Unsure

[Bryankleine]

Hello all.
I am new to this site, and seeking a little advise. I have been to a few neuros and none can be direct with their diagnosis. It has been about 16 months since I have been. One neuro sais I have ET ant two think I have PD. I have been having more trouble controling my muscles and I seem to get worse when I get stressed and physically work hard. It is becoming more difficult to sleep at night, I can not get comfortable. Hard to move aroung in bed. (Even bought the sleep number to see if it helps. Nope!) I have not taken any meds due to the fact I do not want to be a guinie pig, and I worry weather I am making a mistake by doing so. I can only afford Kaiser insurance and they cant seem to get on the same page. Seeing a specialist does not seem to be an option with them.
Any advice will be appreciated.

[Chicory]

If you are not feeling well and would like to feel better, I would try the meds that have been offered you. One way that Parkinson's is diagnosed is by seeing if you improve on a med that helps Parkinson's. I would go back to one of the neuros that said PD and see if he will prescribe a PD med such as Sinemet, Stalevo, or Mirapex. Not being able to turn over in bed is a symptom of PD. I went to some specialists who did not help me at all. I was having difficulty walking and using a cane and after I was prescribed Mirapex, I had a dramatic improvement. My neuro recently changed my med to Stalevo which does not bother my stomach as much.

[rd42]

My diagnosis staarted out as ET with two neuros. It wasn't until I went to a Movement Disorder Specialist, two of them, and my arm had stopped swinging, that they said it PD. It's been a year now, I'm not on any meds and symptoms are progressing.

Good luck and your not alone.

Robert

[Capri]

The general rule of thumb that neurologists use to determine if a patient has parkinson's is if they successfully respond to sinemet. When I was diagnosed, I coudn't straighten out my left arm, and I had tremors. IMMEDIATELY upon taking sinemet, the tremors stopped and my left arm swung naturally.

I wouldn't hesitate to try it: it will be a relief both for you to know what you have, and to get relief from your symptoms.

Good luck, and keep us posted~!

[Bryankleine]

Thanks for listening (reading). I am working on getting back to the neuro and we will see what they say. My wife is a pediatric nurse and has been supporting me through out this ordeal. I will let you all know what is happening. Once again thank you for your support.

[JoAnn]

Before you do anything else, make sure you have as much insurance as you can afford. Once the official diagnosis of Parkinsons is made, most insurance will no longer be available to you. This is especially true of long-term care insurance.