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Hi, Ron -- >Some patients exaggerate their symptoms., others minimize them. Some do both at >different times. Earlier in the course of my wife's PD, she put on a "really >good show" every time we would go to her neurologist. Perhaps your wife also grew up as I did with the strong taboo against "complaining". After five years of PD, and my showing my best side to my neurologist in the 30 minutes a year that I see her, I realized she will need much more information to know how to advise me at the inevitable point when the sinemet's effectiveness will someday fizzle. Other posts like yours on the net helped bring this home to me. I put out a request to the list asking how other people assembled information, and received a few responses, all of which were very helpful. This is the "protocol" that I used: For six fairly typical days, I kept records. On paper I charted weight, blood pressure, bowels, menstrual cycle, sleep, food, water, medications, and "alternative therapies" ( t'ai chi, power walks, singing). Then on a small tape recorder, I'd log in every hour or so to report very briefly on just three things: movement, pain and mood. Without even having to replay the tape, I started to recognize the patterns of twisting vs. freezing and the windows of time when moving is "normal". Just before meeting with my neurologist, I typed up a one-page profile of an "average" day. She seemed to appreciate it -- "you've saved me from asking all these questions" -- and included it in my file. I learned many things, especially the limits to stoicism! Mary Yost, 48, PD diag. '91, recovering workaholic, miles to go before I sleep at least til Udall passes [log in to unmask]