I just wanted to add to the observations on doctors and add what I know about hormones and PD.

I agree with what the others have said about doctors telling you that it is only an old person's disease. They are either ignorant to the point where they should not be practicing medicine or they are dodging you because they don't feel comfortable with making a more 'definitive diagnosis. In defense of doctors, it can be extremely difficult to diagnose PD very early on as it is entirely a clinical diagnosis.

Keep in mind that you must exhibit at least 2 of the four cardinal signs of PD which are tremor (usually at rest), bradykinesia, rigidity, and gait or balance problems. Given your symptom descriptions, I think it would be questionable for any doctor to unequivocally to tell you that it is PD. Many times you have to be monitored over the course of several years before other signs emerge. I only had a predominant tremor of my right hand and for five years was diagnosed with Essential Tremor which can be disabling in and of itself. Please see the Brain Explorer site for info on cardinal signs and diagnosis.

I also want to stress that PD for women can be quite different and even would go so far as to say we need more nuanced care and treatment. Estrogen is generally or friend and considered neuroprotective. Many women experience symptom exacerbation around the menstrual cycle. As estrogen levels rise, symptoms abate. When it drops, it gets ugly. It is also documented in case studies that women who have PD and experience pregnancy will note a worsening of symptoms when estrogen levels drop in the second and third trimesters (L M Shulman 2008) . I can vouch for this from my own experience; I was very mild symptomatically until my third trimester and exacerbated the PD-- post partum period brought further decline. I am sad to say that the change appears to be permanent. The most troubling thing for me is that my neuro never bothered to conduct a literature search and assured me that pregnancy would have no ill effect when she should have given me a more authentic "We do not know but based on small number of case reports, it doesn't look favorable." Needless to say, I now have a new neurologist.

So, I'd say that you really just have to hang in there and maybe read some of the MS board here (PD also does not usually have an oculomotor aspect). Maybe keep a diary or record of symptoms. Doctors only have so much to go on and in their defense it is difficult to diagnose movement disorders. Above all; however, it is important that you make sure your doctor has the integrity to be truthful even if just to say they do not know.

Best,

Laura