I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 45. These were my ‘shocking’ first symptoms

A California man who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his 40s said he initially wrote off his earliest symptoms.

Vikas Chinnan, of San Carlos, near San Francisco, said his early warning signs were stiff muscles and bizarre “vivid” dreams that made him feel like he was still awake.

The father-of-two initially dismissed the symptoms as a result of a viral infection he contracted in seventh grade that damaged his spine. But then he began to experience tremors in his right arm, forgetfulness, and began to lose interest in activities he enjoyed.

Doctors diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease at a young age — which accounts for five percent of the disease’s 90,000 diagnoses made each year.

Diagnosing the disease before more serious symptoms — such as severe tremors and disability — means a person can start early treatment, such as exercise, to slow the progression of the disease.

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world, with nearly one million Americans suffering from the disease.

By the mid-1980s, about 60,000 people were diagnosed with the disease each year. But estimates suggest this has now risen to 90,000 – a 50 percent jump in 40 years.

Earlier this month, Democratic Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, 54, revealed she had the condition and said it was “suck,” but she currently has no plans to step down.

There are even rumors that Russian President Vladimir Putin, 70, suffers from Parkinson’s.

One of the most famous cases is that of actor Michael J Fox who has continued to act despite being diagnosed in 1991.

However, he has had to scale back his roles as he struggles to remember lines.

The disease is usually diagnosed around age 60, but about five percent of cases occur before a person turns 50.

Men are twice as likely to develop the condition as women.

There is also a genetic component. Those with a family history of the disease are at increased risk.

The disease is caused by the gradual death of brain cells that release dopamine, essential for muscle coordination and movement.

This is linked to genetic factors, such as a family history of the disease, as well as possible lifestyle factors such as exposure to pesticides and herbicides.

Scientists suggest that men may be more at risk because they have lower levels of the female sex hormone estrogen, which may protect against Parkinson’s by affecting how dopamine is used and made in the body.

They are also more likely to be exposed to herbicides and pesticides through work, they suggest, which may cause Parkinson’s by damaging neurons in the brain that release dopamine.

It’s not clear why men are at higher risk, but previous research has suggested that this could be related to lower levels of the female sex hormone estrogen.

They may also be more exposed to environmental toxins such as pesticides and industrial chemicals.

This is caused by the buildup of incorrectly shaped proteins in brain cells, which can clump together and lead to cell death.

There is no cure for the disease, but doctors say many patients can still lead normal or near-normal lives with medication and targeted exercise.

Parkinson’s itself is not directly fatal, but can lead to complications that can lead to death, such as movement problems and increased depression and anxiety.

Mr. Chinnan told TODAY: ‘I had been looking for an answer for so long and I had really hit a wall with my physical therapy and the medications I tried.

“I was just exhausted.”

Parkinson’s disease symptoms are linked to lower levels of dopamine in the body, the neurotransmitter being essential for communication between various nerves and muscles.

As this is disrupted, signature symptoms such as muscle stiffness and tremors begin to emerge.

Scientists suggest that this is also linked to why a person suffers from vivid dreams and forgetfulness, with the lack of dopamine-disrupting brain regions that control sleep and communication between brain cells.

When the stiff muscles first showed up, Mr. Chinnan started getting physical therapy to relieve his muscles.

He also tried muscle relaxants and Botox, which can block chemical signals from nerves that cause muscles to tighten.

But when he also experienced apathy and cognitive impairment, leading to a diagnosis of depression, doctors said they would investigate whether he had Parkinson’s.

“That led my doctors to say, ‘Let’s at least explore Parkinson’s as a possibility,’ even though they were skeptical that’s what it was given my age,” he said.

He underwent a series of tests to check his cognition before being diagnosed in 2022.

At this point, he also began taking two to three hour naps daily, where he had “vivid” dreams that he thought were real.

His memory also began to fail, causing him to forget important life events, such as the death of a friend’s father.

His family supported him after he revealed the devastating diagnosis. It also turned out that one of his cousins ​​also suffered from the disease.

‘I attacked it head on. I was open about it with my family,” he said.

“I had already gone to a therapist because of the cognitive and emotional things I was dealing with.”

Doctors started him on medicine and he also picked up Rock Steady Boxing – a form of non-contact sparring that can help control Parkinson’s symptoms.

He said he sometimes still deals with periods of depression and apathy.

His personality has also changed, with him no longer enjoying activities he previously loved.

“I find myself in situations where I’m not enjoying the things I used to enjoy,” he said.

“That was really nerve-wracking. It’s upsetting to my wife because she didn’t know that side of me.’

The diagnosis has also led him to quit his job and start advocating for people with the condition.

He is now a council member for the Parkinson’s Foundation in Miami, Florida, where he advocates for more resources for people with the disease.