I’m certain that I have PD despite not being diagnosed yet. Backstory: 2003, Summer: Started to experience bizarre tingling/crawling sensations all over my body, constantly… it was beyond irritating. I went to a neurologist and had a nerve test done that involved electricity jolts sent to my arms and feet. I forget the name of this. The test couldn’t find anything. In the beginning of 2004 I noticed tremors. I became quite concerned after this and sought out another neurologist. I had a cat scan and an EEG… they couldn’t find anything. After prescribing me some anti-anxiety drugs and other useless forms of treatment, my neurologist finally told me to contact Dr. Stephen Reich, an expert on movement disorders here in Maryland. He has an office here at UMD, where I work. I’ve been waiting to see him since late last year. My appointment is on May 6th,. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see this guy. First and foremost I just want him to give me the diagnosis. I’ve already been stigmatized at the office where I work… everybody sees what’s happening to me, specifically the oddness in my movement. I’ve become this walking freak of an oddity now. It’s not specifically restricted to a campus environment/the more educated eye, either. Just the other day I got this expression of pity from a grocery store cashier. I get instantly defensive and aggravated with all of these reactions. I always hated being stared at, or any kind of bad attention in general, and now I’ve got more than I can handle. I hate going out in public. On top of all of this, I’m an artist – and not to toot my own horn or anything, but quite talented… what’s going to become of me and my work? I’ve been working on campus for 5 years and I feel the rash urge to just leave it all and be a full time student or pursue what I really want to… but I’m dealing with something physically hellish and quite unusual for someone my age… and I really need health insurance right now, which this job provides me. The benefits here are wonderful… a few classes a semester are even paid for if you’re full time. The problem is that I’ve been here too long to really advance at the pace I want to.
I’m sure this bad fortune stems from designer drug abuse at a younger age, throughout a couple of years. It’s nobody’s fault but my own, but it’s nonetheless a terrible thing to deal with.
I’m taking lots of alternative therapies. B12, co-q-10, Tyrosine, etc. I also do cardio 2-4 times a week. These help but I hate thinking about how much worse this is going to get. If I didn't have my creative talent I would have probably killed myself last year.