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My mother is in the hospital and just received a firm diagnosis of Parkinson's and they just put her on sinemet?. She refused to see doctor's most of the time and the few times she did go they would say that it looked like she had PD but that they needed to follow her for a while to make sure. She has tremors that started in one hand and then went on to her legs. She walks with short shuffling steps and says that sometimes it feels like her feet are glued to the floor. It is very difficult for her to get up out of a chair. She also has severe arthritis in her spine as well as osteoporosis. Her tremors started about 4 years ago, but she had a lot of muscle weakness and fatigue for about 16 years prior to the tremors. She had a frozen shoulder about 20 years ago. This was followed by a lot of fatigue and muscle weakness, gastro paresis(the muscles in her stomach weren't working properly), bladder problems, and various other complaints. Could all of these muscle problems and weakness been the early stages of PD even though the tremors didn't start until much later. I am very concerned because I have been suffering from muscle fatigue and weakness for many years myself. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 10 years ago. I especially have trouble with the right side of my body. I get spasms in my right shoulder that affect my right arm and hand and my right leg gets very stiff and I find myself dragging my foot on that side. I cannot walk very far without running out of steam and then my movements become very slow and stiff and my arms don't swing when I walk unless I make them swing. Then I have to sit down and wait until I regain some steam. I do not have tremors at this time. Is PD hereditary? Can it start with exhausion and muscle problems before the tremors begin? I have read before about a possible connection between PD and pesticides/herbicides. When I was little we had a farmer's field directly behind our house and we had well water with the well being right on the very edge of the farmer's field. Could this cause PD? Please excuse the length of this post but I am very concerned and upset right now. Thanks for listening and I would appreciate any response. Kathy