Thankyou all for the help and advice, it is much appreciated and I will pass on all information to my brother.

Quote from Parkinsons UK publication on the Diagnosis of Parkinsons:

SPECT or DaTSCAN
A certain type of SPECT scan has become widely used for helping specialists confirm that there is damage to particular brain cells, containing a chemical called dopamine.9 SPECT is a type of nuclear imaging test that shows how blood flows to tissues and organs. This type of scan is known as a dopamine transporter scan or DaTSCAN. Damage to these dopamine producing cells leads to the stiffness and slowness of movement common in Parkinson’s but similar damage may also occur in some other rarer neurological conditions. So an abnormal DaTSCAN result cannot give a definitive diagnosis of Parkinson’s.
A normal DaTSCAN can be helpful in showing that a person’s symptoms, particularly tremor, are not the result of Parkinson’s, but may result from another condition, for example, essential tremor10 (find out more about essential tremor on page 4).

Thankyou Eileen,still finding my way round the site and the forum, so any help is gratefully accepted.x

Its a while since I was last on the forum to ask about my brother,Dave, and I just wanted to update. Since I was last on here, my brother has been started on medication for PD, I am not sure of the name( will find out), but it doesnt appear to be working despite being increased three times. He attended a Parkinsons meeting and found it really helpful, he was even approached by a Neurologist, that was giving a talk at the time, and asked if he wanted him to give Dave a second opinion. To date, my brother has only seen a neuro once, who then gave him the diagnosis, via his GP. All contact with the neurologist has been through the GP, passing on doasge instructions etc...he has increased the drugs three tmes now,but nothing has changed in Dave's condition, and despite regular visits to the GP to ask for a scan, the GP has flatly refused to authorise any further investigations.This week the GP has given him beta blockers.. Dave has also now started to develop loss of cognitive skills, really bad mood swings and is finding it very hard to work because of his constant tremor(resting and active- which apparently the neuro says is "unusual") and symptoms of confusion and disorientation.
Two weeks ago, my sister in law spoke to the GP and told him that they wanted a second opinion with the other neurologist that had approached them. It turns out that he is in the same department as the neuro that diagnosed my brother, the difference being that this second one actually specialises in PD, unlike the diagnosing neuro that specialises in Epilepsy!! This is a living nightmare for us all, and my brother is beside himself with worry about what is happening to him. We are still waiting to hear that Dave has been referred for a second opinion, numerous phone calls between the neuros secreatray and to the GP to try to move things along, just seem to be getting nowhere. Meanwhile, my brother is in rapid decline,has anyone else had these difficulties, or is it just in his area? I feel that the health service has let him down so badly and he is just getting worse by the day, with no help, its appalling!!

Hi Belle,

Thank you for taking the time to update what has happened with your brother.
Was it your GP who chose the original (Epileptic specialist) neuro. or was it pot luck?

Anyway its good hear you will be seeing a PD specialist

Best Wishes

hi belle i was diagnosed at 41 2 years ago..i had a ct scan nothing showed then i had a datscan which apparantly showed it as pd..iv been on co beneledopa and requip and to be honest neither has done anything..told pd nurse n she said there the best to be on ????

Hi Eileen, Thank you for your reply, it was the GP that referred my brother to the specialist, who turned out to be a specialist in epilepsy. It has been over three weeks since he asked to be referred to the other specialist...and it is apparent that the GP has done nothing about it. My sister in law has been on the phone trying to sort it out. The GP has asked the first specialist for his permission??.. for Dave to get a second opinion..and then promptly went on holiday and has not actioned the referral...so we are just playing a waiting game.

Hi Saintly7, thanks for your reply too...if we could get my brother near a specialist...I hope we will be able to get the dat scan that he so desperatley needs..he is deteriorating on a daily basis now,its very frightening for him..and so worrying for us. Thanks for your support.

Hi Belle,

Just so you know where you stand

This is a quote from NHS information site - web address http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/910.aspx

"You can ask your GP or another healthcare professional for a second or further opinion (an opinion about your health condition from a different doctor). Although you do not have a legal right to a second opinion, a healthcare professional will rarely refuse to refer you for one.

For more information, see about the NHS: your right to choice.

Consultants are normally quite happy with this.

I must say I find it highly significant that the other consultant offered to see your father. I wouldn't have thought they would normally do this.

hi belle...i think its ridicoulous for you to be pleading for a consultant..in the merseyside area they bent over backwards for me to be honest..ordering scans at walton pd nurses physio etc which is how it should be when your ill.i hope it gets sorted for your brother soon