Know when to change your neurologist
About 4 years ago (which was 5 years after diagnosis) I was waiting to see my local neurologist. As I entered his consulting room he commented, "I’ve been watching you in the waiting room and I know exactly what is wrong with you - you're depressed so I'm writing you out a prescription for antidepressants. Don't argue with me I know what's best for you."
I was very taken aback as I had come prepared and had wanted to talk to him about my autonomic nervous system which I believed was becoming damaged through the medication and/or the Parkinson's disease itself. I told him this and he scoffed, "Don't be wasting your time with that sort of stuff just get out there and live your life and take these antidepressants."
Changing my neurologist
Well it hardly needs saying that having first fully researched them, I didn't take the antidepressants
Soon after that, I made the decision not to see that particular consultant anymore and I got myself referred to another.
So here we are 4 years later and I'm being told by my cardiologist that there is probably significant damage to my automatic nervous system and I need a referral to a specialist neurologist at the national hospital of neurology in London to find out what's going on.
So I am about 4 years behind where I should have been if that particular consultant had been paying attention, listening to his patient and doing his job properly...
As if we don't have enough to deal with we have to suffer self opinionated, dismissive, extremely well paid staff operating at senior level who are INCOMPETENT. It's very disappointing.
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