Debbie,

I think I can at least partially answer your question.  When trying to make a
diagnosis a physician is considering many different alternatives,  For instance
I went over a year undiagnosed.  There were a number of things I could have
had.  At 44 the incidence of PD is pretty small and it is not the first thing to
pop into a physicians mind.  I can look back now and say of course it was PD.
How could she have missed it? The problem is it is easy to come to that
conclusion with 20/20 hindsight. It also is easy to come to that conclusion when
you have the illness.  You are aware of the symptoms. As a layman your mind
isn't cluttered with the alternative diagnoses. As a physician with PD,  I
overdiagnosed it because of my hyperawareness of the symptoms and sent several
people to neurologists on whom I though I was making a diagnostic coup only to
find out that I was wrong.

I am not making excuses for MD ignorance of the clinical picture,  I just want
to make it clear that it is much easier for a PWP to make the diagnosis in a
friend than it is for a physician. You also have the luxury of being able to be
wrong without disrupting a patient's life.

Also since PD is a disease which is diagnosed by clinical rather than lab
studies it is useful to have several points in time seeing a patients symptoms
change.

It ain't as easy as it seems!

Charlie

Debbie White wrote:
>
> What I find astounding about these stories is that it only took me maybe
> 1/2 day to get caught up on the basics of PD and the prognosis. How is it
> that a neuro could be so off?
>
> Debbie White
> [log in to unmask]
>
> > >
> > When my wife finally figured out that I had PD we went to my GP and
> > told him. It took months to be referred to a neuro, have an MRI (and
> > other tests) and finally be told that I had Parkinson's.  The neuro
> > was cold and distant and expanded that there was no cure, that PD is
> > progressive, that I should prepare to quit my job, get a house that
> > is wheel chair accessible, prepare to surrender my drivers license,
> > etc.  I left, prescriptions in hand, speechless and in a daze.  He
> > told me nothing about Parkinson's; nothing about the Parkinson's
> > organizations, nothing about the movement disorder clinic and the
> > fine research group located right in our own city, and did not give
> > any written pamphlet or information.  I am still astounded that this
> > type of treatment can and does take place.  I don't know how to teach
> > neuros sensitivity but I do know how to change doctors!
> >
> > Certainly a few select pamphlets are in order!
> >
> > I changed neuros and discovered all the info available on my own
> > starting with the local library which led to the National Parkinson
> > Foundation and to Dr. Calne's group and on and on until I found this
> > wonderful "List".
> >
> > I still live in the same house, drive, work, travel etc. the same as
> > when I had undiagnosed symptoms.  I am on medication now also.
> >
> > Good health.................Murray  53/4
> >   (symptoms for many years before)
> >  .
> > [log in to unmask]

--

CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D.
Middleton, WI
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