My Epileptologist / Neurologist ...

[stilldancing_98]

I have an awsome team. They all go out of there way for me. I have been seeing my epileptologist for 11 years now and my son see's him too. In Seattle. He calls us to make sure that we are ok. Alex's ped. is the same way. We are on first name basis and she is an advocate all the way. I don't know what I would do without these guys. they are also very good friends.

[RobinN]

Well there is another point for Seattle. I had already thought it was an awesome city.

[hawke86]

I have one of the best neurologists out there. People from all over the U.S. come to see him. He is one of the best. In my opinion he is the best. Everyone that heard of him drives or flies to San Antonio,TX to see him. I hope everyone has a good one.

[RobinN]

What is his name Hawke?
The good ones need a banner.

[hawke86]

He is also a college professor.

[hawke86]

My neurologist's name is Charles A. Szabo if anyone is wondering. I hope you people have a good doctor.

[stilldancing_98]

Robin, I love your attitude.

[Meetz1064]

AWESOME neurologist......... after my first one, Dr. Curfman, moved back in March of '99, I wasn't able to find one that I liked here. I ran out of meds, and my best friend was desperatey trying to find a new neurologist for me. (I couldn't think straight enough to do it, and she knew it. My husband refused to do it.) Over the next 3 months through the first week of July, I had a t/c EVERY WEEK. It was horrible. Then out of the blue, Katie, my best friend, was at a meeting, and FOUND my new neurologist, and a new primary care doctor, Dr. Turner, too. I was in both their offices in 24 hours.

Doctor Lee, the neurologist, is a doll. I honestly love him. He may have 3 offices, and he may be an associate professor at the IU Med School. But, he STILL makes time to listen to ALL of his patients. And, he will take what I can pay him. If it takes me longer to pay, he doesn't care. He wants me in there, taking care of ME. He even laughed, heartily, the other day, when during the upper body EMG, I inadvertently threw the equipment clear across the room...

I honestly wish that EVERYONE could have a neurologist like Doctor Lee.....He is the next thing to heaven, I think...... He has brought an epileptologist into his practice, but I won't switch to her. I prefer to stay with him.

[Dain Bramage]

My first neurologist started treating me in the ER after my first seizure when I was 18. She was a good doc, listened well, and came up with an effective course of treatment. However, a number of years later she decided to switch to the field of sleep study (where I still see her to deal with my sleep apnea), so I had to find another neurologist.
I live in central New Hampshire, so the local choices are somewhat limited. Fortunately, I ended up with a good one. He listens well, cares, puts forth a lot of effort, has a good bed-side manner, and is a heck of a fisherman. I've managed to stump him a bit lately with the recent changes in my brain (lack thereof?), but he hasn't given up or even acted frustrated toward me. I'll be sticking with this guy for as long as I can.
neurologist # 3 (epileptologist), whom I've only seen when referred by my regular neurologist, didn't believe that I even had epilepsy until I had a grand-mal in front of him during a video-EEG. This is the kind of doc that spends as little time with the patient as possible, and seldom lets the patient say much. When I did talk, he just seemed to get his ego offended because I had the nerve to ask him to explain things. This guy's diagnosis of me, after my week long stint, consisted only of his own pre-conceived notions, until my wife and I asked him some good questions that forced him to review the EEG, whereupon he begrudgingly admitted to an altered diagnosis that fit the results of the tests.

[Meetz1064]

like #1 & #2 are keepers, Dain Bramage. #3....well, I wouldn't use him if I had to. But, at least he changed his diagnosis. Gotta give him a little credit there.

[drarvindr]

Well , mine sucks. Not because he's incompetent( i would have noticed that , being a doctor myself) , but because he lacks anything resembling compassion.I feel that incumbent in the definition of a doctor is taking the time to talk to your patient , and empathize at least to a degree. I know how bad transference can be , but this doesn't mean you become an ice queen. When i first went to him he asked me what i wanted to do . i said wanted to be a doctor and he said something that equates to "pfft".
When i told him i had been accepted at med school , he raises his eyebrows and says
"you got past the MCATS?" (yes i did)
subtitle:"...or is there a "ramaswamy chair of neurology at your university now?"
When my mother went to him after a seizure she had a few years later ( she doesnt have E, she has a lesion on her hippocampus) , the first thing he said was " well, i guess we know where arvind got it from." What mother wants to be told that she is responsible for her son's illness? jerk. Unfortunately in my city he's a god as far as diagnosing is concerned. So i have to choose between incompetent people or a competent neanderthal.

