Men and women are different down to the cellular levels; we’re different across all our organs from our brains to our hearts, our lungs, our joints. So it’s no surprise men and women show different symptoms with Parkinson’s Disease. We’re now ready for our last installment in our series. If you missed parts 1 and 2, catch up. And here we go with the last 3 things women with Parkinson’s may not know.
Women with PD cope differently.
Women with PD tend to experience a higher rate of depression and experience symptoms of fatigue, sleeplessness, pain, and anxiety. Women with PD, therefore, are prescribed antidepressant medication more often. Men tend to have more behavioral problems and aggression, such as wandering and inappropriate or abusive behavior, and therefore, are more likely to receive antipsychotic medications to treat this behavior.
Women need support.
Women are often the “tent poles” of the family. If a family member falls ill, a woman is likely to become the primary caregiver which includes their children, sick and aging parents, and spouses. What if a woman herself gets sick? When it comes to medical care, women are 22% less likely to see a neurologist than men with PD. As a result, women may suffer more because seeing a neurologist can significantly improve care.
Many women with PD have supportive partners, but studies across other diseases indicate that women who become ill may need to be their own health advocate. A recent study completed by Amelia Karraker, Ph.D., and Kenzie Latham, Ph.D., found divorce among older couples rises when the wife — but not the husband — becomes ill.
Gentlemen, this means support your female partner! Ladies, you may think it’s selfish, but get the help you need. It’s important to make sure women get the support they need including encouragement from their doctors to seek a healthcare team which includes specific exercise programs, community and psychological support. Dr. Paula A. Johnson, a Harvard Medical School professor, advocate for women’s health and president of Wellesley College, suggests to women to ask your doctor, “Is this disease or treatment different in women?” If you ask the question, your doctor will very likely go looking for the answer.
To recap here are the 7 things women with Parkinson’s Disease may not know about:
- PD is less common in women.
- Women have different symptoms.
- Women experience loss of interpreting emotion.
- There are sleep differences.
- Estrogen provides protection.
- Women with PD cope differently.
- Women need support.
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