possible:)

(Before I get booed off the forum, I realize we all have crap days, sometimes crap weeks or even months.....I get that, just trying to share the bigger picture:))