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Vaxn8 · 08-11-2013, 04:50 PM

My pain doc is quite arrogant. He started his own series of clinics and surgical centers. I have signed releases for my EP cardiologist, who happens to also be an engineer and has developed loop recorders for Medtronic (like I have). I saw my cardio on a Thursday afternoon and asked if my pain doc had called yet, he said no. The next AM I saw my pain doc & he was irritated that my cardio hadn't called him back. I know he didn't try Thurs. because mu cardio asked his RN if e had called, so he must have tried Fri. AM before he saw me.

Andy, I appreciate you sharing your experience with the SCS. Another part of the problem, is my blood doesn't clot. Well it eventually does, but it takes 2 hours of infusions of clotting factors. This means it has to be done in a hospital which my pain doc doesn't like (he can't use his surgical center). He wants to use a drug that works in some cases. Luckily, I found a really good hematologist, and he won't approve the use of that drug until I take a challenge dose of it. Basically, they make you bleed, time it, then repeat the cut give the drug and see if it works or not. This will slow down the whole decision-making process, which is what I need. I am a pharmacologist/toxicologist and I don't like how he is rushing me to do it, I need time to think and research it for myself. Re: the pacemaker, my pain doc says he does it all the time. He also uses drugs in his pumps that are not approved my Medtronic (you can request approved drugs though). I trust my cardio more, and he has been around quite awhile, and is very respected. I got lucky to see him as a patient; if I hadn't had the asystoles, I would've had an intern or fellow. He is very interested in whatever is going on with my heart because it is unusual to be out as long as I am. It's one of his areas of research, luckily for me!

I did see the poll results and was surprised to see ~ 80% success rates. If my cardio signs off on it & the heme comes up with a plan to stop the bleeding, it will be a different situation. If I did the trial, and didn't clot, the blood has no place to go in the spinal cord, and the result is paralysis. I'm not working now, and really want to get back in a lab, that's part of what scares me about the whole situation.

Again, thanks Andy!