I'm not sure this is the right place for this one, On my last appointment my Neuro spoke about having a 'dat scan' and he said it was likely not too be at the hospital i normally attend and may be some distance away.
I had a call while i was out this morning which my mother took from a hospital about 3 hours drive away.
My problem is I do not feel well or able enough too drive that distance, the caller explained that it might be quite a long day and hinted that after the scan i might not feel fit enough too drive and i should call my neuro too arrange transport,. i've tried too ring my neuro but all i get is a answer machine saying the secretary is on holiday.
So my question is :
How likley am i too find some transport?
and
Is there any after effects of the scan?.
I know when i had a m.r.i. i felt really disoriented afterwards
If you ring your GP they should be able to give you the tel no for the patient transport (ambulance ) service. Like everything else there are cut backs, and the service isn't as easily available as it used to be. You'll have to explain why Parkinson's means that you can't drive yourself, and public transport isn't an option given the distance. Good luck.
Sorry your GP couldn't' / wouldn't help. They really should have contact details.
Your hospital should have a Patient Liaison Service (PALS) who may be able to get you a phone no for the patient transport, or you could google patient transport services and your area to see if there is a phone no.
Another possibility is the Red Cross as in the link below, it may be worth trying although I don't know how far they would go.
I don't suppose you have been in the Forces? they provide help to former servicemen/women.
I hope you can sort something out, you really don't want the hassle.
I've tried my consultants secretary,who should be back off 'holiday' today, but all i can get after a dozen calls is a different answer machine message.
i also tried the number of the local volunteer the local gp practice supplied, he doesn't drive that far, but he gave me the number of suffolk community transport(who he drives for) which i phoned and explained, they called back saying 'they might have someone but he has too talk it over with his wife'.
that sounds very dodgy too me and not professional.
If not i'll have too lean on my gp as i cant get hold of the consultant, i dont talk too answer machines, if not I wont be going too a dat scan 156 miles away.
A datscan is used for diagnosis. If it is positive you are likely to have Parkinsons or another similar disease. Many people with pd never get one. Is your diagnosis unclear?
datscan is a radioactive substance that shows up on the scanner. Seemingly it can cause vertigo.
Yes your right i haven't been diagnosed fully and i hope i have made that clear along the way.
my Neuro has held back from a final diagnosis but says strongly after my first and my last visit 'some if not all my symptoms could be due too young onset' but 'not all the features are present in which he would like too make a diagnosis'
he has had a problem with my age at 44, but reading the forum i'm certainly not alone and it is not as rare as he points out in my visits too him.
hence the 'dat scan' which he also said could also show nothing and still the possibility remains.
I guess he's doing everything by the book even though i have two core elements, tremor at rest, slowness of movement, and other problems associated with, fatigue,pain,balance,movement, memory & thinking problems, and last but not least my hand writing has changed beyond my own recognition.
At the end of the day, i've had a test for every thing else over the course of a year ,if he's removed the possibility of it being something else then only one thing remains.
I had a fone call after 10 am, suffolk community transport couldn't find a driver to take me too hospital who was willing too drive the distance required even though i'd pay them more than the rate of milage(156 miles) of 45p a mile and their dinner plus parking.
Another call too 'non emergency transport line' after yesterday and a assessment and they begrudgingly agreed but only on this occasion as i pointed out i'd tried all other options and my gp advises i'm not fit enough too drive that distance.
