Anya Dee,

Some specialists require you to have been referred but many do not. I have made appts. directly with specialists without any referral.

Call the docs office and ask if a referral is required.
Check out Vitals and/or Healthgrades online to find out about a doc before you make appt.

BEST RESPONSE EVER!

In yo face doctor man! booyah!



ohhh you checked that man and that's great!

My pre-ms days I wouldn't let anyone talk to me this way.. but nowadays I get intimidated and scared and I coward down.. and that's lame.. definitely need to start bringin someone as a support system so I won't.. they'll help me stand up for myself.

I am usually a very meek mild mannered person but I had enough and he really pushed my buttons. Illness has done the exact opposite to me as it has to you. I have become very different personality-wise. I am now short tempered, easily irritated, and no longer avoid confrontation.

Since you get intimidated, which I did when I was younger, I would definitely bring someone with you.... that way THEY can be the "bad" guy to speak up and it will not be held against you.

You really deserve to be treated much much better. I really do hope you can find someone and soon. You need to be heard and helped.

Ayna, just realized your from IL. Im originally from IL, have you tried Northwestern Medical Clinic, Ken and Ruth Davee Dept of Neurology?
Right there in Chicago. Not sure how close to Chi town you live. But its an excellent center. Gather your records and make and apt. Or google and see if there is a close MS clinic near where your part of IL is.
Practice Number: (312) 695-7950, its attached to the school of medicine so you know they are up to date. Hope this can help you, even if its just alittle. No one did this for me when I was getting dx, so I want to give you all the ideas I can to help you along this difficult road. Hugs all around, we're here for you

"Can they change stuff before it is sent to me?"

That would be falsifying medical records which (at least in Canada) is
against the law.
It is unlikely that they would do that, as they often don't know that you have requested the records. Processing that sort of thing goes through the office staff and some medical offices have a deisgnated medical records person to take care of copying records.

With love, Erika

I would call the Chicago office of the Nat'l MS society; they have a caseworker who can guide you through the maze of finding a neuro who will take patients with no insurance.
i wouldn't think you'd need a referral since you don't have insurance co. paying your bills...
I see Daniel Wynn of Consultants in Neurology in Northbrook. Not sure if he takes patients w/o insurance...

Definitely take someone with you next time. You need an advocate, no matter how wonderful the doc is. It's also always good to have a second set of ears to catch what we don't

Keep us up to date, and don't give up. I am convict-avoidance also...so I don't always get my questions answered. But I'm getting bi%$hier as I get older

Medical records won't be altered and like Erika said they likely won't even know you requested it.

I'm not sure but it might not be so easy for someone without insurance to get in to a specialist for something that is as chronic in nature as MS.

You all help me through such crappy times.give me hope when I've lost all of what hope I did have. And I want you all to know I am very grateful for all of you!!!

I live in Springfield. But my boyfriends mom said to find a good neuro that will accept me and she'll drive me to wherever that be.

I will definitely look into the chicago northwestern.

I have plans of researching and making lots of calls today.

The quack doc is sending a thing to copaxone to get it for me. Said it'll take bout 4 weeks.

Should I call the office and tell them not to do that?

You are not being "lame" nor a "coward". It is very difficult to stand up to docs sometimes. I have kept silent out of respect in younger years and still do sometimes but respect is a two way street. Docs need to respect their patient as well as get respect from them.

According to "The Patient's Bill of Rights", you deserve respect. It is very sad that patients sometimes have to "demand" it.

Don't ever take upon yourself any disrespect from someone just because they have an M.D. behind their name. I am not advocating that YOU become disrespectful, just that you not tolerate being disrespected.

You are NOT lame and NOT a coward. You are a victim of a sad excuse for a doctor.

If it's all in your head, then why is he forcing Copaxone on you?
Whether you want to take anything that nutzy Neuro wants you
to take, is your choice. With Copaxone, you won't know if it's
helping you or not, for up to the 1st year anyway,so you could
wait to see what your new Neuro recommends?