Parkinson's Disease - Things to Consider

Being faced with the diagnosis of Parkinson's or any other disease is a frightening, but don't allow that initially felt fear, confusion, or even denial to cloud your judgment. Doctor's are great at diagnosing diseases, but they 100's of patients and together with all of the paperwork and insurance headache, they tend to not personally get involved with each patient. Meaning that you need to be the "captain of your own ship". You need to consider a number of things, such as: Finding the "right" doctor, or doctors, for you. Develop a team of doctors, therapist, etc., that you trust and enjoy speaking with. Join a support group near you and be on the look out for forums on the Internet where you can "chat" with others similarly affected so as to learn about solutions to problems and new treatments that you and your doctor may not be aware of. All of the questions and thoughts to consider here are for you to ask yourself, your doctor(s), and other Parkinson's patients who you get to know via support groups and/or Internet forums. * Why did I get this disease? Might have been a genetic predisposition for them to develop it or environmental factors that played a role, such as where they lived or elements of their workplace. Or were lifestyle choices such as diet, personal habits and/or exercise to blame? * What treatments are available? If the symptoms are mild some doctors may prescribe nothing more than change in diet or suggest including more exercise into the patient's day-to-day routine. For symptoms to are more severe the doctor may prescribe medication. Levadopa (Sinemet