Finding a Doc

[mindwhirl]

Sorry-so many questions!

How do I find a good doc?  I have a limited selection and am not happy with any of the choices.  I already want to ditch my current neuro after 2 appts.
Do I go back to my fam. doc and ask him "what now?"  Is there a particular type of specialist that might be helpful?
Who can figure out what mimic it is if my neuro can't/won't?

[mindwhirl]

One neuro practice has an "MS Institute" for treating MS, but it seems to be for treatment after dx.  This is the original practice I went to where the doc said it is all from the C6 disc and sent me off to a neurosurgeon, so I don't see myself getting far there.  They are terrible about letting pt's switch docs w/in the practice, and I don't know if any of the others are any better.

I see my neuro again in 3 months.  Apparently to get a refill for my meds?  My fam doc could manage my medication which is for pain and migraine.  The neuro looked at my LP result and seemed to be done with me since it's negative, so I guess he just wants my copay. I don't know.

[HVAC]

I do not know where you live and how many MS Specialists there are. The problem in general is very few Neurologists specialize in MS because it is such a hard Specialty. It is hard to diagnose and then when you do diagnose someone with MS they have a lot of health concerns and there is not a lot you can do but treat symptoms. You have to have a referral for all the MS Specialists here.

We have more Doctors per mile than most areas but less than 6 MS Specialists at a given time. This means each Specialist has thousands of patients. So it takes a long time to get in with one and then there is always one closing his or her practice and his thousands of patients scrambling for to get in with the other Specialists.

I heard my current MS Specialist speak at the MS Society and I found out he had an opening only because I was diagnosed, could wait 6 months for a appointment, and require little of him. I have to fork out $120 in copays versus my other MS Specialist who had a $60 copay.

Neurologists normally see you every six months if they can not figure things out. They were 98% I had MS in 2007 I was diagnosed in 2009.

Alex