How do you like your current doctor?

[Matthew74]

I have seen a bunch of doctors, but don't have access (or cash) for the ones I like. Regardless of the reason, how do you feel about the neurologist or epileptologist you are seeing now? Choose the one that you feel most strongly.

 

[CQ:)]

The neurologist I see at the moment is through an epilepsy clinic & he is great.
He is really nice, down to earth &, listens to what I have to say & has a great sense of humor.

I only speak to my neurologist when I see him at the clinic but if I have any issues I just have to email or phone my epilepsy nurse or neuropsych & they will discuss it with the neurologist then get straight back to me with his answer.

 

[arnie]

I didn't vote in this poll. It's obvious that you're not happy with the docs you have seen (you say that in your post, but it's reflected in the choices as well). Unless we "love" our doc, which most of us probably don't, there are no positive choices. If you want this to be a meaningful poll, and not just something to reinforce your own negative opinion of docs, you will have to include choices that don't just reflect your views of the docs you have seen.

For what it's worth, I know how frustrating it can be to deal with a doctor who doesn't seem to listen to you. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

 

[Dolores]

I stumbled across a wonderful GP when I had to pick someone as my primary for insurance. He has told me more about epilepsy than most of the neurologists I've seen. He identified issues I had as being due to Dilantin side-effects. All it took was to readjust my Dilantin levels and I finally I had a feeling of normalcy.

My doctor talks with me not at me. He really listens to me. This past January I made an important discovery regarding my Phenobarbital. I discussed it with him. He not only agreed to try an increase in medication, he also said he was amazed how I had put 2 & 2 together.

Love my Doc!

 

[Matthew74]

Arnie: What made you think I was unhappy? onder: What you say is fair. To be honest I was simply assuming that almost everyone was unhappy, or if not unhappy at least a little frustrated. But that could just be me. Perhaps a better name for the poll would have been "What do you find most frustrating about dealing with your doctor?"

 

[arnie]

Hi Matthew. It seemed fairly clear that you weren't happy with your docs because you said you don't have access to or cash for ones that you like. Therefore, you're seeing ones that you don't like. I agree that a better title would have been what you don't like about your doc. I was also thinking about some really silly polls, such as: what do you drink with your breakfast? a) whiskey b)cheap wine c) vodka choose one. Pretty silly, eh? I came up with some others that may not be fit to print!

Anyhow, I had better get to bed. Getting sleepy. g'night all!

 

[Belinda5000]

The neuro I have now I've had for over 20 years and I'm considering changing.
The problem is I've been to a lot of specialist and left them all for one reason or another.

 

[malibu1966]

The nerologist I have right now is excellent. He has scheduled all my appointments / testing very quickly. I just seen him Feb 28th and my next MRI is already been set up for March !!

 

[CathyAnn31]

I'm with arnie here on being unable to vote on your poll.

I just "like" my dr. Don't love him, don't hate him. He's a nice enough guy, is very thorough and seems to care and listen to me. Our personalities are different is all.

 

[C0urt]

ditto,
my doc is a nice guy, his main focus is covering his tail though, so he doesn't take many un-needed risk. considering I will not submit to brain surgery. he keeps trying different meds.

 

[Penny]

I will be seeing a new neurologist/ epileptoligist on the 19th of April. The hospital I was at (specialized, big city) picked him out. Even though it will be quite a ride I believe it is worth it after all that has happened lately. I thank God for Medicare and Medicade (on Disability for a couple things) or I would not be able to do this. Case management will even drive me there. After I move next month my daughter will have too and that will be quite a bit expensive as she has a full size truck. We will make it somehow though!

 

[Belinda5000]

I'm looking for a new neuro now after 25 years next month being with this guy.
I'm not happy with him!!!

 

[C0urt]

I got a refferal to a epileptoligist and a new big word yay!

 

[saleen]

I love my current doctor! I started seeing him about one year ago and am so happy I switched. I hated my old doctor. He was a stupid, arrogant, lying a**hole!

 

[cawhitern]

Very happy with my neurologist. She listens and seems to care about what I think. I've been kind of complacent in my illness because I was controlled on Dilantin for decades, so much so that I hadn't seen a neurologist in years, but she made me see how I needed to look at how Dilantin could effect me long-range. I'm switching to Keppra XR now and taking better care of myself.

 

[lindsayschu2]

I had a truly terrible neurologist for years, and am now seeing an epileptologist at a widely regarded center throughout the Western US, and love her. She is the best dr I've ever seen. It's wonderful to have a doctor who is really really good, but also listens to your thoughts and really runs with them when she thinks they make sense. I'm glad I finally decided not to accept having a doctor who makes critical mistakes and doesn't really care.

 

[seizuregirl]

I'm like Cathy Ann31, I just "like" my dr too, he will listen to me about the side effects of my meds, and since I'm never aware of the seizure's happening he seems to listen more to my father since he goes with me.
The 1st dr I had was an old guy, he retired about a month after my 1st apt with him, my case was too confusing to the 2nd one, and the 3rd one shoved me as fast as possible to my current dr, I think I scared him! lol

 

[cawhitern]

This affects some of us so profoundly I think it would be very difficult to navigate life with a doctor I didn't feel was really in my corner, who didn't listen to me. Unfortunately, finding a great doctor can be difficult or almost impossible for some. And time consuming. And expensive.

 

[Belinda5000]

I looked for quite a while for another neuro but I want one with experienceand I've been seeing mine 25 years. I gave up when I couldn't get to the docs.It's the doctor that impresses me not the hospital they went to.I refuse to go go Emory docs.Emory hospital I do not like in th eleast bit.my neuro treats me like a human being and is smart as can be .he thinksHarvard is great.I'd put him against any neuro and I do like him.

 

[AlohaBird]

I'm between neurologists at the moment given that I have just moved and transferred from Kaiser SoCal to Kaiser Hawaii.

My first Kaiser neuro was a great old guy who was of the opinion that, since I have a long history of exclusively sleep seizures, he didn't need to report to the DMV if I had one. His reasoning was that he was obligated to report any loss of consciousness. That which you don't have, you can't lose and technically you are not conscious when you are asleep so this stayed just between us.

Then he went and retired and I got an eager young replacement. She is too green to think for herself and goes to the "rules are rules" corner. I confided to her that I had had a breakthrough seizure after two nights of minimal sleep and a huge plane ride (to China) and a missed dose of meds. She goes and reports this to the DMV and the next thing I know I have to take the written driving test again as well as the test in the car with an instructor. Just what exactly does me proving that I know how to use my turn signals and parallel park have to to with my seizures????
So, I basically quit talking to her. She also saw no point in even thinking about a ketogenic diet as long as the pills were working.

So, now I am ISO an enlightened neuro but I'm going it on my own ATM.