Early signs · Around 2012 (date uncertain)
Around 2012: The First Tremor We Remember
My father developed a tremor in his hand, mostly on the left side. It came on gradually, and we still do not know exactly when it started.
By an anonymous caregiver · 2 min read
Personal experience, not medical advice. I share our family's experience here. Talk to your doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. New or worsening speech trouble, facial drooping or sudden weakness can be an emergency. Seek urgent medical help immediately. Full disclaimer
I do not know the exact date my father's Parkinson's began. Our family remembers it as "around 2012", and we only worked that out years later, when we understood more about his symptoms.
A hand that would not stay still
We first noticed his hand shaking, more on the left side. It came and went. At first we put it down to tiredness, age, stress or a cold morning. Because it developed slowly, we did not think it was the start of an illness.
It can be hard to know what to make of a small tremor that comes and goes. In our case, we did not understand what we were seeing at first.
Why I am writing the uncertainty down
On this site I will say when we do not know something. Our memories of the early years are incomplete. I would rather leave a date unknown than give another family a date we cannot support.
If you are reading this because someone you love has a new tremor, please do not use our story to diagnose them. Tremor has many causes. What I wish we had done sooner is simple: see a qualified doctor, and keep a short written note of what you observe and when.
What I would tell my younger self
- Write down the date you first notice a change, even if it seems small.
- Note which side of the body is affected and in what situations.
- Take a short video if the person is comfortable with it, for the doctor only.
- Do not panic, and do not dismiss it either.
That small left-hand tremor is the earliest sign we remember, more than a decade later.