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Old 03-30-2009, 08:45 AM
ras1256 ras1256 is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: outside Denver, Colorado
Posts: 366
15 yr Member
ras1256 ras1256 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: outside Denver, Colorado
Posts: 366
15 yr Member
Thumbs down What sub-specialty on your neuro?

Wonder,
Unless you are a neuro-muscular specialty neuro yourself, I think it's potentially dangerous for you to be the one trying to figure out what tests you should have run, and what they may mean. I'm concerned that your neuro gave you faulty information for ANY reason, and hasn't forwarded you on to someone else him/herself.

As I've told many others here, Neurologist have sub-specialties in all different types of areas. Some specialize in MS and spend their researching efforts mostly in that area. Some specialize in vascular neurology (migraines and the like) and put their major efforts in that area.
Most may be familiar with all neuro conditions to a point, but have really only directed their continuing education at their particular area of special interest. I got this information directly from the neurologist that dx'd me with MG. She told me she could do the dx, but she isn't a good one to treat that disease because she specializes in Parkinson's. I am very grateful for her honesty and that tip!

There are SO many different neuro related conditions out there, many of them with overlapping symptoms, that you're having to try to figure out which tests to have to get a dx is akin to someone with no aeronautical training trying to figure out why a plane crashed!

Some of these diseases are much more serious and difficult than you can imagine, trust me - I have learned from hard experience - and most often, my neuro tells me, they see more than one in each patient.

I urge you to find a good neuro that specializes in the neuro muscular area of neurology and cares enough to pay attention to your entire list of symptoms without hinting that you are a hypochondriac.

And I would suggest you list ALL your symptoms, past and present, ALL tests that have been run (obtain copies of the reports and data for your files and to take to other doctors with you) and ALL medications, supplements and over the counter meds you are currently taken or have taken at any point for one year prior to your symptom onset.

If you need help finding a doc, there is a website where you can look up doctors by name or specialty, get ratings on them, find out how there school and current hospital affiliation rate - all kinds of stuff. This can be used to check out a current doc, or to find another in your area. Go to http://www.vitals.com/. It is a free search engine. Doing research to follow up with what your docs tell you is necessary and vital to your care, but we pay them a lot of money to help us, and we need to make sure we hire one that is earning that money!

Best of luck with your quest, but PLEASE remember that your future can be seriously impacted if you don't obtain the right diagnosis (or diagnoses as in most neuro situations). Let me know if you need any help.



Quote:
Originally Posted by wonder View Post
I don't know, but I have been thinking that a single-fiber EMG is different from a plain EMG. Yeah, SFEMG is a lot more accurate than EMG in finding MG, as far as I know. But there's a lot I don't know!

Really good reminder -- Maybe I should get a SFEMG and skip the other tests.

He was a neuro.
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