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Well done, and keep up the good work. You are writing for all of us. We need uyou. Hilary Blue ---------------------------------------------------------------------- William Heitman wrote: > > List, > I have just finished editing Marling's story. I thought you might like a look > at it. I think this will fly. > Marling, I hope you don't mind. > Here it is: > > Does the American Public know the truth about Parkinson's Disease (PD)? Isn't > it an old person's disease with a tremor? I'm not even 50, do I need to worry? > > PD is a progressive disorder of one small area of the brain, Its effects are > on the neuro-muscular system. PD usually has four main features: 1] rigidity > or stiffness of the body, 2] hand tremor, 3] slow and less spontaneous > movement; and 4] loss of balance. Other symptoms include quite a list: > depression, confusion, speech and swallowing difficulty, drooling, dizziness, > impotence, urinary frequency and constipation. > It isn't inherited or "catching". An unrecognized environmental toxin > combined with a genetic defect may be the cause. The cause is not known. > Research is centered upon a small but important part of the brain called the > substantia nigra (SN) where nerve cells die early. Cells in other brain areas > are not affected. > > If you are 25, 35, or 45, could you have PD? > > According to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, about one million > people in the US have PD and approximately 20 new cases per 100,000 people get > it every year. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) asks > questions about Alzheimer's and other disorders, but not PD. A Parkinson's > Disease Handbook says that except for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), more Americans > have PD than the next four degenerative neurological disorders put together. > PD has been thought to be an old peoples disease (onset over 60).in the past, > but now the average age for diagnosis is 57. Often the person with PD (PWP) > has had undiagnosed symptoms for years. This means the average onset is > younger. Many are much younger. > > I experienced a variety of strange symptoms for approximately ten years. > After an exhausting two year search and an extensive work-up, I was told that > I was an overweight , middle aged, female , and that I was just complaining. > I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and had surgery on both wrists. I > had very severe Clinical Depression (CD). When I developed a hand tremor, my > GP sent me to a neurologist. At 46 years of age, the neurologist said I had > PD, and that I probably had it for at least 10 years. > > When the PD medicine Sinemet relieved my symptoms, the diagnosis was > confirmed. I had PD. My "old persons disease" had started at 36! > > My story illustrates two large problems: > . One is public ignorance of PD. Most people think of a PWP as a somewhat > slow moving older person with a tremor. Not a big deal. However, in young > and old, alike, PD is uncomfortable! > > The second ,Ignorance among doctors is worse. "Doctors commonly misdiagnose > young onset PD because the patient is "too young" to have PD. Often, years > later, the patient responds to PD meds and the diagnosis is changed. > > We need better statistics on PD, and the NCHS needs to gather them. Then all > of this ignorance could be cured. > Marling McReynolds > 493 words (excluding these ) > > Regards, > WHH 55/19