Neuro appt SUCKED!

[alegnahas3]

Ugh.  Finally had my appt and he was dismissive and disinterested.  He was not concerned in the least and said I was full of symptoms that had no medical reason.  He did not want to know about any family history, was not interested at all about my life or most of my symptoms.  He said at the beginning that since I was having symptoms on both sides of my body that is was NOT MS.  I hadn't even mentioned MS.  He checked my knee reflexes and poked me with a stick saying "can you feel that".  that is all he checked.  He even tried to trick me about being bipolar which I am not.  He said it's probably anxiety but is willing to do an eeg since I had a previous brain injury.

I am not going back to him.  I am making an appt w/my pcp and asking him to order it I guess.  I have been waiting for over a month for a referral to UVA from them and still haven't gotten it.  soooo disappointed, had high hopes for some reason.  Oh well.

[supermum_ms]

I would have to assume that he was aware of your medical history already, possible from the dr's referal,maybe? You said before your dr thought MS right, so thats probably why and where he got it from.

Somethings are odd for MS, both sides is one but the cognitive issues you've mentioned are more than whats typically experienced in early MS cognitive issues. An EEG is probably a good test to do, especially considering a prior head injury. I'd also be getting a cognitive assessment to see if anything stands out and points your dr in a more likely direction.

I understand your disapointment, but it can take time to get a correct diagnosis and you'll need to be patient whilst your on the dx journey.

cheers...........JJ

[alegnahas3]

My Dr's office never sent them any of my records.  He just wasn't interested and kept cutting me off and talking.  He was dismissive and kept pressing "what did psychiatrist diagnose me with".  Well, I'm seeing a psych for medication management not diagnosis but he agrees with and is treating my add/cognative issues.

I am now having trouble also with figuring out where sounds are coming from and hearing things incorrectly or things that no one else hears like I thought my dog was peeing in the hallway.  The doctor just threw his hands up in the air when I mentioned this.  Also decreased sensation in my left side.  My husband was touching (my chest) and it felt as if it was thru several layers of clothing.  it wasnt.  the neuro then sighed and grabbed a pointy stick and poked me several places asking if i felt it.

He didn't believe me when I told him I had never been diagnosed bi-polar or w/miagraines and asked several times.  As I was leaving he asked if I had ever taken the medications imitrex or depakote. I haven't, I think he was trying to trick me into admitting I have migraines or bi-polar.  I suffer from headaches sometimes but not migraines and extreme exertion pain that only lasts for several seconds if I strain or move suddenly or jar myself. I don't know whey he was so stuck on those 2.

It was just odd.  From the moment he walked in he seemed irritated by my existance.  I will just wait and find another neuro.  It just ***** how bad this appt sucked.

[supermum_ms]

hmmm wouldn't of been a friday afternoon by any chance, just thinking that most of the 'my neuro appt su_cked" comments made seem to happened late in the week, could be a medical condition we need to warn dr's about, lets call it golfinteruptus-bypatientits. lol

I did read something written by a dr somewhere about how doctors usually dx in the first 4-6 minutes of an appt, every thing done or said is in regard to that theory, connecting dots. Only problem with that is their annoyance level rises when the patients history/medical records dont support what they were thinking. You see some dr's are just never ever wrong, so the patient is being difficult lol

I do really get your frustration and disapointment, i wasn't so much disapointed more like really pi$$ed off and it takes a heck of a lot to ruffle my feathers. I had a nuero look at my family history, mum has bipolar and he got stuck on mental health, of which i have no history and had been fully assessed. Never been or needed anti depressants or therapy etc, ha wasn't even peri or menapausal but it still wasn't enough, he didn't believe me, my husband, even my dr or the psyc who did the assessment lol I been laughing about it ever since, it was just so utterly stupid, and expensive lol

Seriously though, putting MS aside for a moment, you still need to help with what your dealing with and maybe you could try getting your dr to be more involved in finding the right specialist for you.

Cheers...........JJ

  

[teenyturner]

There are a lot of other things which cause bilateral problems.  I have one of them.  No one at any stage (as far as I know) thought I had MS.

I really think the best thing to do when a doctor is stuck on a psyc diagnosis is to confront them with it.  

Just ask them straight out "do you think my symptoms are psychological and if so do you definitely rule out an organic disorder?" not many doctors are brave enough to discount organic disease when asked directly.

If they say it's psychological, get out of there and get another opinion.  If they say probably psych but could be organic, tell them you want every test possible to convince yourself that it isn't serious.

Can anyone see any flaw with this?

I was very lucky, my GP believed in me unconditionally as did my hematologist/oncologist.  The neuro was a lot more skeptical and I was supposed to be re evaluated in 6 months.  I ended up in hospital within a month unable to walk or feel anything from just below my collar bones down.  While I was in hospital I got a second opinion from another neuro (first neuro asked for it) who told me that without an urgent bone marrow transplant I was going to die in the short term. So I went from probably nothing to you're going to die within a month

They were both wrong :-)) and I was correctly diagnosed before I left the hospital.

Neuros aren't God, they can be wrong and they need to admit it when they just don't know.

I wish you all the best and I hope you find someone who will listen to.you and treat you better than you have been treated.

Regards

[Lulu54]

You have defined a good approach to this - back to your PCP, explain the frustration, and get a different referral.  I am so sorry you felt disregarded at this appt, that was the last thing you need.

The only tip I have to offer is the next time you see a neuro, go with only a very short list of symptoms to discuss.  Pick your top three or 4 most bothersome items and let the rest of them go for now.  

Good luck with this next step,
Lulu

[lovemy6monkeys]

My first appointment with a neuro went very similar to yours. it is incredibly frustrating. They tried to convince me it was anxiety, too. I never went back. Soon after I found my current neuro, who was willing to think outside the box. Within less than a year I was diagnosed, even with having "atypical" symptoms (including symptoms on both sides of my body, and MRIs that are considered normal because the lesions were too subtle).

I hope that you can find a neuro who is willing to aggressively go after a diagnosis, whether it turns out to be MS or something different. ((hugs))
~Jess

[ku111]

I am really sorry this happened to you.  It seems like sometimes it takes a long time to get a dx while it is fast for others.  I was very frusterated at first.  We are still waiting for my son to get dx.  What I realized is many people here are in the same boat.  That being said, having a Neuro that you like and is willing to help makes a huge difference.  I wish you the best in your new search.  Hang in there and keep us posted!