Hi Catra,

Thank you.
I find it difficult to read a lot of detail when I am in significant pain, as my own attention suffers some during these times. Thus, I generally try to keep posts shorter for everyone.

The doctors, both resident and "attending" who had diagnosed me are gone. They have moved on to greener pastures. Residents generally move on. We lose attending physicians constantly.

Not too long ago, all staff of the M.S. clinic had abruptly resigned. Nobody was left to staff the M.S. clinic.

The truth is: No patient at the neurology clinic I have mentioned is getting continuity in care. Every clinic day is supervised by a different "doctor of the day," an "attending" who oversees the residents.

I have been there when the inexperienced sleep neurologist is the supervising doctor of the day (including supervising neuromuscular cases and more). She looks at my case, refuses to do an exam (I have asked her to complete a neuro exam), shrugs her shoulders, says she has no idea what to do and then.... tells me to go elsewhere. She should be referring me to neurologists who specialize.

We have some very well-trained specialists here. However, the experienced neurologists have been ordered to do more research and less patient care, so they must cut back on patient load. This is a medical school, a teaching hospital. Care here should be outstanding and cutting edge. It's horrible care and neurologists, themselves, admit this.

When I do see an "attending" who orders meds or tests and when I go in for follow-up, I see the resident and a totally different "attending" who often says s/he has no idea why the prior supervising "attending" has ordered whatever s/he has ordered. It's insane. The residents do not receive any continuity in supervision, either. It's all so "scattered" and gets nowhere.

It's not difficult to understand how to diagnose CRPS. Youtube videos clearly explain this.

In my case, the resident has a need to disprove the former (brilliant) resident. He spends his time trying to disprove a diagnosis, while not doing anything to prove an alternative diagnosis. He says he has no idea what is wrong, yet stays heavily invested in disproving a diagnosis instead of proving a viable alternative diagnosis. It's a waste of time and of money.

My PCP, my ortho and my rheumatologist all stay with the CRPS diagnosis, as they have seen me on a continuous basis over the past 15-20 years. They would like some recommendations for care from Neurology, info they will likely never obtain from this Neurology department.

We must find the help we need somewhere. It can be so very frustrating.
Someone has to write the scripts, topical and otherwise, to help me manage the pain. Luckily, my rheumatologist will go the distance.

I am grateful for the few angels out there, those willing to go the extra mile to help out!

Love All Around,