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Is this Parkinson’s?

I'm afraid about these symptoms that have been presenting themselves lately and would greatly appreciate some insight. Some background I’ve had some tremors in my hands for the last 10 years, but more so in my left hand for the last 1 yr and a half or so. I’m a 31 year old male. Recently I feel the tremors have gotten worse as of the beginning of last month and as of the last week my left hand has been shaking a lot more. The hand feels stiff when I open and close it, and the tremors become more exaggerated and there’s a dull ache when the hand is in a certain position and my forearm feels a little weaker when I hold things. Also as of last month I started experiencing these internal vibrations in my left scapula that made it impossible for me to sleep. The onset would be most prevalent at night right before I went to bed. My scapula felt sore and the joints in my back felt rigid and stiff.

I read the vibrations could be due to a vitamin deficiency, so I started taking Magnesium glycinate, selenium, zinc, potassium, iodine, and the vibrations for the most part have stopped, but I’m still experiencing some stiffness and rigidity in my joints when I reach for things, bend over or sit down. I still get sore or stiff in the left scapula region, seems to come on more often after exercise.

I’ve taken trazadone on and off to sleep because I’ve been an insomniac for the last couple of years. If I sleep on my left side in certain positions my hand gets numb and I have to shake it out. My hand has this dull to mild pain where it feels like a cramp is oncoming, but it doesn’t fully manifest this has only been the last four or five days.

I can still work out, lift weights and run pretty much to the same extent that I’ve been operating over the last year or so. Grip in my left hand is weaker than the right, but as I’ve mentioned it’s been like that for years. In 2007, I did fracture my wrist and I’m not sure it healed properly. Also when I walk up a flight of stairs and get to the top my heart starts beating faster than normal, but I don’t really feel shortness of breath. This has been a recent occurrence.

When I’m sitting down and do calf raises when I lower my feet to the ground it’s a very jerky movement and causes my legs to shake. I walk and run normally. I’ve also noticed when I lift in my left arm there’s a jerky contraction in the forearm when I release which causes the arm to shake

Admittedly, I have anxiety and my mind races to the worst case scenario, but the anxiety may be high in part to me experiencing these symptoms.

I have an appointment scheduled with a neurologist in 3 weeks, but it feels like that’s an eternity while I’m going through this.
Any insight or advice would be helpful and for those that do have Parkinson’s I can’t imagine what you’re going through.
3 Responses
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207091 tn?1337709493
Have you had your appointment yet? How'd it go?
Helpful - 0
207091 tn?1337709493
I'm really happy to hear that you have an appt with a neuro.

I'm not an expert, but my dad had Parkinson's (he died from prostate cancer, not Parkinson's). While PD can manifest differently in different people, you don't have the typical symptoms of it.

Usually, PD starts with a tremor in one hand, or one part of the body, not both hands, for example. It wouldn't cause the heart palpitations (and definitely get that checked by a cardiologist). It wouldn't cause the numbness you are able to shake off (though trazadone might - start paying attention to if it happens when you are taking it or not).

Also, after 10 years, your symptoms would likely be a lot more pronounced without treatment. After about 10 years, you'd likely have something major - like dementia, or a serious physical disability - https://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/guide/parkinsons-disease-progression#1

Something is definitely happening - something neuro (and there are other conditions that have similar symptoms), or maybe some of it is anxiety - CurfewX is right when she says that anxiety can give you real physical symptoms, and maybe something cardio.

Please let us know what happens with the doctor.
Helpful - 0
3191940 tn?1447268717
It would be extraordinarily rare for Parkinson's to develop at your age, and even more rare still for a person to develop symptoms of Parkinson's in their early 20's, when you noticed the onset of symptoms.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055  This article also explains the symptoms, some of which you're not having at all, but are highly characteristic of Parkinson's.

You could have a neurological issue, but it sure doesn't sound like Parkinson's.  If you've struggled with anxiety, that could be the cause of, or contributor to, the symptoms you're experiencing.  Anxiety doesn't just mess with your head - it can cause a whole host of physical symptoms as well.

Best wishes with your appointment in a few weeks, but it is highly doubtful that Parkinson's is the cause of your symptoms.
Helpful - 0

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