Hello! My name is Bryan. I was diagnosed 5 years ago at age 39. Father of three, still working full time, although that seems to be getting harder and harder.
Looking forward to many inspiring and informative discussions.
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Hey Bryan, welcome to the forum! It sounds like you and I are in similar situations. I am 47 and I was diagnosed five years ago. I have two kids that are 12 and 14 and I’m still working too.
What type of work do you do?
Hey Mike,
Thank you! I’ll be 45 in a couple of weeks. My son is 19 and I have two daughters, 16 and 9.
I’m a High School Counselor.
What do you do?
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Oh wow, how’s that going? I would imagine it’s got to be difficult that you are having to work with people/kids, especially in person.
I’m a software engineer and I work from home so many times I’m able to hide my struggles. Although admittedly I’m very open with what I’m going through. I find that transparency tends to foster empathy. That’s how it is with my job anyway.
Work is getting increasingly difficult for me. I just finished a three month medical leave and now I’ve been back for a couple weeks. I’m currently considering DBS.
What symptoms do you have? I don’t have much of a tremor I mostly have dystonia, bradykinesia and dyskinesia.
It’s not too bad. I am also very open with my colleagues and they have been amazingly supportive. In fact, every semester I do a Parkinson’s presentation to 9th grade health classes. However, work is getting more challenging for me as well. Mostly because I am just super tired all the time so it’s hard for me to really engage with students since the energy is no longer there.
I lost my sense of smell about 12-13 years ago or so and didn’t realize the connection to PD. Just thought I was a guy who couldn’t smell. Other symptoms started showing about 6 years ago when I couldn’t open my left hand all the way, the left arm wasn’t swaying, and my left leg started to be tight enough that I couldn’t really move it and would occasionally get stuck.
I actually got DBS last March, and it has helped quite a bit with my mobility. I used to shuffle walk a lot so it was hard for me to do any sort of walking, but after DBS, that has changed drastically. I still shuffle walk a little, especially in tight spaces. It was a great feeling to take my first big steps after the surgery!
I’m worried now, though, about my speech, I feel as though I’m stuttering and slurring a lot.I see my doc in a couple of weeks as part of my routine check-up post-DBS, so I’ll see what he says about that
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I’m definitely interested in your progress, especially since you had DBS surgery. I have more questions but I will save them for another time. It’s good to meet you Bryan!
Hi Brian !
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Hey Mike!
Absolutely, happy to share anytime.
Be well.
Hello there!
Hi Bryan! Welcome! It can be a challenge balancing this disease, being a parent and work. I know I’ve had YOPD for 23 years.
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I think it’s great you are teaching the kids about PD. I try to be really honest with my kids and I think that maybe if their friends see me and know us maybe they will grow up to be more accepting than previous generations. For my kids this is so normal. Maybe one of these kids will be the one that finds the cure!
Hello Bryan nice to see you here !
Wow! That’s amazing! Any tips or tricks?
Thanks! Nice to be seen. 
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sorry, I was chuckling tips or tricks. I didn’t know many with young onset Parkinson’s disease when I was diagnosed, but the Internet was not as prevalent, then in our every day life.
I belong to 2 support groups and I was the only young person in the group. Everyone else was 60+ which was so ancient back then. I’ll be 68 this month.
Tips tricks??? keep on exercising! keep on moving! When I stopped moving and exercising daily is when I noticed my disease progressing significantly. It all happened around Covid. And I was going to PT regularly before three times a week. I was working full-time, but was forced to close my business for a while. Don’t laugh I’m a photographer with Parkinson’s. I am a dog photographer. That takes lot of stamina, bending, laying on the ground, getting up on your own. I think that’s what kept me so agile and strong for a long time with my job and that I regularly exercise. It’s when I stopped I did more harm than good.
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That is so good that you had the surgery DBS earlier than later. I had mine five years ago; 18 years into having Parkinson’s but it did make a huge difference. I called it “game changer day.” I should’ve gone in six years before when they recommended it but I was terrified — brain surgery awake! Are you kidding me? That’s what I used to say. Until one day, I realized it was my last hope — my attitude totally changed.
do you know it takes about six months to get your settings tweaked 100% or close???
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This is very encouraging to me. I was just diagnosed in March 2023, and I have not been able to walk well since then, I mentioned DBS to my neurologist and he stated, that it mainly helped with tremors, but wouldn’t help with the gait or walking. He had stated some other things that doesn’t seem to be accurate. I’m going to change neurologist. I’m glad to hear that it can help with walk and gait! Glad it helped you. I was 58 when I was diagnosed? Recently turned 59. I have always been active and ha a very active job as a Respiratory Therapist. I had to quit and it has been life changing, to say the least. Best wishes and nice to meet you!
Welcome! I have a great neurologist at Mayo in Scottsdale? So a respiratory therapist, wow? Am curious about your insight into PD related swallowing issues
I also go to Mayo in Scottsdale to see my Neurologist! 
They are amazing and totally worth the 2 hour drive per appointment.
I fly in from El Paso but totally worth it I see Adler