[QUOTE=OlliePop;1164380]I'm not sure how to describe this but I have become frustrated with Doctor's and I need a place to vent and discuss.

I went to see a new Neurologist at the U of Michigan medical center. My experience there was awful. The appt was at 845 but moved to 915. I saw the Doc at closer to 1100 and didn't get out of there until close to noon. The staff was friendly enough but you could tell they have had it from too many patients.

What bothered me the most was my this Doctor's attitude about pain. "Parkinson's doesn't directly cause pain but indirectly through muscle contraction, arthritis, etc"

The discharge paper included this; "sinemet will not improve the shoulder pain, as it is not related to PD, but may have initially been triggered by his initial muscle stiffness."

Although that statement might be true, I am dealing with this on a daily basis. It comes and goes, sure. I can get relief from sinemet, a warm shower, massage, cannabis, tramadol and even physical therapy. All provide varying degrees of pain relief but no more than a day. My belief is that I can't take enough sinemet to attack the muscle stiffness that I have and pain keeps returning.

But it's not just pain! I feel pain, stiffness, rigidity, a sense of gloom, apathy, etc. I get all of the above kind of at the same time. When I have stiffness.... IT IS PAINFUL! They all come together.. everyday. I get some relief from sinemet (about two hours). My tremors are completely gone fortunately all day with the exception of micro-tremors. I know that sinemet works for tremors but I feel it doesn't do much for muscle stiffness therefore I have pain.

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Ollie, I have similar symptoms of upper back/neck pain and stiffness. My MDS says it is directly attributable to the PD and possibly the development of some cervical dystonia (I already have foot dystonia). I think its sort of ridiculous to say that PD causes the muscle stiffness (which we know is fact) but it's the muscle stiffness that causes the pain. The cause and effect may be true, but for PWP, it's all tied together. I've tried all of the same remedies as you have, and they all work short term but then the symptoms return. I find qigong and tai chi work the best for me to stretch out the muscles. Try your best to make sure sitting, standing and walking posture are all upright (hunching over is the worst thing for the stiffness).

Your doctor is also wrong about the frozen shoulder as it is a known, and rather common, early symptom of PD. I have had it in both shoulders. Both healed over time but with some loss of motion.

You should consider speaking with another MDS.

Good luck,

Gary