Hi. I have been diagnosed for 9 years and my PD symptoms have not got any worse. My consultant at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London has diagnosed me as having PD on the SWEDD Spectrum. I have a little tremor, a small amount of bradykinesia and a lesser amount of cogwheel rigidity. I have lost my right arm swing. I also have R.E.M. Sleep Behaviour Disorder. I have no balance issues and no orthostatic hypertension. I am prescribed @@Stalevo at the lowest strength, Sertraline and clonazepam. Both my Father and one of his Sisters also had PD and I have one of the gene mutations associated with PD. My consultant has told me that given the lack of degeneration over 9 years, I may never get any worse.

I guess a lot of people diagnosed with PD never have a Dat Scan. I was fortunate to have one and that helps to explain why my PD has got no worse.

Not an answer I have never heard of SWEDD google here I come.

At the time I had the Dat Scan I was not on any PD meds. That was one of the requisitions for being in the study. You had to be newly diagnosed with PD and not on any meds yet.

Also how long were you off your meds prior to the scan? Some say it's absolute yes or no on the scan, others say it isn't. Can the brain make and store dopamine and not release it to the muscle?