@kshansen It takes a while to get all this figured out. My husband was diagnosed 6 years ago. He now takes a Miralax gummy daily and has MiraFast on hand when he needs an actual laxative.

There is a shortage of Neurologists in this country. We switched from a general local neurologist to a Movement Disorder Specialist Neurologist at the nearby teaching hospital. For a few years he has seen the doctor’s NP every 6 months who is excellent. He can reach her by email if he needs a medication adjustment.

If there is any kind of local Parkinsons support group, it’s a great place to share ideas, compare notes, etc.

Best of luck.

Hello @kshansen

Regarding doctor appointments for PD. I can only share from my own experience; however, when I was first diagnosed, I was seen after a month of taking medication (carbidopa/levodopa). After that, I had an appointment every six months. However, if I were having problems (like falling), I would contact the doctor's office through the patient portal (or by phone) to explain the problem, and I would usually be seen within a few days.

You seem to be having abdominal discomfort. Could you describe that a little? For example, is it like cramping or perhaps more severe pain?

@kshansen
It is so important to get a GI evaluation with colonoscopy to rule out "scary" causes of the symptoms you describe. I had both upper and lower GI evals done and input for long-term management of my slow gut from my gastroenterologist. It is also so important to be your own advocate - read, take advantage of online seminars, etc. and be well informed. Keeping a journal with symptoms, diet, etc. also helps your physician to try and make sense of your symptoms. If you have a component of autonomic nervous system dysfunction - there are other non-GI symptoms that will be present too (loss of sense of smell, urinary urgency, orthostatic hypotension, etc.) Good luck and hang in there while your workup is in process - it takes time.