Doctor Troubles

[thenea]

You'll have to pardon me because I am incredibly angry after trying to get an appointment to see an MS specialist.  I haven't seen a neurologist since my diagnosis in January and I've been on Betaseron since February.  When I was without insurance, I had my PCP order a liver panel and CBC so that I could screen for potential problems with the medication, not that I'm necessarily qualified as a humble nursing student, but desperate times, desperate measures.

I finally qualified for health insurance in May and booked an appointment for July which they then cancelled and tried to rebook for me at the end of October.  I was near tears and explained that I hadn't seen anyone about my MS in almost 8 months now and I've basically been flying solo with my meds the entire time save for the occasional call from Betaplus.  I didn't necessarily yell, but I did blurt out quite dejectedly "Forget it" to which she responds "It's not our fault you have so many restrictions with your schedule".  Curious response considering I have every morning free except for Tuesday and Friday.  I reminded her that her office cancelled my appointment and hung up.

Okay, so there's a question buried in all of this, my anger-fueled diatribe.  Does it matter if I go to any neurologist or should I aim for an MS specific neurologist?  The neuro I failed to get an appointment with is the head of the neurology department at a local hospital and the main doctor at their MS center.  You can imagine how ecstatic I was when I managed to get booked.  No longer.  Now I'm just a raging ball of fury desperately trying to find a doctor.

[Lulu54]

Please take a deep breath, decompress from the anger and then try this again.  In my opinion, being treated by a specialist is very important.  A general neuro is trying to keep track of all types of diseases from Migraines to strokes to Parkinsons, etc.  

[thenea]

Thanks!  I have a neurologist that I keep on the back burner that I can see at anytime but he's also the doctor that dismissed the lesions on my MRIs as something that could easily be attributed to the process of aging.  A year later and I'm in the hospital receiving IVSM to treat a bad flare.

I'm frustrated I guess.  It took me 3 years to get diagnosed, 5 months to get insured, now I've got to wait another 3 months after waiting 2 months.  I'm tired of the waiting game.  I don't know how you or anyone else in this situation does it.

Side note: receptionists in medical offices should be required to learn the same sort of therapeutic communication techniques that us nurses do.

[Jacksmom516]

I am so sorry to hear of this craziness you are dealing with as if a dx of MS isn't enough to worry about you have non-responsive doctors.  Not the first I have heard about here but it still makes me mad!  

While a MS specialist is always best in my way of thinking -  perhaps you should try and at least see a neuro  to make sure all is going okay and keep the appt in October for the specialist.  that is if you can get a regular neuro appt quickly I know it took me 8 weeks to get my first appt with the first neuro I saw and 5 months with my specialist.  I would definitely call them back and book the Oct appt while you look for someone in the interim.

Hope that this helps-  hang in there and let us know how it goes.

Tracy