Living with Parkinson's Disease - Meet others & come say hi

Hello @bnewt12 and welcome to this online forum! I'm sure you will find lots of support as others share their experiences with you. From my personal experience, there are many things you can do to help minimize PD symptoms as well as the disability that can come with PD. When I was first diagnosed, I was prescribed carbidopa/levodopa and also referred for physical therapy, specifically for Parkinson's patients.

Exercise, combined with medication, is the best way to keep physically and mentally healthy when you have PD. Here is a link to an article from the Davis Phinney Foundation about how exercise is a game-changer for PD patients: https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/treatment/exercise/.

I also recommend that you learn as much as you can about PD. The Davis Phinney Foundation has a great website with webinars you can watch and educational materials on staying healthy with PD.

Have you begun any medication or physical therapy yet?

I’m Mark. Have PD since ‘08.
I have balance, gait, sleep issues,
constipation, and throat mucus,
all of which causes difficulty
maintaining a decent life style.
In addition, I am on dialysis 3 times a week for over a year and
have adjusted well to the regimen. I do limited exercise.
I’ve had PT three times over the past 10 years. I am 83 y/o.

I take C/L 25/100 4 x a day.

@bnewt12

@avery17
Hello Mark and welcome to the PD support group on Mayo Connect, I appreciate the way that you introduced yourself to the group. Like many of us who have PD, you are also dealing with other health problems. I'm glad to hear that you have adjusted to the dialysis regime.

You mention many of the issues that PD patients experience, such as sleep problems, constipation, balance and gait. Have exercise and medication helped? Which of these issues is the most bothersome currently?

I was diagnosed last November following a Spect and PET scan.
I don't seem to have many usual symptoms but have been prescribed LDopa.
I have a very weak and sometimes painful left leg. Walking is okay for a short while but then my legs seem to give up on me.
The most troubling symptom for me is not being able to sleep because my brain won't rest. I take Ambien. I have tried other medications that the doctors prefer but they don't work for me and make me feel hungover and confused the following day. I take 5mg of Ambien and it works really well.
Most people don't believe I have Parkinson's because I don't have tremors but I don't think everyone does.

I also go to yoga class once a week and practice yoga at least twice a week. I have weekly massages and try to walk as much as I can. I need a wheelchair for longer distances.

@hopeful33250

My husband died from complications of Parkinsons and Covid 2/26/2026.

@sally2026

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. How are you doing? Do you have family and friends to support you?

@hopeful33250
Doing ok. My niece has really helped me. I don't think it's really sunk in that he's truly gone. I used to visit him almost daily at the St. Elizabeth Gundersen Care Center and joined in activities there. When I no longer go there it's really going to hit me hard. Thank you for asking.