Originally Posted by Neurochic

To Tos8

I am guessing you were asking me about my view of the team that used to be headed up by Dr Schwartzman at Drexel? All I can say because I have no personal experience is that at least that team has a longstanding genuine reputation for treating and researching CRPS. The head physician has retired and that can, of course, radically change the quality, effectiveness and make up of the clinic over time but it certainly seems to continue to have a decent reputation.

This all means they will be used to seeing different presentations of CRPS, they are based in a University teaching hospital type setting so they will be very used to handling clinical patient management and the endless demands of research work. There are some people on here who have expressed unhappiness with their care there but you need to evaluate that for yourself when you actually research it properly and/or meet the medical staff.

If you have been on the waiting list for 3/4 years, my personal view is that it would be madness not to use the appointment. You have nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain. There is no reason why you can't explain all of your complex wider issues and ask for their opinion in that context. Make the most of the chance to speak to their more experienced clinicians.

Be clear about why you are going there though and what you want from them. I'm sure that has changed since you went on the waiting list 3/4 years ago. Write it down in notes so you are clear and prepared. Have questions from your online research ready to ask. Make the most of the appointment and use it to objectively decide whether they have anything they can offer you which may help. You are not going to get a cure but they may have something that could help your symptom relief and hence your quality of life. Be realistic and weigh up remembering medical science still doesn't know what causes CRPS and you won't get a cure.