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Old 09-25-2012, 09:08 PM #1
StephC StephC is offline
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I am already flying to Tampa to see neuro, dr. Clifton gooch who is chair of neurology dept at usf. Each visit costs me a day of travel and about $300-350 in travel expenses but I found him after multiple here in south Florida that were completely unacceptable condescending and not very nice.

Also I am starting to think they make you wait for your appointment so long because then you are too exhausted, bored fom waiting around to remember to ask, tell them everything. Last time I saw him I wrote everything down beforehand and gave it to him and for whatever reason I think he thought it was too much, overkill and seemed to not want to read it all which ichalked up to fact that He had accommodated my travel and had just done three tests taking couple hours and was running behind.
He has been responsive to my requests to changes to treatment and it has only been 2 months but I was sick before and still. Anyway, now I am just ranting, sorry.

What could second opinion possibly be other than alternate treatment plan which I think I have reviewed, been able to know what those are?
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Old 09-25-2012, 09:31 PM #2
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Anyone use Dr. Bob Pascuzzi (not sure about spelling) he is from Indiana University, is a speaker on at least one of the MGFA podcasts (which are all worth listening to) and seemed to get it that symptoms that may not seem to be disabling to some are to others - example he used was if patient is news reporter then any slurring of speech is disabling/impacts career as opposed to every neuro I have ever seen who thinks not urgent/important/big deal unless you need to be intubated.
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Old 09-25-2012, 10:15 PM #3
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I have a great neuro in Chattanooga who is fast becoming an mg expert based on the fact that he now has 6 mg patients and has learned a lot since I started going to him in 2005. That said, he was all for my going to Vanderbilt for a 2nd opinion. I saw Dr Amanda Pelltier at Vanderbilt Neurology. She works with the MDA clinic and has treated quite a few people with mg. She is the one who started me on Cytoxan as an alternative therapy which I am currently still on.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we all have to "shop around" and find the right neuro for us. Once we find that person, it becomes easier to manage this disease because that is one stress taken off your plate.

I would recommend you find your closest MDA clinic and give them a call to see if they can recommend a neuro who has handled mg. They should be able to at least start you in the right direction.

Good luck with your search.
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StephC (09-26-2012)
Old 09-26-2012, 04:17 AM #4
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Quote:
Who is considered best of the best?
I think this is a very hard question to answer, because it depends on what you are looking for.

By who?

By the neurological society?

By specific patients?

By patients organizations?

And in what way are they better than others?

Do they know more?

Do they have better bed-side manners?

Do they have better PR?

Do they have more publications in the medical literature?

Are they more open-minded?

What is the most important for you?

Knowledge?

Experience?

Technical skills?

Humanistic skills?

Prestige?

Wisdom?

What are your expectations from your physician?

A long remission?

Optimal treatment?

Finding the best way to live with your illness?

A true partner?

The answers to those questions will dictate who is the best of the best for you, which may not be so for someone else or for you at a different period.
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Old 09-26-2012, 12:00 PM #5
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On the list presented by alice md the only thing I personally am looking for is a a long remission.

Trying to find find the best way to live with your illness is really beginning to suck.

I do not care about anything else on that list with the exception of knowledge in that may be the only thing that may lead to remission.

A miracle, that's all.

On the list of the top 171 neurologists in the country, only one lists himself as an expert in MG Dr. William King Engel.
http://health.usnews.com/top-doctors...ge=4&distance=

I have no idea who compiles this list or if it's worth the paper it's written on.

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