My name is Tony,
I was diagnosed with PD two weeks ago,
I am taking Azilect 1mg which seems to have done wonders within a very short space of time.
I just have problems with my left foot being numb sometimes or feeling its asleep?
The other problem is serious depression. I live on my own and the depression is making me so upset!
Is this normal.
I said to myself i would not write in a Forum but I just need to talk.
I went to a PD meeting this afternoon with a friend but the people there depressed me so much I did not stay.
I would love to hear from other sufferers.

Hello Tony57,

I have not got PD but my husband has had it for almost 30years and was diagnosed at the age of 39,please get in touch with the PD nurse and see if there is a group or just a few other people that you could meet and talk with. We started out like this by our then Parkinsons Area Officer who intruduced us to three other couples who we met for tea and a chat, it is an easier way to getting to know people without going straight to a branch which some peole like you find too much to start with.
We went on to belong to a younger group of Pwp and then formed a branch and were involved with this for sixteen years before retiring.
There is life after PD and you will adjust your life gradually but try to keep up the interests you have already and please get in touch locally as you will make many friends who understand and who are a great bunch with lots of humour thrown in.
You will also find many friends on this forum who will help.
best wishes
vivian

hello Tony57 and welcome,
I was dx some 3 years ago aged 53 (I think!) I have not yet attended a local pd group meeting a) because the nearest one is miles away, b) It was suggested to me by a visiting OT that I might find it distressing and c) I know myself to be not a group kind of person.
But I do so agree with you and Vivian , there is the need to talk about it, and you have come to the right place. Post away!
I also have a troublesome left foot. To be honest, I have gotten used to it (almost) Depression for some PwP is part and parcel of the whole thing. Appropriate diet, exercise and +ve mental attitude are highly recommended, but if you feel that it is serious, may I suggest that you contact your GP? They do not hand out happy pills just for the asking, but it is an avenue that is there for you to explore.

I wish you all the best

Hi Tony

I have never had any desire to attend a PD meeting but I do frequent this site because it’s anonymous and I feel a connection with the contributors.

I would like to endorse the comments made by Vivian and annebernadette. The first few weeks after diagnosis are the worst but, once you accept that your life will continue, but on a different trajectory, things will get easier. I’m glad the Azilect is working for you but I would keep an eye on the depression and, if it doesn’t lift within a few weeks, I would perhaps be making an appointment with my GP.

In the meantime, check out the rest of the forum to get to know us a bit better. You might even get a few laughs out of it, which can't be bad!

Kindest regards

Lily x

Hi Tony.
Sorry to hear that you have joined our gallaant band. I agree with all that has already been said. Main thing is to keep doing your normal activities as long as you can. It will be difficult keeping care free living by yourself. If you feel the dumps coming on, then join in on the forum. I have not been in the forum long but from what I have seen there is a great bunch of people out there who are only too happy to help and advise.
Keep smiling matey
Chunky

Hello and welcome Tony. Depression is quite a common problem with PD. I think it's important to go out and socialise as much as possible. However, I don't think Parkinsons meetings are the answer. You tend to meet people who are worse than you and that will make you more depressed than ever. Rather you should take up new interests and meet others who share those interests. Widen your circle of friends. Above all fill your life with doing something (physical or mental) and don't give yourself chance to brood and mope.

Make sure it's alwaysand never

Good luck! Chris

I don't visit the forum much anymore and when I did so this evening I don't wonder why that is the case.

A forum, provided by PUK, and members who advise a newbie to not attend their local PUK group meetings!!

None of us want to see,first hand, what the future holds BUT, it's there, it can't be avoided, and we need to face reality, not cocoon oursleves on a forum where we do not have to come face to face with it.

So, you don't attend these meetings to support the aims and research carried out by PUK but you expect PUK to be there for you with advice, nurses, help line, and all the rest that they provide for a small annual membership fee.

Excuse me benji, but I do not believe that I have advised anyone to not attend a local pd meeting. It is my choice to pay an annual subscrition of an ammount of my choosing to whichever charity I choose. And it is my choice whether or not I attend any sort of group meeting.

I wish you all the best

Sorry about spelling - has been rather a difficult day

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I agree with Annebernadette, Benji.

You tell us that you don't visit this forum much any more because many other contributors to this excellent facility disagree with your stance that they shouldn't advise newcomers that it is their choice alone whether or not they feel attendance at local PUK meetings would be beneficial to them. You continue by asserting that "none of us wants to see first hand what the future holds, but it's there, can't be avoided, and we all need to face reality, not cocoon ourselves on a forum where we don't have to come face to face with it". But this is surely the whole point of such a forum: total safety and anonymity in order to allow members to open their hearts, with no obligation to meet or socialise with anyone, or come face-to-face with anybody. Who are we to tell these good folk what to do, or make their decisions for them?

Remember that many members cannot get to meetings for work, family or diary reasons; others, like me, would find it almost physically impossible, especially if long distances are involved, and the assistance of carers is required.

You go on to suggest that as financial contributors we should feel obliged to attend meetings if we believe that at some time in the future we may wish to avail ourselves of the excellent services PUK provides. However, there is no requirement for anyone to either be a fee-paying, card-carrying PUK member or contribute so much as a single penny in order to register as a full forum user. The two aspects are unrelated.

Please remember that although you may be the life and soul of the party, many others (I'd hazard a guess at the majority of the forum membership) are probably somewhat less gregarious, and would find such an event, with a roomful of daunting strangers, sufficiently nerve-racking and intimidating as to not go at all. The result would then be totally counter-productive. Particularly (as previously noted) when the other attendees are - by the very nature of this wonderful condition we all share, and its medications - likely to be as grumpy, frail and argumentative as ourselves. The next best thing to a roomful of Meldrews, I'd say!

I think this issue should remain private to every individual.

Take care,

Ray.
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