1. < Parkinson's Disease
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director
Moderator

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

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Dec 8, 2016

Welcome to the Parkinson's Disease group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's. Let's learn from each other and share stories about living well with Parkinson's, coping with the bumps and offering tips.

Chances are you'll to be greeted by fellow member and volunteer patient Mentor, Teresa (@hopeful33250), when you post to this group.

We look forward to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.
Let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Parkinson's Disease Support Group.

Profile picture for Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | 1 day ago
In reply to @kshansen "@139108 If I'm understanding it correct it seems like everyone with PD has very different problems..." + (show)
Profile picture for kshansen @kshansen

@139108
If I'm understanding it correct it seems like everyone with PD has very different problems and responds to treatment on their own levels.

Jump to this post

This is very true, @kshansen. No two PD patients have the same symptoms or respond similarly to the same treatment. The one thing that is helpful to most with PD is exercise. How long have you had PD?

You mention difficulty moving your legs and arms. There are some great YouTube videos that you can try once your PT ends. If you go to YouTube and search for Exercises for PD, you will find lots of chair and/or standing videos that will help you work on the ability to move different sides of your body at the same time.

One of my favorite YouTube channels is yes2next. While it is not specifically for PD, it is a great way to practice the movements you mentioned and gain flexibility.

REPLY
Profile picture for Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | 1 day ago
In reply to @139108 "I am new to this forum but was diagnosed about five years ago. My first, regular..." + (show)
Profile picture for 139108 @139108

I am new to this forum but was diagnosed about five years ago. My first, regular neurologist as a disaster who gave me no information, expected me to make uninformed decisions, and laughed off PD symptoms--literally! Since then I have seen movement disorder specialists who have been attentive, knowlegable, supportive and great. (Three in all--first one moved, switched sites between second and third due to transportation issues.) They have all been great and I highly recommend that level of care. My progression has been slow and on the whole everything is managable. One thing I have not asked about--I worry that at some point progression will surge. Is there any way to predict that? Is a slower progression likely to stay slow, likely to surge, or who knows?

Jump to this post

Hello @139108, and welcome to the PD support group! I'm glad to hear that you found some good movement disorder specialists. That is important! I'm not sure about the answer to your question about progression being slow or surging. I can only share my experience, which has been slow without a lot of disability.

I've found that exercise is key to maintaining strength and flexibility. Here is a link to an article about the value of exercise in treating PD from the Parkinson's Foundation website:
https://www.parkinson.org/living-with-parkinsons/treatment/exercise

REPLY
Profile picture for clearcut
clearcut | @clearcut | 1 day ago

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s January 2026. I have just started my journey.

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | 1 day ago
In reply to @clearcut "I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s January 2026. I have just started my journey." + (show)
Profile picture for clearcut @clearcut

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s January 2026. I have just started my journey.

Jump to this post

@clearcut
Hi Don,
Welcome to Mayo Connect. I see that PD is a new diagnosis for you. When I was first diagnosed, I was having problems with balance, foot dragging, and a very soft voice. Once I began carbidopa/levodopa, the symptoms began to lessen. Physical therapy and a regular exercise program have helped to stabilize my symptoms.

Share, as you would like, the symptoms that resulted in a PD diagnosis. Have you begun treatment with medication or exercise, yet?

REPLY
Profile picture for goatgirl28
goatgirl28 | @goatgirl28 | 18 hours ago

Anyone else biting their tongue and lips while eating?

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.