This is a question for the UK only switching consultant.

[export]

HI could any one tel me how long it took them to give anew consultant.

Thank-you . EXPORT

[shasha]

i may be moving back to the uk from france - so would be most interested in any replies ..

[suetdumpling]

My gp sent the referral in late Oct. Last week, I was told my appt would be 6 Feb! Just an idea how long we have to wait for!

[export]

Shasha iI would love some female company . or just a chat

yours EXPORT.

[PatV]

Don't think it's any speedier in the U.S. PD specialists are rare.

[export in reply to PatV]

yes and don't they know it

yours EXPORT.

[export]

suetdumpling . Please could you tel me. If you see some one in Feb

Would it be the first or how many specialists will you have seen ???

yours EXPORT.

[suetdumpling]

My 1st Consultant ditched me. Thus, I requested for another one.

[soup]

Are you having treatment for your PD in the meantime? Do you have a Parkinson's nurse who could answer some of your questions? Sometimes, if you look really carefully at the nurses' body language and facial expressions when they are giving advice about consultants they are good at getting over which ones are worth their salt without coming out and saying it.

If you have your PD under control and a nurse to refer back to to adjust your meds and a GP who is on the ball, it is worth the wait to get the right consultant.

Where in the UK are you?

[export]

Thanks for that. I don't know why firstly you where in the US also you were male with PD . I was wrong.

yours EXPOORT

[Crosshalls]

It took 6months for me to get a appointment,then had to wait 6months for the 2nd one,it was only diagnosed on the 2nd appointment,so for a year I was having no treatment

[export]

Hi Crosshalls . I have herd that 6 to 8 weeks. Are you happy now with your treatment ?

yours EXPORT.

[Crosshalls]

What treatment,I was given Sinimet,and was told by the Neuro goctor see you in 6 months again.No physio no advice,except what I find on the internet

[export]

HI Do you live in the UK . As I do ?

Yours EXPORT.

[pen1]

Hi

I'm in the UK, diagnosed 9 years now. My first consultant neurologist was so doom laden and negative after 3 years I asked the PD nurse if I could change. Within 5 minutes I had a phone call switching me to a new consultant. Great! But, what I didn''t realise was that at 46 I'd been moved to a geriatrician! During the folllowing 6 years he repeatedly got things wrong and, to be blunt demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge of PD.

My GP knew the problem but 'didn't know of' anyone specialising in young onset PD. I finally realised I had completely lost confidence in the system and did a bit of my own research. Lo and behold 20 miles up the road in our local teaching hospital wasa movement disorders clininc run by a neurologist specialising in young onset PD plus a team of PD nurses covering my area!!! I was incredulous. Not only that but his powerpoint education programme for GPs was available on the internet giving explicit instructions how and who to refer to him!

I visited my GP, asked v politely if I could be referred to him and was there within a month. Unlike my local hospital whose clinic was always full of people in the most awful state with writhing dyskenesias there was hardly any evidence of dyskenisias in the patients waiting in the new clininc. The neuro explained that the way he combined the different drugs minimised side effects.He knew all about my local hospital's incompetence and regretted that I had been prescribed a combination and level of drugs that he wouldn't have used and which now means that my brain has been too damaged for his preferred drug regime to work.

I know I've banged on but the moral of the story to anyone newly diagnosed in the UK is DO YOU OWN RESEARCH - find the best neuro and ask to be referred there. It is terrifyiing how standards of treatment vary.

[export]

Thanks for that PEN 1.

I would like to ask you a few thing. you could E-mail me your answer,s if you like. if you don 't mind say so then I will ask the questions and give you my

E -mail.

THANKS EXPORT.

[pen1 in reply to export]

Hi export

That;s fine. Very happy to contact you butnot sure how I email you? I'm new to this site and pretty uselesswith IT -so you'll have to tell me exactly what to do! Sorry didn't reply before - I've been away for four days. Incidentally whereabouts are you in the UK?

Best wishes

Pen

[export]

Welcome back pen 1.

Have just been looking at your profile . you don't sound like you don't know what your doing, that what I like about you.

If you give me your E-mail I will send you a E-mail . Then all you need to do is reply. when you have wrote your E-mail press send. then it will ask you if you want to add to your contact,s. put my name in.

THE FIRST ONE WILL BE TO PEN FROM EXPORT.

I live in Southport in the north west near liverpool.

yours EXPORT

PS Where about,s are you ???