Your doctor is wrong. She not only doesn't have a point, she has no leg to stand on.

When a patient is in a MG crisis in the hospital, it's BOTH neurology and pulmonology who work TOGETHER to help us!

Neurologists are not breathing specialists. They are not qualified to assess and treat breathing issues. Do neurologists have pulmonary function test machines/equipment in their office? Do they run arterial blood gases and know how to fully evaluate them? Do they have the overnight oximetry machines to see if our O2 is falling to dangerous levels while sleeping?

No!

Many diseases need the care of more than one specialist. MG is no exception.

And pulmonologists are the ones who order the supportive breathing apparatus, not neurologists (unless they are sleep experts)! If you want a BiPAP or oxygen concentrator or both, the only one who can fully assess and treat you is a pulmonologist.

And she's wrong about the double vision, too. A neuro-ophthalmologist can give you tips on how to handle DV. No, they don't treat the underlying cause, but it's still helpful to see them (if they're a good N-O).

And you are seeing a cardiologist from effects of Pred. So that makes three doctors you need! Oy!!!

Of course, a general practitioner is not an internist (there is a difference!). So she might not understand how all of this works, although I can't really understand why not!

You need help, not a runaround. I hope you can help her to understand why you need a pulmonologist! Good grief!


Annie