When my oral surgeon first said I should go see a neurologist the doctor he wanted me to see wasnt taking new patients.
The only one I could find was 4 weeks out and the majority of them were either 2 months out or not taking new patients.
Anyone else been through this or is it just where I live ?
Rick,
Where do you live? I was seeing a neurologist when I got TN. But my family doctor was able to get me into see a neurologist in 2 days.
I live in an area of about 250,000 (I’m guessing) including the surrounding towns. The city thinks that my city will be about 48,000 when the 2010 census is counted.
Liz
I live in oklahoma city
Liz K. said:
Rick,
Where do you live? I was seeing a neurologist when I got TN. But my family doctor was able to get me into see a neurologist in 2 days.
I live in an area of about 250,000 (I’m guessing) including the surrounding towns. The city thinks that my city will be about 48,000 when the 2010 census is counted.
Liz
The tough part is finding a GOOD neurologist! I have an HMO with a huge network of specialists, but both neurologist I went to were not very helpful. After 6 years of misery and drug allergies/interactions I finally hounded my GP into referring me to a neurosurgeon. First, I researched to find the best surgeon in the network and insisted on seeing him instead of someone closer to where I live. I got my appointment with the doctor I wanted, but it was a 2 month wait. I am going to be having MVD surgery on June 16… YAY! I’m scared, but hopeful.
Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
Suzanne,
I will be praying for you. I am glad you are getting the MVD. I’ll bet you wish June 16th was next week. Please have someone post and tell us how you are doing.
How does one know if the surgeon is a good surgeon? That is true about all my doctors. I know if I like their personality but I don’t know how to find out if they are a good doctor.
Liz
Suzanne Marriott said:
The tough part is finding a GOOD neurologist! I have an HMO with a huge network of specialists, but both neurologist I went to were not very helpful. After 6 years of misery and drug allergies/interactions I finally hounded my GP into referring me to a neurosurgeon. First, I researched to find the best surgeon in the network and insisted on seeing him instead of someone closer to where I live. I got my appointment with the doctor I wanted, but it was a 2 month wait. I am going to be having MVD surgery on June 16… YAY! I’m scared, but hopeful.
No, Rick it’s everywhere. I was so irritated w/ UCLA’s appointment system that I finally emailed them. I felt like a hot potato being tossed around. The right hand & left hand appointment department didn’t know what was going on. They phoned me, & transferred me to an attendant. Of course it was while I had a migraine, I had to hang up because the “hold music” was too much for me. I usually go through the insurance website, & then look up the doctors on the medical board to see if they have any suits against them. I won’t go to a doctor that has a malpractice suit against them. Wish you all the best. Have a good, pain free weekend.
i have been through this and finally found the one i talk about that just treats me like a drug addict and wont try anything but that trigger point injection and he is so eragant i just sit there and cry i asked him do u think im a actress and how could anyone pretend to have this much pain. i wanted slap him but he would not look in my eyes so i could show him what the pain looks like in my face i rounded up three hundred hundred dollars just to be treated like that and three hundred more for injection i wish it would work
Im sorry to hear this Holly
Holly Brook said:
i have been through this and finally found the one i talk about that just treats me like a drug addict and wont try anything but that trigger point injection and he is so eragant i just sit there and cry i asked him do u think im a actress and how could anyone pretend to have this much pain. i wanted slap him but he would not look in my eyes so i could show him what the pain looks like in my face i rounded up three hundred hundred dollars just to be treated like that and three hundred more for injection i wish it would work
val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:
Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
No, not sure who that is. My neurosurgeon is Bruce Cook. I am impressed with him, and the other doctors I met in his group. Dr. Cook is friendly, easy to talk to, great sense of humor, and he never minimized my pain, he empathized.
val
the researcher said:
val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
never heard of him. i consulted with a kamal kalia from springfield, ma who also trained with janetta. he insisted that although i have trigeminally mediated pain, it was not TN. he is a big supporter of the thin slice MRI; if it’s clean he doesn’t believe a compression will be found upon surgery. a nice man; he actually apologized for my driving an hour to see him.
sometimes doctors forget we would travel the globe if it meant an answer to our pain.
the researcher
Val said:
No, not sure who that is. My neurosurgeon is Bruce Cook. I am impressed with him, and the other doctors I met in his group. Dr. Cook is friendly, easy to talk to, great sense of humor, and he never minimized my pain, he empathized.
val
the researcher said:val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
Liz
I’m glad you mentioned prayer. I’m a pastor and because I’ve had TN since 1992 I’ve obviously had a lot of people pray for me… but I still say, “Sure go ahead and pray.” Two weeks ago two little girls came up after the service and asked if they could pray for me because I’d had a particularly difficult morning. Well today I can announce that I’ve had a two week release from my usual agony. I’m not sure it’s all done, and I’m still taking my meds, but there is a reality to God’s intervention and help.