[stilldancing_98]

Woo Hoo Woo Hoo that is exciting.I have a lot of friends now that have become Dr.s because of family members or the way they were treated when they were patients themselves. A good Dr. is one that is somebody who listens and really and truly cares for his or her patient. And just because they have not walked in our shoes doesn't mean that they are better than us meaning the patient. But on the other hand to be a nice person, even though we get ill, we have to remember that Dr.s are human too. And work very hard. We are not in there shoes either.So I respect you as a doctor and somebody who has been through it.

[ziggidypoo]

Mine is weird. She sits and stares at you - taking in every inflection in your voice and every detail of what you say - listening extremely closely - then, pops out an answer. My last visit she had a P.A. take all the info and he'd run to her office and come back and ask questions and run back to her - over and over. She came in and actually admitted that she made a mistake and put me back on the Triliptal and says I will just have to have my blood-sodium levels checked to prevent the grandmals and coma. THANK THE LORD, and her, NO SEIZURES since then. I'm on Triliptal, Neurontin, Keppra, Klonapin, and other meds for other odds and ends things. So far so good. She is called also a neurodiagnostician - whatever that means - I reckon it must mean one who stares and thinks!!

[stilldancing_98]

Do not be afraid to speak up though zig. Like you really are, lol. I debate with my doc on meds that are changing.Or a way of life . We work on it together.I have had docs like that. And moved on. One was my sons Doc. he also teaches at Childrens. I like him but as much as I like to learn he does not like to communicate with his patients. My doc really knows me medically and socially.He even calls my mom to see how I am doing.

[ziggidypoo]

Do not be afraid to speak up though zig.

I used to be like a mouse and afraid to talk, still get a little insecure, however, now I just let it all hang out (with discretion)


My doc really knows me medically and socially.He even calls my mom to see how I am doing.

Whoa, now you're talkin' the good ole days when the doc came to the house to give the shot and to check on the pt. Your doc sound nifty!!

[Crazy Monkey]

I do not rate any of the neurologists at my local hospital, not a single one has ever really done their best by me. I don't doubt for a minute that they are very knowledgable, I just don't feel like that they have ever done anything productive for me.

At some point, because of me they have all sat their scratching their heads because they don't know a way to move forward. When this happens I get moved to a different neurologist and again and again and again.

Unfortunately these are the only neurologist's in my area so I am stuck with them.

[RobinN]

Our latest one CM is at least open minded when I bring info in to discuss. I am surprised that she hasn't already heard of this, yet, they are studying other neurological disorders at the same time.

[Rose]

My current neurologist is one of a kind! His name is Dr. Elsas at Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland Oregon. He listens to me and insists that I take an active role in my treatment! Which is more than I can say for all the other neuros I have had in the 30 plus years since I was diagnosed.

Peace,
Rose

[kelso54]

In 42 years I have had, 3 neurosurgens 2 preformed surgeries, the first was my first neurologist, I have had 3 neurologists I saw regulaly and numerous who where consults and 1 epileptoligset. I liked all but one of my doctors, he never seemed that into me or my case, after switching to the University of Florida medical center [I]Shands[I] I was diagnosed with a brain tumor this was 1982. The neurologist I think of as dog meat, confessed to knowing about the tumor but not knowing what to do so he did said nothing! I am back at the practice founded by my orginal neurosurgen Dr T, who was great and dogmeat, Dr. T has retired bless him, dogmeat has left the practice. My current neurologist is great. The epileptologist I saw at Shands was the best, he listened and spent time with me. It was he who ordered the monitored eeg and the subsiquent monitored eeg with leads inside of skull (lots of fun). Due to location of my seizure focus I am not caidate for surgery. Couldchange with advancements in imaging thechknowlegy.

[kelso54]

Mine is weird. She sits and stares at you - taking in every inflection in your voice and every detail of what you say - listening extremely closely - then, pops out an answer. My last visit she had a P.A. take all the info and he'd run to her office and come back and ask questions and run back to her - over and over. She came in and actually admitted that she made a mistake and put me back on the Triliptal and says I will just have to have my blood-sodium levels checked to prevent the grandmals and coma. THANK THE LORD, and her, NO SEIZURES since then. I'm on Triliptal, Neurontin, Keppra, Klonapin, and other meds for other odds and ends things. So far so good. She is called also a neurodiagnostician - whatever that means - I reckon it must mean one who stares and thinks!!

don't knock the PA too hard. When I have been in Shands Unversity Hospital, Gainseville Florida I would b questioned by med students repeatedly the same questions! We weren't being used as cse study for the students, not entirely any way, the more mom and I talked with these med-students the more information came out. When you are asked the same questions 10X over you remember more things with each asking.