Am I Losing my Mind?

I am 68 years old and was diagnosed with Parkinson's last October. It took months to get into a neurologist, the first one diagnosed my with ataxia, which I was sure was incorrect. But begrudgingly he gave me a trial of carbidopa/levodopa. I experienced dramatic improvement within 24 hours.

My first noticeable symptoms

My first noticeable issues were walking difficulties. I had 2 back surgeries and felt that was part of the problem. But my symptoms kept coming. The most frightening time was when I was at work, a simple desk job, when I couldn't think. Every movement required thought, from trying to answer the phone, to listening to a message and writing it down. I've been in accounting and office management work for over 40 years, and suddenly I couldn't do more than one thing at a time, and struggling at that.

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I could no longer multitask

I was terrified. Multitasking, which was natural for me, was gone. I could barely accomplish one task at a time. I have since found another neurologist. The meds are working. But need continuous tweaking. Balance, fatigue and cognitive issues are my main issues. I am trying every day to be as positive as I can, and enjoy what I can do. When I'm tired, I rest. When I have energy, I move. You know your body better than anyone else. Find someone to listen to you. I've decided I'm not losing my mind.

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