Posted by Todd (139.62.224.5) on September 23, 1999 at 09:37:48:
Hi gang-
Just been sitting here re-reading through a lot of the posts and a thought hit me. (Obviously a random act of nature in my case. Most likely the thought was intended for someone else, but got nudged off it's trajectory by a freak asteroid or something) Anyway, here it is-
Many of us have problems with doctors. Takes forever to get an appointment with a neuro, they charge more than Johnnie Cochran per hour and the often don't know anything about CH. BTDT. I'm new in town since my previous cycle, so when I got hit again a few months back I didn't have an existing doc. I pulled out the provider directory and called all four neuros listed. No luck - 2 to 4 MONTHS wait. Okay, fine. I'll go 'out of network' and pay the extra out of pocket. Grab the yellow pages and start with the A's under neuros. Gave up somewhere around the M's.
Being an experienced clusterhead who's seen countless neuros over the years, I really didn't need a diagnosis. I needed someone whose name is followed by M.D. who could write me a script. My co-worker suggested I try a walk-in type clinic. Which is what I did. Checked the doc out first...hmmmm, graduate of the Universidad de Guadalajara. Not a major confidence booster for me, but I NEED IMITREX!!!! So I head over there, pay my $10 co-pay, get weighed, measured, BP, heart rate, yadda yadda. Finally the doc walks in. I tell him I have clusters and his reaction? A look of horrified concern!! He actually KNOWS about clusters! Told him I needed imitrex. He asked if I knew about Amerge. Nope, news to me. He explains it's also by Glaxo and works for some folks that Imitrex doesn't help. I walk out of there 20 minutes later with a script for 30 Imitrex 50mg tabs, 6 samples of Imitrex tabs, 1 sample of Imitrex nasal spray and 2 of Amerge.
Okay, if you've made it this far, you're asking yourself what my point is. (Other than the obvious one that it's a slow, boring day at work)
Point is this--once you've been diagnosed by a neuro and had the MRI, CT, EEG, etc it doesn't matter what type of doc you use. It matters that he/she knows about clusters and CARES about helping. I wouldn't trade Doc Laski for all the neuros in town.
For those of you having doc probs, consider the options. I'll take caring and willingness to learn over a specialty degree any day.
KTSSU,
T