New patient paperwork

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skyfire322

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I'm seeing an epileptologist for a second opinion on Friday, and I received their new patient paperwork in the mail about a week ago.

I just got around to filling it out, and all I have to say is wow... Usually new patient paperwork is at most two pages. This doctor's was at least 15. I felt like I was reading ancient Sanskrit with some of the terminology they were using :roflmao:

I have really high hopes for this doctor, and even though he's three hours away, I believe it'll definitely be worth the trip.

I will update you all and let you know how things went!
 
I've filled out some of those Sanskrit forms. :D Good luck with that and the appointment. :)
 
A lot of paperwork is usually an indication that they are being thorough.
Good Luck!
M
 
Last time I filled that much paperwork I had investigators show up at my house! :D But yes, I believe thorough would be the be the best way to describe it. It's a good thing.
 
Yup. It's a PITA allright but as everyone's said- it's good they're thorough.

It's better than a tiny card with your name, address and phone number on it..
 
The appointment was great, once I finally got to speak to my doctor.

It started off with just a fellow in the room asking me a bunch of questions. He was pretty rude to me, especially when I told him I didn't have physical test results from any EEG's on me. That really made me feel uncomfortable. But then the actual doctor came in.

After talking with him for a good twenty minutes to a half hour, he was pretty shocked at the lack of things my current neurologist has done. He immediately said yes to the MRI. He wants to do blood levels (as per usual), and even though I just had a five day VEEG, he said that he would like to perform one too.

He asked me if I thought my current regimen of medicines was working. I told him that I really wasn't a fan of the Zonegran and haven't noticed many changes. I also mentioned to him that my current neuro constantly brings up the idea of switching to Depakote, but ends up saying "We'll keep you on the Zonegran."

Pending EEG results, he said that he would like to try either Depakote or Topamax. He also mentioned the diets as well.

Minus the fellow, that was probably the most productive appointment I've had in quite some time. I've got a really good feeling because he is open to any suggestion you bring to him, and his bedside manner is great.



PS
Do your epileptologists have you just describe what happens during your seizures and not label them specifically? When the fellow was asking me about the different types I had, I first mentioned petit mal and grand mal. He said "Never label the seizures, because you could be wrong as to what type of seizure it is."
 
That's great that that you think things are headed in the right direction. About labeling seizures, I myself try very hard to give the doctors descriptions of exactly what happens in the seizures and I expect THEM to provide the labels, which frequently does not happen. After the appointments I find the labels and definitions in the paper work which I make sure to read closely. Again, I am so glad that you feel you are in good hands.
 
skyfire, glad to hear the appt with the epiologist went well.
When I saw an epiologist back in 2010 it was to see if I was a candidate for surgery. The epiologist looked at my MRIs & asked what my neurologist had told me. I said I took auras/ complex partials & I have left temporal lobe epilepsy.
The epiologist said my neurologist was correct & he pointed out on my MRI where the scarring was on my brain. At the time my auras were a strange dream which I only remembered when I had a seizure. The epiologist asked me to describe the dream I had when I had an aura but all I remembered was that it involved people.

Before I met the epiologist I had been doing strange things in the middle of the night. I thought I was having partial seizures in my sleep but my local neuro thought it was just sleeping walking. When I saw the epiologist he said he was confident the strange things happening were partial seizures.
 
Thank you for being so explicit in describing what was happening to you and about the doctor's response. I wish the doctoring I have had was as straight forward.
 
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