‘I Was Diagnosed With Early-Onset Parkinson's at 37-This Was the First Symptom I Noticed'
If you were to envision someone with Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, you likely picture someone older, like Michael J. Fox or Harrison Ford's character on Apple TV+'s Shrinking.
Common symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement and balance problems. These symptoms typically start after age 60 and predominantly affect men.
Jessica Krauser, a mom of two living in Ohio, certainly didn't fit the stereotype of someone with Parkinson's disease. Young and healthy, she had a successful career as the head of marketing at a pharmaceutical company. But then, she started experiencing symptoms consistent with Parkinson's disease and was officially diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease at age 37.
Related: Michael J. Fox Says Parkinson's Could Be Eradicated Within 40 Years
Now, Krauser is devoting much of her time to spreading awareness about the disease through her podcast, "The Secret Life of Parkinson's," and her non-profit, Changing Parkinson's. Her goal is to help people living with the disease feel less alone, offer education and empower them to take control of their journey and live a full life.
Parade talked with Krauser about her health journey, including the very first symptom she noticed and the medical technology that has completely changed her life.
Related: The Surprising Sign You May Be At Risk for Parkinson's Disease
The First Symptom She Noticed
Krauser was 35 when she experienced her first symptom of early-onset Parkinson's disease. "The first noticeable symptom I recognized was a tremor in my hand," she tells Parade. She brought it up with her primary care physician, who told her to book an appointment with a neurologist if the tremor didn't go away. "I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that seems like a big deal for a little tremor,'" she explains.
Since the tremor was only mild, she didn't book an appointment right away. Instead, she kept living her normal life. A year later, she was training for a half-marathon and noticed pain in her foot and tightness in her calf. She figured it was related to her training.
But when she went to a gynecologist appointment later that year and couldn't stop shaking as her doctor tried to do an exam, her gynecologist asked her about her symptoms and then recommended that Krauser see a neurologist. This time, Krauser made the appointment.
Getting the Diagnosis
There is no single, definitive lab test for Parkinson's disease. Because of that, Krauser says the first step was ruling out other medical conditions through various lab tests, exams and imaging tests like MRIs. During this time, Krauser was also doing her own research to get to the bottom of what was causing her symptoms.
Two years after her initial symptoms began, Krauser's research led her to self-diagnose herself with early-onset Parkinson's disease, which the neurologist later confirmed. "When I got my diagnosis, I was relieved, because I now knew I wasn't crazy," she says.
A Life-Changing Operation
By this point, Krauser's symptoms were drastically impacting her life. Though her workplace was supportive of anything she needed, when she was 39, Krauser decided to step back to part-time work in a more supportive role. Presenting was a big part of her job, and many people who watched her present misinterpreted her tremors as nervousness. "I wasn't nervous. I had been doing this job for 20 years. It just looked like I was," she notes.
Krauser's doctor told her that exercising could help with her symptoms, so she started going to a local gym specifically for people with Parkinson's.
"I connected with the owner, who is just 10 years older than me, and she created this amazing community. I was nervous to see other people with Parkinson's, but it's not what you think. Everyone expects people with Parkinson's to be in wheelchairs or have walkers, but they were able-bodied people who could drive, do burpees and all these things," Krauser says. For her, finding this community was a key step into accepting she had Parkinson's and feeling empowered to start living her best life ever.
Working part-time gave Krauser more time to focus on her podcast, where she shares her personal journey with Parkinson's and interviews others. Her producer, who also has Parkinson's, suggested that Krauser interview his doctor at the Cleveland Clinic about adaptive deep brain stimulation (DBS), technology that uses electrodes to stimulate regions of the brain affected by Parkinson's.
Adaptive DBS is kind of like a pacemaker for the brain. It uses implanted electrodes to monitor the brain's electrical signals in real time and adjust its stimulation intensity to match one's current symptoms. It does this by sending electrical impulses to adjust abnormal brain activity, bringing more balance to the brain and body.
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After learning about adaptive DBS, Krauser scheduled an appointment with a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic to see if she was a fit for this new, promising treatment. Not everyone with Parkinson's disease is fit for adaptive DBS. Krauser says she had to have a series of appointments with various specialists to determine if it was something she could benefit from. For example, individuals with Parkinson's who aren't responding well to medication or who also have dementia are typically not a fit. Fortunately, Krauser was.
Adaptive DBS requires three brain surgeries. At Cleveland Clinic, these surgeries are each spaced out two weeks apart, but Krauser says that some places do all three surgeries the same day. During these surgeries (Krauser's took place last summer, when she was 43), a small hole is drilled into the brain and an electrode (a thin, insulated wire) is implanted into specific brain areas.
An insulated extension wire is placed under the skin and connects the brain to a battery pack near the collarbone. This battery pack is the DBS system's powerhouse and needs to be charged regularly by using a portable recharger that emits energy through the skin.
Recovery and Life Now
Krauser says the recovery from the surgeries was minimal. They didn't even give her a headache. What's more remarkable is how adaptive DBS has impacted her symptoms. Now, she doesn't have any tremors or other symptoms at all.
The battery pack has an on-off switch, and Krauser says that when it's turned off (or her battery pack is running low), her tremors start immediately. But as soon as she turns the switch on, they go away completely.
Even though adaptive DBS has relieved Krauser of her symptoms, she's chosen not to go back to her former job. Now at 44, she's committing her time to her podcast and her non-profit, Changing Parkinson's.
"I want people with Parkinson's to know the importance of finding community," Krauser says. "If anyone gets anything from my story, my podcast or Changing Parkinson's, I hope it's knowing that they are not alone. Being diagnosed with Parkinson's, you can feel like you're living on an island. It's important to find at least one other person who knows exactly how you are feeling. You are not alone."
Up Next:
Sources
- What is Parkinson's? Parkinson's Foundation.
- Parkinson's Disease. Cleveland Clinic.
- Trial: Adaptive DBS Is Tolerable, Effective and Safe. Cleveland Clinic.
- How Adaptive DBS Aims to Offer More Personalized and Effective Therapy. American Parkinson's Disease Association.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:50 PM.