Lawrence
Liz K. said:
Suzanne,
I will be praying for you. I am glad you are getting the MVD. I’ll bet you wish June 16th was next week. Please have someone post and tell us how you are doing.
How does one know if the surgeon is a good surgeon? That is true about all my doctors. I know if I like their personality but I don’t know how to find out if they are a good doctor.
Liz
Suzanne Marriott said:The tough part is finding a GOOD neurologist! I have an HMO with a huge network of specialists, but both neurologist I went to were not very helpful. After 6 years of misery and drug allergies/interactions I finally hounded my GP into referring me to a neurosurgeon. First, I researched to find the best surgeon in the network and insisted on seeing him instead of someone closer to where I live. I got my appointment with the doctor I wanted, but it was a 2 month wait. I am going to be having MVD surgery on June 16… YAY! I’m scared, but hopeful.
I am sure Janetta has made money for himself training other neurosurgeons directly, on the mvd procedure. I am glad that you found a physician you trusted in Springfield. It is hard to find good neurosurgeons, or any doctor, for that matter, that you can feel comfortable with! I’m looking for a better primary care physician!
Val
the researcher said:
never heard of him. i consulted with a kamal kalia from springfield, ma who also trained with janetta. he insisted that although i have trigeminally mediated pain, it was not TN. he is a big supporter of the thin slice MRI; if it’s clean he doesn’t believe a compression will be found upon surgery. a nice man; he actually apologized for my driving an hour to see him.
sometimes doctors forget we would travel the globe if it meant an answer to our pain.
the researcher
Val said:No, not sure who that is. My neurosurgeon is Bruce Cook. I am impressed with him, and the other doctors I met in his group. Dr. Cook is friendly, easy to talk to, great sense of humor, and he never minimized my pain, he empathized.
val
the researcher said:val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
The researcher, it is funny you mentioned you saw Kamal Kalia. That is the surgeon I saw just the other day and I really like him. He won’t do the MVD on me and doesn’t think I should do anything invasive at this time. He is referring me to his neurologist and we are going to try meds to control this pain. My pain is not the classical type. After 5 years of searching for a neurologist who knows about this type of pain I think I may finally have found one. I don’t think Dr. Kalia would associate himself with a neuro who doesn’t know anything about this pain. Dr. Kalia is also sending me in for another MRI since my last one was done in 2006. As weird as it sounds I am hoping they find a compression because I just want something conclusive to why I have this pain.
Lori
the researcher said:
val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
i have a great PCP; he is in middleton, near danvers. where are you located?
Val said:
I am sure Janetta has made money for himself training other neurosurgeons directly, on the mvd procedure. I am glad that you found a physician you trusted in Springfield. It is hard to find good neurosurgeons, or any doctor, for that matter, that you can feel comfortable with! I’m looking for a better primary care physician!
Val
the researcher said:never heard of him. i consulted with a kamal kalia from springfield, ma who also trained with janetta. he insisted that although i have trigeminally mediated pain, it was not TN. he is a big supporter of the thin slice MRI; if it’s clean he doesn’t believe a compression will be found upon surgery. a nice man; he actually apologized for my driving an hour to see him.
sometimes doctors forget we would travel the globe if it meant an answer to our pain.
the researcher
Val said:No, not sure who that is. My neurosurgeon is Bruce Cook. I am impressed with him, and the other doctors I met in his group. Dr. Cook is friendly, easy to talk to, great sense of humor, and he never minimized my pain, he empathized.
val
the researcher said:val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.
hi lori,
kalia is a good surgeon. there are lesser surgeons who have a cowboy attitude; i appreciate his conservative nature. it can be hard when you’re in pain, but it is better to wait and be sure.
rest assured with kalia you are having the proper MRI sequence done (is he doing an MRA too?); if there is something compressing, this is the best shot of seeing if its there.
report back with your MRI results; looking forward to hearing the news.
the researcher
Lori Branco said:
The researcher, it is funny you mentioned you saw Kamal Kalia. That is the surgeon I saw just the other day and I really like him. He won’t do the MVD on me and doesn’t think I should do anything invasive at this time. He is referring me to his neurologist and we are going to try meds to control this pain. My pain is not the classical type. After 5 years of searching for a neurologist who knows about this type of pain I think I may finally have found one. I don’t think Dr. Kalia would associate himself with a neuro who doesn’t know anything about this pain. Dr. Kalia is also sending me in for another MRI since my last one was done in 2006. As weird as it sounds I am hoping they find a compression because I just want something conclusive to why I have this pain.
Lori
the researcher said:val,
was your neurosurgeon kamal kalia?
Val said:Rick,
My neurosurgeon has people that fly in from all over to see him for care and surgery; I feel very fortunate he is only a few miles from me. I don’t recommend flying to the Massachusetts from Oklahoma, but you may have to trek a bit to find a good doctor. I think Suzanne is right that research for the best doctor is so important with this medical issue.