So I’ve been diagnosed… DAT scan confirms PD

Hello @seand and welcome to the PD support group on Mayo Clinic Connect. It is great that you are looking for information before your first appointment. I would encourage you to learn as much as you can about PD. One of the best resources I have found for reliable information is the Davis Phinney Foundation website. On the website, you can view educational videos featuring movement disorder specialists discussing PD, as well as patients. I think you will learn a lot by browsing the website and watching many of the videos.

From a patient's perspective, I would make a list of the neurological symptoms you are experiencing and how long you have had them. You might also list the symptoms you have, along with when these symptoms are the worst. For example, my symptoms were balance problems, gait difficulties, and soft speech. I would experience these symptoms when I was tired, generally around 3 p.m., my walking would become unsteady, and I would swerve rather than walk straight. My fine motor skills were always worse later in the afternoon as well. Also, let your doctor know if your symptoms are generally on one side of your body or both. Mine were predominantly right-sided to begin with. If you have problems with speech or swallowing, these are important to mention as well.

Any and all information about your symptoms will help your doctor understand where you are at present and determine the best possible treatment. While I see that you say you are active, you should consider asking about physical therapy, specific to PD. It is different than endurance training/exercise. LSVT is the most common form of physical therapy. There is LSVT Loud for speech problems and LSVT Big for movement.

Here is a link to a Mayo Connect discussion group on Keys to a Successful Doctor's Appointment:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/keys-to-a-successful-doctors-appointment/
After looking at the Davis Phinney Foundation website and listing all of your symptoms, questions, and concerns, you should be ready for an appointment that will help your doctor provide the best treatment possible.

If you have any other questions or concerns, will you please post them?

Best advice, keep exercising. My wife was diagnosed 16 years ago and is doing well, cycling, hiking walking and teaching yoga. I was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago and like you have a hand tremors and fine motor issues. Medicine helps but I believe exercise is just as important. We ride a tandem which forces my wife to maintain a cadence. She walks to music with a certain tempo similar to the cycling cadence. Yoga helps to keep the body loose and flexible and certain hand exercises help with fine motor issues. Occupational therapy may also be helpful.
Stay optimistic, you have many good years ahead if you are willing to work at it. Best wishes.

Here are some things I have learned.
You may have to work your way through trial and error on different medications. Some may have side effects that are hard to live with. A Parkinson's specialist (movement disorder specialist) is needed, and one who will listen to your concerns and be flexible in approach.
The medical system you are in should know about physical therapy that is specifically aimed at Parkinson's symptoms, such as LSVT and "BIG" therapy. The PT helps as much or more than many drugs.
There are also many youtubes showing various exercises, I like "Power for parkinsons"
If you are not in a MDS environment that is working to hold down your symptoms, and can hook you up with as much in person PT as insurance will pay for, it would be time to find a different provider.
My 2 cents.
And all the best, our thoughts are with you.

Welcome to our increasingly less exclusive club. This disease seems to be affecting more and more people every day. This support group is a very good place to throw out questions and get diferent perspectives on things you can do to hellp mitigate the impact that the brash Mr. Parkinson has the temerity to visit upon you. From what I can tell, everyone with Parkinsons has a unique set of symptoms and challenges. It's not a one-size-fits-all but rather a a cafeteria style set of symptoms and efficicy of remedies. You have one thing that will help you immensely - your physical activity, which is one key factor that will help you hold your own as you wrestle with the challenges Mr. P will be giving you. I'm sorry you have to wait such a long time to see a doctor. It was a good idea to reach out to the support group to help you get a better understanding of this new world you've stepped into and get some tips on homework to prepare for your doctor visit. There are some things that I do to try to make sure that I get the most out of my appointments with my neurologist. This is particiularly important given the increasing shortage of health care professionals that seems to be affecting many countries. I prepare for my appoinment just like I would prepare for a meeting. I have a notebook where I track any symptoms expecially after I've been given a new prescription so I can identify side effects or whether it makes things better or not. I also prepare a list of my prescriptions and do an inventory so I know what prescriptions I'll need to have refilled. In Germany (where I live) you are typically given a prescripttion for 3 months supply. Then you need a new prescription (compared to the US where, if you're taking something forever - like thyroid meds, your prescription states how many times it can be refilled (12)and you only need a new Rx after 12 months) I note any questions I may have, any new symptoms. etc .Then before my appointment I put together a monthly report and e-mail it to my doctor a day before my appointment so if there's anything she needs to ponder she has a heads-up. I also try to keep her informed of any new meds that other doctors may have given me (from specialists such as my allergist, or from my Primarey Care physicialn- for thyroid, hig blood pressure, high chloresterol, etc) in case there may be some drug interactions with the meds she gives me or in case some of any new symptoms might have anything to do with a change in these other Rxs. I also include information on such things as whether the Rx for whatever she gave me last month has been useful. It is especially helpful to do that now because I am experiencing some cognitive isssues that have a less than desirable impact on my short term memory and things that I used to be able to keep in my head just slide out of my head and go down the nearest drainhole to oblilvion and I don't remember to tell her about things or ask my questions. It will take a while for you and your doctor to sort out how to manage your symptoms, so just be prepared for it to take a while before you find the right combination of whatevers to manage your PD. and a little stray thing - some vitamins and supplements may adversely affect the the efficacy of some PD meds, so be careful not take anything like that without checking with your doctor first. In one case, a woman's husvband tried to help her because her PD meds didn't seem to be working and kept increasinsg her dosage of som B vitamins. Concurrently, the doctor kept increasing the dosage of her l-dop med and her husband kept upping the Vitamin B . We typically don't think to tell a d octor what viamins we take and they don't routinely ask if you're taking any vitamins or supplements.