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

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?

Tami (boyfriend's mom) pointed that out immediately. She said 'well if your ms isn't bad and this is all in your head, why would you ever force someone to get on a disease modifying drug?!'

I was thinking that I should have pointed that out.

I asked if the lesions in my parietal lobe could be causing these crazy spells.. he said you don't have lesions in your parietal lobe.. see your getting this crap off the internet.

My MRI that I posted on here even talks about active demyelination in the parietal lobe.. so is the doctor that reads MRI's crazy too?

What concerns me most is.. he supposedly was a board member for the national ms society. I don't know what happened as to why hes not on the board anymore... but I am afraid that he has done counterproductivity for my case with disability.

He was also very touchy feely and I am not okay with that stuff. You're not my lover so don't rub my arms and hands and back. Everytime he would touch me I would pull myself away and made sure there was a look of complete disgust on my face.

I live in Springfield, Debbie, but I am still going to contact the Northwestern Clinic in Chicago to see if I can see someone there. If not, the psychologist recommended that I go to st. louis as he has two friends with ms that go there and get proper care. I think that man wrote in my favor.. he was slightly cold and rude at first, but after I started explaining how life is nowadays he seemed to do a 180 and was kind and compassionate.

I pray so hard that they have decided in my favor.. I'd be able to have health coverage and not have to go to that dirty nasty clinic ever again.

I hope and pray even harder that these episodes will stop so I can return to work. I miss my job and co-workers so much. I bumped into the owners the other day.. they told me if and when I am ready to give them a call and I will be on the schedule the next day. I am so fortunate to work for people that understand my situation, willing to accomodate my needs, and hold my job for the chance of recovering well enough to go back to work. they are such wonderful people.

side note: i am also super lucky to have the support system that I do.. I was hanging with my best friend the other day.. pulled out her birthday cake from the fridge.. started to have one of those crazy episodes.. next thing I know, I am on her floor, covered in her birthday cake. I was so upset for ruining her cake.. she was upset that I fell and didn't even care about the cake.. We had a good laugh tho..

I am so sorry you were treated like that. When I hear things like that on NT, I do get upset. I feel your anguish. I had a doctor like that too. I actually waved bye bye to him! Don't ever go back. In fact you can write a letter to American board of medicine and report what happened.
Please do not let one ignorant man, control how you feel about getting help. It took me several tries before I found the team I have now. Use your anger to the good, and look for a doctor who will listen. Yes bring someone with you every time you go in with that pain chart. If any doctor tries to dismiss you and what you are experiencing, do what I did, get up wave bye bye, and leave. I refused to be told what I was feeling was in my head too. How come I have fusion C3-7 if it was all in my head? See what I mean? He didn't believe me either.
Please keep on trucking. We will all be here to support you as you go forward. Don't let this stop you. I sure wish you all the best. ginnie

I have considered doing research stuff.. Some of it seems pretty scary.. But there was one going on in St. Louis at Washington (?).. it was of Vitamin D along with Copaxone.. I actually qualify.. so I wrote the number down and plan on calling first thing Monday morning. Hopefully I can get into that one as I believe that Vitamin D has a HUGE impact on MS.

I wish so very much I would have stood up and said goodbye.. I gave up on arguing and standing my ground pretty early in the appt and that is something I never should have done, but the more I argued the more upset I was getting which was leading to more of those bizarre episodes and my body flooded with pain and exhaustion.

and you're right.. it is in my head.. my neck and my spinal cord!

He also assured me that I don't feel electrical shock like feelings in my head.. he said I could poke your brain and you wouldnt feel that. I am certain those shocks are messages that are backfiring in the brain.. not positive, but pretty sure.. Doesn't your brain fire messages like electricity?

How is your walking now? are you using a device to walk with yet?

Yes there's a Washington U in Missouri...

Barb's advice sounds good too...Does U of I have any clinics down in Urbana?

I know Rush in Chicago has an MS center too, but I know several patients who go there and they are all on Tysabri...rumor has it that they are known to favor Ty, which I refuse to even consider...

I hope you can get some attention and care...and I wonder if you should cancel the Copaxone until you get some valid answers. I wonder if that quack gets some brownie points for prescribing Copaxone...what a jerk. You definitely should report him.

Keep us up to date

There are not any MS specialists in the Champaign/Urbana area. I think Washington University is associated with Barnes Hospital. The only study at the Un. of IL involves exercise and MS. I don't think it includes any medical coverage. Rather they pay you a small stipend for participating.