Dads Parkinsons symptoms dismissed as drinking too much tea before shocking diagnosis

A UK dad who was told his shakes as a teenager were due to “drinking too much tea” was diagnosed with Parkinson’s aged 20 — and is still without a wheelchair 40 years on from his initial symptoms.John Granahan, 54, knew something was wrong from age 13, after he began shaking uncontrollably in his English class.He drank up to 10 cups of tea a day so doctors initially dismissed his symptoms as being due to his caffeine intake.The IT technician, from Leeds, was finally diagnosed with Parkinson’s aged 20 after going to a private doctor — and was told he’d be in a wheelchair by age 25.But 40 years after his symptoms arose, he still doesn’t need a wheelchair and hasn’t let his diagnosis stop him.He has made adaptions, such as controlling his car with his hands, to allow him to live a normal and fulfilling life.Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition in which parts of the brain gradually become damaged.Most people start to develop symptoms when they are over 50.John, who first told his story to Talk to the Press, said: “I first noticed my symptoms when I was 13.”“I’ll never forget it, I was in an English class, and my leg just wouldn’t stop shaking.”“I knew it wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what it was.” Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

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Never miss a story.“Doctors told me I drank too much tea.”“The day I finally got diagnosed was the happiest day of my life, as weird as it sounds.”“When I didn’t know what was wrong, everything was going through my mind.”“There was a lad in hospital with me who was 12 and had a stroke and died, so Parkinson’s didn’t seem that bad in the grand scheme of things.”“I didn’t have a clue about Parkinson’s.

In my mind, even now, it makes me think about an old person in an old people’s ...