Man instructed shakes have been brought on by ‘an excessive amount of tea’ recognized with Parkinson’s at 20
John Granahan was just 13 when he started to shake uncontrollably in his English class – he was later diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease at just 20-years-old
John Granahan, 54
A man who was told his shakes were due to drinking “too much tea” and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 20 has opened up about his battle with the disease.
John Granahan, 54, realised something was amiss from age 13, when he started shaking uncontrollably during an English lesson. He drank up to 10 cups of tea daily, so medics initially blamed his symptoms on his caffeine consumption.
The IT technician, from Leeds, eventually received his Parkinson’s diagnosis at 20 after consulting a private doctor – and was warned he’d require a wheelchair by 25.
Yet 40 years since his symptoms emerged, he still doesn’t need a wheelchair and has made modifications to enable him to lead a normal and rewarding life.
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative condition where parts of the brain become progressively damaged. Most individuals begin developing symptoms after turning 50.
John 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.
“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 home, shaking in the corner.
“Doctors told me I would be in a wheelchair by 25. I think the hardest part about living with Parkinson’s, is what people think of you. I’ve been turned away from pubs before because of the way I walk. People just assume I’m drunk.”
“People can’t believe that I’m 54 and I’ve had it 40 years. I’m still working, still driving, I’ve got a mortgage, a daughter, I’ve got all the same things as everybody else. I wish I didn’t have Parkinson’s, but it’s made me who I am, and I think it’s made me a better person.”
John initially became aware of Parkinson’s symptoms when he was 13-years-old. He recalls being in an English lesson at school and losing control of his leg, which began trembling violently. At first John dismissed his symptoms as nothing serious, but then he began to notice he was hunching over frequently and walking on the balls of his feet.
His tremors worsened, and at 18, he visited his GP. During the visit medics told him that he “drank too much tea” claiming the caffeine was causing his shaking.
He was prescribed beta blockers, but when his symptoms failed to improve, his father chose to utilise the private health insurance provided through his workplace to arrange testing for John, leading to a Parkinson’s diagnosis at just 20-years-old. Signs of Parkinson’s include uncontrollable trembling, muscle rigidity and sluggish movement.
John was relieved to finally receive a diagnosis which provided him with explanations, though medics warned him his condition would see him confined to a wheelchair by age 25. John said: “I told them ‘no I won’t.'”
While there’s no remedy for Parkinson’s, following his diagnosis John was prescribed various medications including amantadine to manage his symptoms, plus antidepressants.
John’s symptoms initially showed improvement thanks to the treatment but have fluctuated throughout his life. John said: “Parkinson’s is so unpredictable, you can be fine one minute and bad the next.”
Despite medical predictions, John has never required a wheelchair, and only occasionally uses a walking frame.
John has had to adjust to life with Parkinson’s – he operates hand controls while driving, as he cannot manage his legs. He added: “If I’m carrying a cup of tea I have to put a lid on it so it doesn’t spill. I just find ways around things, never give up, that’s my motto.”
Since 2016 John has been raising his daughter Olivia, 16, alone after her mother died. John revealed Olivia frets over him when he has to be admitted to hospital for treatment, but they are a “great team”, tackling challenges together.
In 2024 John underwent deep brain stimulation surgery, a procedure where a pulse generator is implanted under the skin and wired to the brain.
When activated, the pulse generator sends high-frequency stimulation to the targeted area, which can alleviate the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The treatment has been beneficial in managing John’s tremors, but it now impacts his balance, leading to frequent falls.
John has recently begun attending a boxercise class designed for individuals with Parkinson’s and believes sharing his experience of living with the condition for such a long time serves as an inspiration to others battling the same.
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