[John shelmerdine]

I was diagnosed at 47 in 2016 having noticed a tremor whilst driving.

Having thought about possible triggers I can think of a few possibilities: cleaning typewriters with solvents whilst working for IBM at 18; cleaning car engine parts with Gunk engine cleaner; knocking myself out on the bathroom sink whilst suffering with flu at 28; being knocked unconscious when knocked off my bike at 32; working in IT for many years in very stressful environment; physically stressing myself whilst riding the pennine cycleway- I didn’t ride my bike for 3 months after this because I felt so exhausted. I was diagnosed the next year.

It could be any or all of these or probably something else. No one in my family has ever been diagnosed with PD. Just me.

[John shelmerdine]

Left arm tremor. Very slight when stressed. But on diagnosis discovered that loss of sense of smell 10 years earlier was first sign.