Hello @jen80 and welcome to the Parkinson's discussion group on Mayo Clinic Connect. You ask some good questions about how do you know if you have PD and what type of doctor is best to diagnose this disorder.

Probably anyone who has PD will give you a different narrative as to how they came about their diagnosis. My journey with PD started 20 plus years ago, but it was officially diagnosed until I began to have falls which was about 12 years into the beginning of my symptoms.

I began by having gait problems, swerving to one side, especially when I was tired. I also had small motor problems, i.e., difficulty with buttons, putting on earrings, etc. Balance was of course an issue as well. I used to go to aerobics classes, but had to stop because my balance issues caused me to bump into other people or into walls.

I visited two different neurologists when the symptoms began. One thought it was early-stage MS and the other thought it was early-stage PD and both said they might not know what it was until my symptoms got worse.

If you feel you have symptoms of PD, it would be wise to seek a referral to a movement disorder specialist. These are neurologists who have had special training in movement disorders (one of which is PD).

The unfortunate thing about PD is that there is no specific test to provide a diagnosis. It is mainly a process of ruling out other neurological disorders. A movement disorder specialist might refer you for an MRI of the brain to rule out other possible reasons for your symptoms. Nerve conduction studies might also be done for the same reason.

In my case, when all else was ruled-out, the neurologist put me on a small dose of Sinemet and titrated it (increased the dose) over a month. I felt so much better when I reached the 3rd week of titration that I knew I had the answer.

So, tell me a little about your interest in PD. Are you having balance issues or gait problems? What about your taste buds and your ability to distinguish fragrances or smells?