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Debbie, I think I can at least partially answer your question. When trying to make a diagnosis a physician is considering many different alternatives, For instance I went over a year undiagnosed. There were a number of things I could have had. At 44 the incidence of PD is pretty small and it is not the first thing to pop into a physicians mind. I can look back now and say of course it was PD. How could she have missed it? The problem is it is easy to come to that conclusion with 20/20 hindsight. It also is easy to come to that conclusion when you have the illness. You are aware of the symptoms. As a layman your mind isn't cluttered with the alternative diagnoses. As a physician with PD, I overdiagnosed it because of my hyperawareness of the symptoms and sent several people to neurologists on whom I though I was making a diagnostic coup only to find out that I was wrong. I am not making excuses for MD ignorance of the clinical picture, I just want to make it clear that it is much easier for a PWP to make the diagnosis in a friend than it is for a physician. You also have the luxury of being able to be wrong without disrupting a patient's life. Also since PD is a disease which is diagnosed by clinical rather than lab studies it is useful to have several points in time seeing a patients symptoms change. It ain't as easy as it seems! Charlie Debbie White wrote: > > What I find astounding about these stories is that it only took me maybe > 1/2 day to get caught up on the basics of PD and the prognosis. How is it > that a neuro could be so off? > > Debbie White > [log in to unmask] > > > > > > When my wife finally figured out that I had PD we went to my GP and > > told him. It took months to be referred to a neuro, have an MRI (and > > other tests) and finally be told that I had Parkinson's. The neuro > > was cold and distant and expanded that there was no cure, that PD is > > progressive, that I should prepare to quit my job, get a house that > > is wheel chair accessible, prepare to surrender my drivers license, > > etc. I left, prescriptions in hand, speechless and in a daze. He > > told me nothing about Parkinson's; nothing about the Parkinson's > > organizations, nothing about the movement disorder clinic and the > > fine research group located right in our own city, and did not give > > any written pamphlet or information. I am still astounded that this > > type of treatment can and does take place. I don't know how to teach > > neuros sensitivity but I do know how to change doctors! > > > > Certainly a few select pamphlets are in order! > > > > I changed neuros and discovered all the info available on my own > > starting with the local library which led to the National Parkinson > > Foundation and to Dr. Calne's group and on and on until I found this > > wonderful "List". > > > > I still live in the same house, drive, work, travel etc. the same as > > when I had undiagnosed symptoms. I am on medication now also. > > > > Good health.................Murray 53/4 > > (symptoms for many years before) > > . > > [log in to unmask] -- CHARLES T. MEYER, M.D. Middleton, WI [log in to unmask]