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@hopeful33250 I have had many symptoms over the years that progressively have gotten worse. The one that brought me to the doctors office recently was at the urging of my daughter because of my tremors, face hands, etc., and my poor balance issues. I fell in the tub last year. But I’ve had the no sense of smell, constipation, big time, memory issues, the inability to express myself the way I think in my head for it to come out my mouth that way. So cognitive issues. I also have Sjogren’s disease, diabetes, and a host of other elements. I live with chronic pain so those things I attributed to arthritis. I suffer from depression so many things that I’ve had over the last couple of decades, but they all were like they seemed to me to be not related at the time. I even said to my husband at one point if I die, please have an autopsy done so that you can know what did it because I’m convinced that it’s one thing and not all these different things and I believe they’re all connected. I thank you for any information that you provide. I know that you cant interpret testing or anything like that. But any insight that you can give to me I would appreciate. Thanks, Chris.

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Replies to "@hopeful33250 I have had many symptoms over the years that progressively have gotten worse. The one..."

@chrissymc

I am sorry ot hear of the many physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms you have experienced. You have mentioned a lot of chronic health issues, and I understand how the symptoms from each one can cause confusion when you are looking for a diagnosis and treatment.

Has your doctor contacted you yet about the results of DAT scan? This is an appropriate test to see if your brain is producing dopamine. I understand there is also a skin biopsy test that can detect PD. Not every doctor believes that it is an accurate test, though.

I was diagnosed a number of years ago, in a different way. The neurologist that I saw did other tests (MRI of the brain, EMG, etc.) to rule out other causes for my symptoms and then put me on a low dose of carbidopa/levodopa. When I started taking the meds, I had significant symptom relief. So, it was determined that I had PD. It is a rather unusual way to come about a diagnosis, but it did work well for me.

I look forward to hearing from you again as you search for a diagnosis and when you hear back about the results of the DAT scan.