Brigham and Women's Hospital - Boston

Is anyone here familiar with or been to the MS Clinic at the Brigham?  I have my first appointment there with Dr. Maria Houtchens next week and am unsure what to expect.  My diagnosis for MS is not yet fully determined.  LP and eye test were normal but MRI shows lesions.  

Since I had an MRI without the contrast dye (previous allergic reaction), should I expect they will want to perform that test?  

Any help would be deeply appreciated.  

Sharlene

[essdipity]

Hi Sharlene. Welcome to our forum.

I don't know of any members here who regularly go to that clinic, though there is one who got a consult there and was very satisfied. So much depends on the individual doctor.

You should undergo a thorough neurological exam there, even if you've already had one from your previous neuro. What happens after that will be determined by these findings and by their readings of your last MRI. Contrast can be helpful but it isn't essential, so I wouldn't worrry on that score. I don't know whether all the MS mimics have been ruled out, so they may order other tests and blood work.

I urge you to take a look at our Health Pages (yellow icon upper right). You'll find lots of helpful and accurate info about MS. Look especially at how to make a timeline of symptoms, and do that. It should help you tell the neuro what has gone on with you and when.

Let us know what develops, and good luck.
ess

[MAGrl]

I've been going there but see a different Doctor. I was there in June and they were in the process of re-modeling; hopefully thats done as everyone was in a flux.

All the Doctors there have their own style and approach but you should get a very good neuro exam and history. The Office Staff is very nice. Good Luck.

Terry

[doublevision1]

I think I'm the one Ess is referring to.  I went there once, in July 2008 for a second opinion on my treatment plan.  I live in and am treated for my MS in Canada.  I was under one year diagnosed at that time but with a lot of disease activity, and my MS specialist was considering putting me on the aggressive Novantrone.  

I had concerns so took the opportunity on a trip to Boston to see a second opinion from B&G.  I was familiar with the clinic from all the journal articles I had read regarding studies they had conducted; plus had read Dr. Howard Weiner's book.  

I saw Dr. Stankowicz (sp?), he was very young but seemed good, very attentive, asked lots of questions, did a thorough neurological exam, and reviewed my many MRI films.  He told me that B&G 'really hates that drug' (Novantrone) and said they only use it when other options are off the table.  Their concerns were about its cardiac toxicity.  He recommended Tysabri first, if I had to move from a first line DMD.  His comments confirmed my concerns; I had a good discsussion with my neuro when I returned home and we agreed I should try Copaxone before considering a more aggressive drug (I couldn't tolerate Rebif).  In the end this seems to have been the right decision as I have only had one relapse since then, a very short lived bout of ON.

B&G has a very good reputation as a MS clinic, one of the top ones in the U.S.  As Ess said, it does come down to the doctor her/himself and the dr/pt relationship.  B&G is one of the clinics that gets some of its funding from the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS research, a non-profit that I support.  I have a lot of confidence in the work that this group is doing, bringing together the top MS specialists in the country (incl. Dr. Weiner) to share and build on each other's research.

If I lived in Boston, I would go to B&G for my ongoing care.

[SharleneMA]

Thank you all for your comments.  I hope to get a firm diagnosis of something one way or the other next Thursday.  It will be so nice to know exactly what's going on with me.  

The comments about the Brigham's MS clinic were especially helpful.  I look forward to my appointment.  I'll let you know what, if any, the outcome is.  

Reading all the postings here makes me realize how nice, helpful and supportive everyone here is.  It's such a nice place to come to.  

Sharlene