Quote:
Originally Posted by Israel
New member. 
In early October I was diagnosed with Parkinsonism.
Last May/June I was able to hike/backpack five to ten miles with elevation gains as much as 1000 feet+. Today I can hardly walk two blocks.
Late August I had to take a medical leave of absence from job due to inability to carry out my duties. Subsequently job officially terminated. Unable to drive......
.....Symptoms:
l |
Israel,
I don’t want to alarm you, but I think you should ring a big bell and call for help and draw attention to your condition and challenge the medical profession to find out what is going on. The speed of onset you have suffered is spectacular. Who did the diagnosis? A real specialist? You need a very strong Second Opinion.
You live in Vermont?
Call Jean Baker at the American Parkinson Disease Association's Information and Referral Center, located at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. Jean is an experienced Registered Nurse, (American Neuroscience Nursing Association) who works hand in hand with the Vermont Chapter of the APDA: 802-847-3366, toll free 888-763-3366 or by email at
parkinsoninfo@vtmednet.org.
She is not a doctor but she is a specialised nurse with infinite front-line experience. The doctors take her calls, if they know what is good for them.
Lay it on thick and heavy; declare that you urgently need help – ask for help - that you have discussed this on-line with knowledgeable Parkinson’s people, and we are alarmed at the speed of the deterioration of your condition, and we want your individual case to get attention of the top experts. Forward this thread to her if you want, just do what you have to do to get the machinery of health care working.
This is not for a regular doctor or even a regular neurologist. You need an opinion from someone highly experienced – a movement disorder neuro specialist; with experience in dealing with unusual Parkinson’s; and who also could bring in a Lyme Disease specialist. (I agree with above posters that it sounds like Lyme Disease)
Tell Jean Baker that you were referred to her by Parkinson’s people at a major international Parkinson’s Forum; and we are requesting her assistance in getting top level treatment for you, as the complexity of your symptoms and especially the speed at which they are developing is causing us all alarm; you need more than the average “swallow some levodopa and come back in 4 months.” If this was “ordinary” Parkinson’s we would not be so insistent; what you have is moving fast in multiple directions.
But start by calling Jean Baker. They are open from 8 a.m. to noon weekdays.