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Hello Again Julian & Emily and A Good Day to All, Paul, Juanita and others have advised you seek out a Neuro who is a Movement Disorder Specialist... I too recommend people with Parkinson's attend a Movement Disorder Center and see a Movement Disorder Specialist... preferably one with a primary focus on Parkinson's... I was misdiagnosed about 3 - 4 years after first symptoms and thought I was early stages of MS but that was later ruled out and I went several more years until symptoms progressed to the point my wife and a dance instructor decided I had Parkinson's. I went to a neurologist and he took months to confirm. Then I switched neuros and went to a Parkinson Specialist at a Movement Disorder Centre and he confirmed Parkinson's in minutes. A Parkinson's Specialist = MDS = Movement Disorder Specialist... Say What???? Who are these people, what do they do, and where do you find them???? A MOVEMENT DISORDER SPECIALIST ... essentially this is a Neurologist who specializes in one or more movement disorders... and in our case... Parkinson's! They may have private practices but, in larger centres, are often associated with MOVEMENT DISORDER CENTERS... Here is *text* I yanked offa the WWWeb... re: Movement Disorder Centers... The Clinic's mission is to offer optimal treatment to those suffering from movement disorders, with the help of a multidisciplinary team composed of a neurologist, two nurses and a neuropsychologist. Movement disorders encountered at the Clinic include Parkinson's disease, etc. Close collaboration with other health professionals such as a neurosurgeon, a brain imaging specialist and a psychiatrist has made possible a more effective multidisciplinary approach. We also work with occupational and physiotherapists, social workers, psychologists, urologists, dieticians, exercise and support groups, and the private and public CLSCs) home care sectors. These services may be available to clients upon referral by the neurologist. http://www.mcgill.ca/mcsa/clinic_dis.htm I was unaware that there were Movement Disorder Centers and Movement Disorder Specialists until Parkinson's came to my house... My neuro... (Movement Disorder Center at UBC) http://www.cmdg.org/list__of_members/Stoessl/stoessl.htm Now... Where do YOU find a Movement Disorder Centre? The Canadian Movement Disorder Group Is an affiliate group of the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences (CCNS) This site is a starting point for people with movement disorders and their care-givers to access information about different movement disorders. It also provides information about national and regional resources. http://www.cmdg.org/ One of the best in Toronto is Dr. Anthony E. Lang. He is internationally-respected both for his clinical care of patients as well as his research. He can be reached at: Toronto Western Hospital Division of Neurology 399 Bathurst Street Eleventh Floor Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8 (416) 603-6422 Check this webpage and you will see that Dr. Lang has many team members looking after patient needs. http://www.cmdg.org/list__of_members/Lang/lang.htm Dr. Andres M. Lozano is a highly respected neurosurgeon http://www.cmdg.org/list__of_members/Lozano/lozano.htm This list is a fabulous resource and we're here to support each other. Another very helpful and informative group are the Parkinson's Foundations. Canada? Check with Parkinson's Society Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/ Ontario? Check the Ontario Regional Offices Central & Northern Ontario Region Parkinson Society Canada 4211 Yonge Street Suite 316 Toronto, ON M2P 2A9 Ph: (416) 227-9700 Ph: (800) 565-3000 -Toll Free National Fx: (416) 227-9600 Contact: Alywn Robertson Executive Director Email: [log in to unmask] South Western Ontario Region Parkinson Society Canada Meadowbrook Business Park London, ON N6L 1G5 Ph: (519) 652-9437 Ph: (888) 851-7376 – Ontario only Fx: (519) 652-9267 Contact: Carolyn Conners Executive Director Email: [log in to unmask] Ontario Regional Partner Parkinson’s Society of Ottawa-Carleton 1053 Carling Avenue Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9 (613) 722-9238 phone (613) 722-3241 fax Contact: Ruth Vant Email: [log in to unmask] web page: http://www.parkinsons.ca For all my friends in the U.S. The National Parkinson's Foundation http://www.parkinson.org/ Parkinson's Disease Foundation Inc. http://www.pdf.org/index.cfm Information & Referral Centers & Services Locations http://www.apdaparkinson.com/ictr3.htm The APDA and SmithKline Beecham have established SB CareLink, a toll-free hotline that connects you to the closest Information and Referral Center to you. Call 888-400-2732. Choosing a doctor? Make an Informed choice... (AMA) In addition to putting out a list of "Top Doctors," the Center for Study of Services is advising patients to take the following steps when choosing their physicians: * Select a primary care doctor to coordinate your care. * Give preference to board-certified doctors. * Check on doctors' credentials through the Web sites of the AMA or the American Board of Medical Specialties. * Try to choose a doctor who has teaching responsibilities at a hospital. * Choose a doctor who has admitting privileges at high-quality hospitals. * Consider selecting a doctor who practices in a group. * Ask about a doctor's policies on giving advice by telephone. http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_99/prfa1115.htm Newly Diagnosed With PD? (UK) http://spring.parkinsons.org.uk/spnewly.htm Newly Diagnosed (Canada) http://www.parkinson.ca/pd/nd.html And here's what to expect from your movement disorder specialist. Basic Clinical Skills - The Neurologic Examination (scroll through to see what the neuro is doing...) http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/bcs/clist/neuro.html The Complete Neurological Examination http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/neuro/neuroexam/neuroexm.html How to be a Power Patient at Next Doctor Visit http://www.seniorworld.com/articles/a19990719090701.html Key Questions Checklist http://www.peiapathways.com/lvminter/selfcare/keyquest.htm Questions to Ask About Medications http://www.peiapathways.com/lvminter/selfcare/question.htm You will probably find it very beneficial to change your lifestyle to include routine stretching and exercise. If you attend a Movement Disorder Specialist there will likely be team members who are physiotherapists. At the very least they will be able to refer you to someone schooled in Exercise Therapy as related to the Parkinson's patient. I'm runnin' off at the mouth like a "soup sandwich".... The foregoing should be a pretty good start... Cheers ....... murray * * * [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn