Looking Back - Your Early Warning Signs

There are non motor symptoms with no tremors
apparent that can precede obvious movement disorder.
Balance unsteadiness of gait, orthostatic low blood pressure ,lack of measured heart rate variability, insomnia, ED and atypical sweat changes are some.
There are new tests of skin samples to show alpha synuclein that may assist in earlier diagnosis.
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Loss of sense of smell is one of the main symptoms neurologists test for.

Best wishes,
Cindy

Basically my husband really doesn’t have any problems with motor skills. He was diagnosed about 7 years ago. Yes, he had dreams that he would act out. Some pretty amazing ones at that. Unfortunately I got punched a couple of times. When I would wake him to stop, his dreams were so vivid to him. He would tell me in detail what was going on. Stiffness and muscle soreness is his biggest problem. No tremors, which I always associated with PD. His saving grace, is a rigorous workout 5 days a week, at a gym that only has PD people. It’s amazing how his consistent working out has slowed his progress. When he doesn’t go (illness, etc) he can feel the difference. Good luck.

As already posted, check your blood pressure for orthostatic hypotension (read online how to do it properly). In clinic they do a tilt table test. Also check for noticeable blood pressure drops after eating. The autonomic nervous system symptoms are more common with Multiple System Atrophy, but can occur with PD. Better to have PD, no question. Be vigilant, but try to put it out of your mind. Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then, because you cannot stop it in it’s going to happen.

It took me 3 years to get a diagnosis. The onky symptom I had was incrrasingly severe fatigue. I have never been a graceful person- bumping into things, etc Didn't have very good hand-eye coordination. I started my annual falls in my early 50s. ( I am now 80; was 79 when diagnosed). The worst fall I had was one day lwhen I was walking home from taking myngrandson to school. I was feeling OK. But I took a bad fall. I did not even realize I was falling until my face was inches from hitting the sidewalk at full speed, so I didn't put my hands up to break my fall and I fell flat on my face. Fortunaely, i didn't knock any teeth out and, although my glasses went flying through the air they didn't break. But my nose was smashed flat. I was in the hospital for a week, while they ran all sorts of tests - heart and neurological tests and found nothing to account for the fall. The did a good job of fixing my nose but the didcouraged me from looking at it before it was repaired. Apparently i would ha cvefrightened small children .I continued to have 1 bad fall every year until I was diagnosed and started L- dopa. I was diahnosed in October 2023 and I havn't resumed my annual "fall" ritual. I also apparently have had REM sleep disorder since I was in my early twenties. They have been a constant source of amusement in our family. Like the time I bolted up right in the middle of the night, pulled my husband's pillow out from under his head, threw it across the bedroom, and laid back down to sleep. l never knew that this was abnormal until I was introduced to Mr. Parkinson and his nasty bag of tricks. My poor husband has hsd somr close calls. One night zi dreamed a man was tdyong to steal my baby. In real life, as he always dies, he tried to wake me
up and grabbed my arm. I,, if course, thought it was the man whibwad trying to take my baby, and i trird very hard to bite his hand. Fortunatele he was abke to wake md up before i harmed him.
There was one otger thing tgat
In retrospect could hawmce indicated PD. By the time I was 40, I probablystarted losing my sense of smell. The day after ee had moved into a new house, my husband smelled something burning. A lamp had fallrn over onto a rug and the rig eas in fire. My hudbsnd followed his nise ti the firr and put it out. I never smelled it. We just thought like my sense of direction (which is NONE( I had no sense of smell and I undiubtedky owe many of my work colkeagyes apologies fir ocer-doing it with perfume..

So falls, REMZ, abd no sense of smell prrceded my diagnosis by at least 40 years

As others have mentioned, I lost most of my sense of smell ten or more years ago with no other symptoms. About three years ago I was diagnosed with PD. Given your circumstances now is the time to be sure you have a good exercise routine, not later when symptoms could creates some limitations. I suggest 5 to 7 days a week you are walking, cycling, jogging, weight lifting, swimming and/or doing yoga. Whatever works for you, just get into the habit. Exercise is one of the best methods to slow the progression. My wife was diagnosed 15 years ago and is still doing well thanks at least partially to regular exercise.

Best wishes, Joe

Joe, Both you and your wife have PD. That’s got to be unusual. You have the right idea, stay positive. Blessings to you both.

Thank you cctee. Absolutely must stay positive and push back on PD in everyday. We live by this philosophy and it works.

Thanks, Joe

Hi, @jatonlouise and @azsingularity - you might check out some of these discussions on Connect about REM sleep behavioral disorder, which can occur in people who have Parkinson's, if you'd like:

- Has anyone dealt with REM Behavior Disorder (RBD )
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/has-anyone-dealt-with-rem-behavior-disorder-rbd/
- My husband has REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rem-behavior-disorder-rbd/
@dlc1953 - has your husband's doctor weighed in on his acting out his dreams?