Carly Simon, 83, Reveals Her Sneaky Early Parkinson’s Symptoms That Mimic Arthritis
Learn the red flags to watch for and why women still face treatment gaps
Key Takeaways
- Carly Simon says joint pain, stiffness and walking changes came years before her diagnosis.
- Parkinson's symptoms in women are often mistaken for menopause, arthritis or normal aging.
- Recognizing subtle early signs can lead to earlier treatment and better quality of life.
After seven years out of the spotlight, Carly Simon is opening up about her health—and her story will feel familiar to so many women. The 83-year-old singer-songwriter behind You’re So Vain and Anticipation revealed on July 27 that she has been living with Parkinson’s disease. Here we share everything you need to know about Carly Simon’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, including the early warning signs women should never ignore.
Carly Simon’s early Parkinson’s disease symptoms
“So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,” Simon shared in a statement, according to Us Weekly.
Ger Parkinson’s journey started with something countless women 50 and older know well: joint pain. “The problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip. I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic,” she said.
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Even after three replacement surgeries, walking kept getting harder. “I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy,” she said. “Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.”
Eventually, Simon couldn’t walk without significant help. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, she received her Parkinson’s diagnosis and began medication to help with stiffness and other symptoms.
The Parkinson’s symptom that surprised Carly Simon most
Simon wants women to know Parkinson’s is about far more than tremors. “Parkinson’s is usually associated with movement, tremors and balance, but it can affect much more than the body. It can bring anxiety, depression, exhaustion and apathy. The apathy is particularly strange,” she revealed.
“You can find yourself lying there like a starfish drying in the sun, arms pointing in all directions, while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, write, sing, call someone or do much of anything at all.” She added: “It is not simply sadness or laziness. It is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life has temporarily misplaced the guest list.”
A second diagnosis—basal cell carcinoma on her face—followed. “The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public,” she said, noting the irony for the woman who wrote You’re So Vain.
Through all of it, Simon started recording Comes in Waves, her first original full-length album since 2008. “Music has always known when to arrive. It has rescued me more times [than] I can count.”
Early Parkinson’s signs every woman should know
Simon’s story is a powerful reminder: Parkinson’s often shows up differently in women, and the earliest symptoms are easy to mistake for menopause or normal aging. About 1 in 100 women will develop Parkinson’s in her lifetime, reveals Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN, chief medical officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Watch for these early warning signs:
- REM sleep behavior disorder—acting out dreams, sometimes years before other symptoms
- Constipation not related to diet or medication
- Anxiety or depression, often blamed on menopause mood shifts
- Slowness of movement or a noticeable change in walking pace
- Muscle stiffness, especially in the limbs, sometimes mistaken for arthritis
- Smaller, more cramped handwriting (called micrographia)
- Loss of smell not caused by a cold
- A resting tremor on one side—in a finger, thumb, hand or chin
- A soft or low voice, or reduced facial expressions
- Stooping or leaning when standing
Women also tend to develop tremors later than men and experience more mood symptoms, neurologist Meredith Bock, MD, explains. If you notice more than one of these signs, talk to your doctor about getting a full evaluation.
Why women face treatment gaps
Women often experience diagnostic delays because early symptoms get misattributed to menopause or arthritis. They’re also less likely to be referred for advanced therapies like deep brain stimulation—and less likely to have the surgery even when approved. Early diagnosis and personalized care can make a meaningful difference in quality of life.
Carly Simon is still here, still creating
Despite her symptoms and Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Simon is still pushing forward. “It is difficult, frustrating and sometimes frightening. I am still learning how to live with it,” she revealed. But she isn’t done, either. “I am still writing, singing, imagining, laughing, worrying, remembering and occasionally getting trapped in an overstuffed chair… But I am still very much here.”
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