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Bernard Joly wrote enquiring about my diagnosis... Bernard, Thanks for your helpful response. As to diagnosis - I've seen one Parkinson's specialist, who says he's 80% certain I have PD, and one Parkinson's nurse (highly experienced), who says she'd put it rather higher than that. But I'll take your advice, and seek another opinion. Funnily enough, the slight uncertainty is part of my own psychological armoury against PD: I have an inner determination to show these medical guys that they were wrong all along, and I think this helps me keep a fighting spirit. Intellectually I think I've accepted that they are probably right, but emotionally there's a stubborn part of me that wants to prove that they don't know what the hell they're talking about. ME?! HOW COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE PARKINSON'S? DON'T BE RIDICULOUS! I'LL SHOW YOU! A few months ago I was offered a PET scan (Positron emission tomography, with doped 18F DOPA), which is one of the only ways to get a positive diagnosis (and very expensive - but health care is free in the UK!). I declined, as the ray of hope that it's all a silly mistake helps keep me optimistic and carrying on doing things which as a confirmed Parkie I might think were beyond me. I'd be interested to know more about your own psychological techniques. Best wishes. Tim Sanderson ([log in to unmask])