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Elderly parents

Parkinson’s - is this a panic attack?

3 replies

Justworkingitout · 01/11/2025 23:46

DM (83) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s last year but unfortunately just a few months later my beloved dad - her husband of nearly 60 years - was admitted to hospital as an emergency and passed away early this year (still in hospital). So it’s been a year of turmoil - mum coming to terms with PD (she hasn’t) and losing my dad. She is of course deeply grieving. We had to get her a full time live in carer as she couldn’t cope. She is having the most horrendous panic attacks, which are getting worse not better. Well we think they are panic attacks/anxiety and that’s my question. The sensation feels like a deeply uncomfortable feeling in her body (especially in her privates) and spreads throughout her body. They mostly just happens without a trigger. Anxiety makes it worse. Happens mostly daily and lasts from an hour to a few hours. Often at night too keeping her awake for hours (she won’t sleep in a bed anymore choosing to sleep in a reclining armchair). She says when she’s having them she feels “so ill” or “I feel like I’m dying”. My question is does this sound like anxiety/panic attacks or some kind of awful PD symptom or maybe both? Psychiatrist thinks it’s grief, GP thinks it’s anxiety and we don’t know what the PD team thinks yet (seeing them soon).

OP posts:
Ducksurprise · 02/11/2025 03:59

I think it is Parkinson's.

Parkinsons isn't shaking or tremor really, it is periods of 'offs' where the body freezes . The person I cared for explained it a bit like how I would describe a hot flush, it started in his middle and radiated out.
When it was a bad freeze he could do nothing other than sit/lie in a frozen state until the drugs started working again (he was taking them 2 hourly in the end) diazapan helped.

When are you seeing the specialist team, and does that include a Parkinson's nurse?

Nsky62 · 02/11/2025 05:20

I have Parkinson’s , 63, 9 years in, i do at times get unrelated anxiety, things don’t improve, i ache for no reason too,.
Also i sweat at random times, over 40 symptoms to Parkinson’s, it’s a nasty journey, changes differently in every one who has it

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 02/11/2025 05:32

I’m sorry to hear this.

Grief can feel like intense fear. I think this is largely grief and anxiety related to her loss, not just of your Dad but her identity and sense of self.

So much has been/is being taken away from her. She must feel so alone and frightened. So much change for her (and you) must be traumatic to her mind and body.

I would keep reassuring her that she is safe. Say those words to her, “you’re safe mum”. I’d say move her in with you but I know that isn’t a sensible option.

Sending strength. She’s lucky she has someone like you to care for her. Make sure you look after yourself.x

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