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Looking Back - What Were Your Early Warning Signs of Parkinson's?

Posted by Singularity @azsingularity, May 8, 2025

I'm 51 and do not (currently) have Parkinson's. However, I've been deemed to be "at high risk of developing PD" due to having something called REM Sleep Behavior disorder (RBD), which I was diagnosed with 2 years ago (after suffering from it for 5 years prior).

I did see a neurologist at Mayo after the RBD diagnosis, who ran me through the battery of PD tests, but she said I wasn't showing any detectable signs of it.

She tried to set my mind at ease by saying there IS a (small) chance I'll never actually develop PD. Yay for that, I guess.

For those of you who have Parkinson's, I'm curious:

Looking back over your "healthy years," knowing what you know now, were there any very early (pre-diagnosis) warning signs that you didn't recognize at the time? Anything you ignored or just wrote-off as "normal"?

What I'm getting at here is: short of the obvious symptoms (tremors, walking issues, etc), is there anything subtle I should be on the lookout for... so I know when to reach out to a neurologist again?

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

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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | 5 days ago
In reply to @gregmt "My early signs were intermittent tremors in my right hand for 3 years before my dx..." + (show)
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My early signs were intermittent tremors in my right hand for 3 years before my dx that I ignored as insignificant. Once they became continuous is when I sought medical care and was diagnosed with PD. A year before my dx I was experiencing balance issues that I attributed to aging. Changed my daily workout routine to add emphasis on balance which helped tremendously by masked my disease. I now have no sense of smell, which is not necessarily a down side depending on the circumstances. I also now struggle daily with what I refer to as my “Tin Man” syndrome (as in the Wizard of Oz), with stiff and painful extremities, mainly arms/shoulders/chest. So far the only relief is moving/stretching/extensions. So yoga is my first thing in the morning starter. I hope my experience is helpful to others.

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@gregmt
I appreciate you sharing about your journey with PD and all of the symptoms that led to the diagnosis. It does help when we share our experiences! The symptoms of PD do come on slowly and create many problems before a correct diagnosis and medications are prescribed.

My symptoms were much the same; however, I've never had the tremors. Balance, gait, and stiffness were my main complaints before I received a diagnosis.

The correct medication, combined with regular exercise (such as yoga, Tai Chi, or other activities you enjoy), is a great way to help control symptoms. While exercise is not a complete cure, it is very helpful for maintaining flexibility and improving balance.

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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | 5 days ago
In reply to @agentlady "I’m going to reply to this again because I did not read it thoroughly the first..." + (show)
Profile picture for agentlady @agentlady

I’m going to reply to this again because I did not read it thoroughly the first time. I was diagnosed around the age of 60. I was taking taekwondo at the time. I was able to progress to 5th degree black belt at age of 72 with Parkinson’s. There is life after the diagnosis but you need to want it. I’m 75 and most people cannot tell I have PD because of having done the martial arts. I’ve spoken to over 600 doctors and caregivers including international doctors at the Cleveland Clinic about the importance martial arts played in my life with PD. I’m not saying it’s easy. Life with PD requires a lot of adaptability but you can still do what others do, just maybe a little differently. Cross that Parkinson’s bridge when it comes and you will know when that time is. In the meantime go on with life and find enjoyment in each day.

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@agentlady
What you have posted is so important! Life with PD is not easy, but it can be better if we decide to adapt to the limitations we have and make the most of our life with PD. Your martial arts training and experince have kept you in a positive frame of mind and our attitude is extermely important.

Exercise has been very helpful to me as well. Exercise helps increase our flexibility, thereby improving our movements and making it less likely that we will experience falls.

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