I am a neurologist but was still diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in my 40s – and it all started with one very common symptom

By James On Apr 13, 2024

A top neurologist who led a healthy and active life was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of forty.

Knowing that exercise was key to maintaining good neurological health, Perth’s Dr David Blacker was an avid marathon runner until he started experiencing a strange pain in his leg that kept getting worse.

The father told FEMAIL he put the problem down to a muscle strain, but when he started noticing tremors and problems with his dexterity, he knew something sinister was going on.

In 2018, Dr. Blacker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and although he said the news was a ‘kick in the gut’, he didn’t let it stop him from leading an active life.

The 55-year-old wants Australians to know that Parkinson’s disease does not mean a gradual and painful decline and that symptoms can be alleviated with regular exercise and healthy lifestyle choices.

Neurologist Dr David Blacker (pictured), 55, from Perth, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 40, despite leading a healthy, active life

In his mid-40s, Dr. Blacker prioritized staying fit and exercising regularly because he knew its impact on neurological health.

‘I had been working with stroke patients for a long time and realized the benefits of exercise. It’s one of the reasons why I really tried to exercise myself,” he said.

“I was actively trying to do that and if I hadn’t been, I might have had my symptoms sooner.”

The doctor started noticing pain in his leg that he thought was exercise-induced dystonia that causes the muscles to contract uncontrollably.

“At first I thought it was because I had done too much, that I had tried too hard without enough rest and stretching,” he said.

‘I got to the point where my foot started to twist and tighten, then it got worse with my whole leg – it was like walking through quicksand.’

Over the next three years, Dr. Blacker getting worse. Then he started noticing more “classic” signs of Parkinson’s disease.

“I started getting a tremor in my right hand and at first it was only when I was stressed or speaking in public or something like that,” he recalls.

‘Everyone criticizes doctors’ handwriting, but my writing became very difficult and I had difficulty filling in forms, it became very difficult.’

Dr. Blacker was an avid golfer and noticed that he had problems with his fine motor skills when he tried to fish a ball out of his pocket or put it on a tee.

“The real kicker was when I saw patients who had Parkinson’s disease and they performed better than myself.”

Parkinson’s disease: what are the signs and symptoms?

Dr. David Blacker said there are three noticeable signs that someone might have Parkinson’s disease.

People with Parkinson’s disease receive a clinical diagnosis from their doctor because it is not evident from tests.

Neurologists will get a complete picture of a patient’s symptoms and lifestyle. If someone presents with two of the three main features, they are usually diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

1. Tremor – ‘The tremor usually occurs when you are resting and not moving your hand,’ said Dr Blacker.

‘There are other tremors that are more prominent in other positions, for example when you’re trying to hold things, but if you’re just resting this is called a resting tremor.’

Dr. Blacker said about 30 percent of people with Parkinson’s do not have tremor, despite it being widely associated with the disease.

2. Bradykinesia -Dr. Blacker said this is a kind of “slow movement.”

“One of the common tests is to have the patient tap the index finger quickly with his thumb,” he said.

“I’m right-handed, but my left hand was much faster.”

3. Stiffness – This is tightness in the arms and legs that is greater than what would result from general aging or arthritis and can lead to poor mobility.

“It’s a stiffness and soreness that is quite painful at times,” Dr. Blacker said.

There are some other signs of Parkinson’s that Dr. Blacker can lead to a Parkinson’s diagnosis, including: loss of smell And REM sleep behavior disorder.

“When you sleep and dream, you enter a deeper stage of sleep where your muscles in the limbs are paralyzed, and your breathing muscles and your eye muscles are the only ones that still work, otherwise you jump, jump up and run around,” explained Doctor Blacker.

“What happens with this disorder is that you have very vivid dreams and interruptions in sleep, and you start screaming, kicking and hitting.”

More signs include constipation like undiagnosed and unexplained depression and others ‘prodromal symptoms‘ such as anxiety, mood swings, irritability, anger and sleep disorders.

‘I started thinking, “Could it be something else? Is it too much coffee? I’m a little young for Parkinson’s.” Then I started thinking, ‘Oh God, it really looks like that,’ but I didn’t want to be a hypochondriac,” he said.

In 2018 he ‘worked up the courage’ to visit a fellow neurologist and at the age of 49 he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

“I personally was very prepared and knew what it was. To some extent I was relieved that it was Parkinson’s and not something that would happen more quickly,” he said.

‘Still, it was a great kick in the gut and there is definitely a grieving process taking place.

“You have a certain idea of what your life is going to be like and what you’re going to do in the future, but when something like this happens, it has to be reconfigured.”

Dr. Blacker was as determined as ever not to let his Parkinson’s disease get in the way of his active life.

He started taking medications that eased his symptoms, took up boxing and yoga, and swapped running for brisk walks.

“I’ve been fortunate that I responded well to medication, but more importantly, exercise has been my saving grace,” he said.

‘We have an opportunity to reshape the course of Parkinson’s disease and build enough muscle strength and fitness that can hopefully stave off decline as the future progresses.’

After his diagnosis, Dr. Blacker continues his exercises. He took up boxing, took up yoga and exchanged running for brisk walks

He also followed a Mediterranean diet high in fish, olive oil, nuts and berries and low in red meat and dairy products.

The Mediterranean diet is said to be one of the healthiest in the world because people in that part of the world live healthier longer lives and have few chronic conditions.

Dr. Blacker said his diagnosis has helped him with his Parkinson’s patients at work.

‘It’s a stressful time, for many people getting the diagnosis is the worst moment of their lives and it sticks in their minds. “If the providing doctor doesn’t do their job properly, it could have a negative effect,” he said.

“I have this amazing opportunity to be able to diagnose and understand with authenticity and empathy. I can choose it with much more confidence than before.’

“I’ve been fortunate that I responded well to medication, but more importantly, exercise has been my saving grace,” he said

People often picture an “old white shaky man” when they think of Parkinson’s disease, but Dr. Blacker said people of any age, gender and race can be affected.

The stereotype also leads people to believe that a person will become immobile after a diagnosis.

Dr. Blacker said people were surprised to see him feeling and looking fit after his diagnosis.

‘One of the things I found frustrating was that when I started getting fitter and stronger, people would say, “Wow, you look great!”, but no one can tell that you’ve taken all these tablets or are having a bad night’s sleep had, so you’ I feel really tired. There are all these non-motor symptoms that people can’t see,” he said.

‘People are just trying to encourage you, but you feel a bit invalid and think, “Don’t they believe me?” It’s a difficult psychological issue. I warn a lot of people about this.’

Dr. Blacker wants to dispel the myth that a diagnosis of Parkinson’s means a linear gradual decline.

‘I think this is a bit of a misrepresentation of what is actually happening. “If you really stick to exercise and follow a good diet, it can produce amazing results when combined with medications,” he said.

‘One of my crusades is to offer people a much more positive image. Especially in the beginning, when you’ve given them a diagnosis.’