The Chase star Paul Sinha has opened up about the early symptoms he experienced before learning that he had Parkinson's disease. The 54-year-old brainiac, who was diagnosed with the condition in May 2019, has been candid about his journey and struggles in his new memoir titled One Sinha Lifetime: Comedy, disaster and one man's quest for happiness.
In the book, Paul recalls an incident of urinary incontinence and a stiff shoulder, which he initially brushed off as minor issues. With the former, he believed this occurred after a few drinks with his now-husband Oliver Levy, recalling of the moment: "It never crossed my mind that this was anything other than a drunken misjudgement."
Reflecting on it now, he recognises it as a possible early warning sign of the condition, adding: "This was probably the first indication that there was something seriously wrong with my health."
Paul said that due to being one of the "healthiest" among his family, and having a deep fear of injections, he delayed seeking medical advice, reports the Express.
"I had any number of reasons not to seek medical help," he admits. "I assumed that I'd simply sprained my shoulder during sleep. If I just bide my time, the stiffness will disappear, was my homespun self-diagnosis."
However, the situation didn't improve, and after his symptoms started to worry his parents, Paul eventually visited a doctor months later.
In an emotional revelation back in 2019, the quizmaster shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
He penned in his blog: "On the evening of Thursday May 30th, an experienced consultant neurologist calmly informed me that I had Parkinson's disease."
Detailing his health journey, he wrote about the initial symptoms and subsequent health challenges, adding: "It was a devastating denouement to a medical odyssey that began in September 2017 with a sudden-onset, frozen right shoulder, and took in an unexpected diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle transformation that enabled me to lose two stone, and a shoulder operation in January this year."
He also said that "behind the facade of the cheerful, late night comedy festival drunk was a man deeply scared about facing the truth when back in the UK".
With a treatment plan in place, Paul said he was "more prepared for the new challenges ahead".
The NHS says Parkinson's disease is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system.
Symptoms can include involuntary shaking, slow movement, and stiff muscles.
While he's been open about his progress, The Chase says he doesn't want the disease to be his defining feature.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: "I'm trying to prove to the world that Parkinson's doesn't have to be the end of somebody's story, that you can carry on doing the things you love. The important thing is to not let it define you."
"I feel that I've shown in the past three or four years that you can do it whilst having Parkinson's. There's no limit to what you feel you're able to do."