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Hilary.... Just be yourself, and be honest about your symptoms and feelings. It's likely you'll know more about PD than any SSA physician anyways, and it might not hurt to let 'em know you research daily on the Internet about the disease and anything relating to it. This can put you in a position where you're taken seriously, but if you don't stress that you must rest a lot while researching because of increasingly uncomfortable symptoms (I.e., back pain b, fingers stop working, etc..) it can be construed as you're actually having FUN (perish the thought!| surfin' the Net. I'd suggest if at all possible, you arrange to be VERY "off" while at the doctor's. It made a DRAMATIC difference in how the MD viewed me when I unintentionally went into a major off-time while he was doing an exam. This is NOT a time to be noble or saintly in attempting to appear "normal, so if you go off, just let 'er rip and GO with it --- be VERYoff!!! After all ... most SSA doctors would NEED something THAT obvious just to get their attention and make you stand out from the crowd. Also - should the SSA try to send you to an MD whose office is far away from your home you have a legal RIGHT to demand that SSA provide you with a MD that is closer to your home. Good luck, m'friend. I'm rooting for you! Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Hilary Blue <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thursday, August 12, 1999 11:42 AM Subject: SSI imterview >People of the List: >next week , on the 20th of Aug., I have an appointment with a State -appointed >doctor, to determine whether or not I am eligible for social security >disability benefits. Does anybody have any advice =- especially those of you >who have travelled this road. I can find nobody who has heard of this doctor, >don't even know if she is a neurologist, let alone a movement disorder >specialist. Any suggestions how i could obtain that information? ANy >suggestions for any specific preparatiions I should make. ANy ideas about >anything to help me over this hurdle? >THanks >HIlary Blue