Imad,

Just like we have a chemical imbalance, so does your neurologist have a profound imbalance in the essential traits of what makes a good doctor. Doctors need to be attuned to working with people; they need compassion and good listening ability - what is commonly called "emotional intelligence". I don't care if she aced her organic chemistry classes, practicing good medicine is bot an art and science. So her lack of interpersonal skill is right up there with our lack of dopamine-- too bad no amount of levodopa in the world can begin to touch her deficit.

First, I always thought it was the neurologist's goal find a balance for you between putting you on the least amount of meds possible and ensuring that you are mostly functioning or "on" each day. Where in the world does she come up with 900 mg? Did you ask her? Not in a way to sound challenging, but out of genuine curiosity. Maybe she has a very legitimate rationale. What I do not understand is this antiquated approach of not explaining thoughts or reasons or anything to the patient who then has to live with this decision.

Clearly she has not even considered your concerns or wishes. In my mind, a good doctor would have then tried to talk with you about these concerns and factored them into a prescription that is appropriate for you as a person not as a textbook caricature of PD. Worse, Imad she has belittled you in the sense that you feel you challenged her or were out of line with your concerns. She, in essence, took away any locus of control you may feel you still have in dealing with a chronic illness...unconscionable, in my book. If a doctor can't handle these subtleties or have any remote insight into what we must face every day not to mention an ounce of compassion...well frankly they should never work with anything that doesn't have a tail and a twitchy nose.

I would encourage every one to start taking advantage of the Web. There are many rate your doctor sites out there...Health Grades or Vitals - I plan to start using them; doctors really need to learn a little accountability. If they want to research they should stick to the lab setting. Our med schools really need to revamp their programs and even begin to require that med students in essence be tracked by considering that emotional intelligence or interpersonal skill is of equal weight of mastering a subject area.

My "expert" opinion as a lowly patient,

Laura