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Yvonne, I am a psychiatrist with PD and both I and 2 neurologists who I had been seeing for symptoms missed the diagnosis for 1-2 years in me. PD is a difficult diagnosis to make prospectively and in any case it doesn't help to blame yourself. I think that making the diagnosis on the basis of mental symptoms alone is next to impossible. Depression is present in many illnesses in addition to PD. Also I doubt whether antidepressants aggravated her condition. What was she prescribed? Good luck on the diagnosis Charlie Feeling depressed ----- Original Message ----- From: "(Yvonne) (Webb)" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2000 11:15 AM Subject: help > i believe my mother has PD and at present we are waiting to see a specialist. > however, i feel devastated that i didn't pick it up earlier (my father and i > think now that she has had it for about five years). i am a psychologist and > when she started suffering from severe depresssion several years ago i > organised mental health services for her which have been totally unhelpful in > alleviating her condition. it was only when a few months ago that she started > walking oddly and began to stumble regularly that we realised something else > was wrong. even then i ignored it hoping it would go away. it seems her > antidepressants may have made things worse. > i feel powerless and terribly guilty and depressed. at the same time i feel > extremely worried about what she is going through and desperate to get the > diagnosis and some medication for her. > has anyone else missed the symptoms like this? i can't believe her GP and her > psychiatrist missed them too. i'd appreciate someone to talk to who has been > through a similar experience and am trying to find out about self-help and > support groups for my parents who both live in Leicester in England. > many thanks > Yvonne Webb