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Rick, Welcome. I am sorry that you are having PD symptoms and need to join the list but I am glad you found us. I am not familiar with the statistics that your neurologist quoted and I think barring other obvious causes like a side effect of certain psychiatric medications the likelihood of the symptoms that you list being PD is high. There are some PD lookalikes but they tend to be relatively rare (+usually more severe and less treatable than PD. There are other medications available which can forestall the need for Sinemet. Where are you located? I usually suggest that people who are seeing a general neurologist at least have a consultation with a subspecialist in movement disorders. People on he list can direct you to competent doctors in your area. The treatment of PD is changing so rapidly that often non-pd specialists cannot keep-up with the PD info and all the other things they are expected to treat. Again, welcome Good luck Charlie Rick Hermann wrote: > > Hi everyone. > > I've been reading now for several weeks while I have been trying to get a > diagnosis from my neuruologist, who has been calling my condition > parkinsonism--right hand resting tremor and rigidity/slowness of movement, > weird feeling of having to consciously move my legs to maintain a normal > gait, poor balance (no falls), problems with complex mental stuff, like > project planning at work, intermittent depression (although on 40mg Paxil). > Yesterday the neuro started me on Sinemet 50/200 to see what the response > would be; I my first dose this morning, but so far nothing noticeable. > > I guess I'm in my being scared mode today.My symptoms have been coming on > for about 3 years now, very slow progression, so neuro is not saying > "Parkinson's Disease" but Parkinsonism. Parkinson's disease, he says, > progresses rapidly and becomes bilateral quickly. Also says that only1/200 > of people with parkinsonism have true Parkinson's Disease, and that > parkinsonism can have a number of causes and is mimicked by other > neurodegenerative diseases. So I'm confused today too. > > And concerned about whether the meds will help. I've let go of what seems > to me like a lot over the last 3 years--guitar playing, my ability to smell > things, handwriting... And I know that many have let go of a lot more. But > I grieve this loss and am desperate to hang on to the many things I still > have that bring joy. > > Being at work semifunctional is very isolating. I'd like to join in with > this cybergroup, get and hopefully give support. Am I in the right place, > even with a somewhat inconclusive diagnosis? > > I like what Don said earlier today: about "only" having PD. What a great > perspective. > > Best to all, > > Rick > [log in to unmask] -- CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D. Middleton, WI [log in to unmask]