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Living with Parkinson's Disease - Meet others & come say hi
Parkinson's Disease | Last Active: Dec 7 2:32pm | Replies (532)Comment receiving replies
Yes, it comes as a shock to PD patients to find that they must be their own advocates. Not all of us are temperamentally suited to stare down the doctor as he's about to bolt for his next patient to ask about recommendations for exercise, or PT, or speech therapy. But you should. Britain's National Health Service by comparison encourages an immediate team approach to PD care. Collegiality best benefits the patient. (cf. NICE Guidelines)
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@anna1060
So very true. Not everyone can address doctors in a straightforward manner. I think the reasons for this are many. We are used to thinking that doctors know everything and we just need to look to them to give us all the answers. For many of us, being our own advocate is a foreign idea. It is so necessary, though.
Regular exercise, speech therapy and support groups are all important adjuncts to PD treatment. Medicines are only one part of the picture, although they are very important. If you miss out on the exercise and physical therapy you have lost a very important component to your PD treatment.