RLS Doc in Chicago?

[GwenC]

Hi All - Anyone have a recommendation for RLS doc in Chicago? My original doc retired ...

[Valthinking]

Dr. Richard Munsen in the North Shore system is who I've been using. I'm the only patient he has with refractory RLS though, so his experience isn't deep. But he prescribes OxyContin for me, and I also see a pain specialist, Dr. Dickerson, in the same system. He hasn't been much help yet, except he did find a way for my insurance to pay for my prescription: Calling RLS Leg Neuropathy. Grateful for that!

[ViewsAskew]

I never found one - I saw about 30 or so. Moved to a state with a RLS Quality Care Center in it.

Hope you find one.

Valthinking - I saw Munsen's name a year or so before I left. I saw a neurologist in the Loop that was highly recommended instead and it was so horrible, I came home in tears. My husband said, Let's move...and that was that. Glad you found some help with him.

[Valthinking]

Holy cow, am I late responding! (ViewsAskew,I love your husband. He knows how to take care of you!) Right now I'm pretty disillusioned with Dr. Munsen because, to put it bluntly, I feel like crap. I've finally gotten off of the clonazepam he prescribed a year ago, which never did a thing. So I'm not taking it BUT the withdrawal effects linger and linger, with off-the-charts anxiety (which I never had before taking it) accompanied by an uptick of RLS earlier in the day. And no help with my daytime dizziness.


For those in the Chicago area, it's important to know that first, I had a televisit with Dr. Silber at the Mayo Clinic Sleep center, and waited three months for it. Dr, Silber wrote out an in-depth diagnosis and prescribed OxyContin. I then took his recommendation to Dr. Munsen, who'd been treating me with Mirapex for years. Dr. Munsen is in the 'North Shore' system, which links up to the Mayo Clinic. So I didn't go directly to Dr. Munsen. In point of fact, he never instituted Dr. Silber's recommendation. But after a difficult phone call, Dr. Munsen finally gave my some Oxycontin. I was on a weird cocktail of meds and deeply depressed. No one knew how bad it was for almost two years, even my husband. So I've been peeling away all the unnecessary meds that I can, and Dr. Munsen is not much help. I'm figuring things out on my own, and only wish I had wiser care. I have this forum. It's an amazing resource.

Dr. Silber has continued to be very responsive to questions, though—I supposed I am one of his patients now, in a way.

So for those in the Chicago area, it might be helpful to do two things: get in to the Mayo Clinic Sleep Center, and see a neurologist in the Northshore system's sleep center. It's clumsy but it's a possible avenue!

[ViewsAskew]

I am so sorry to hear that it hasn't improved any since I left. I was at my wit's end with it. But, very happy to hear you found a way to get someone who could help you, Valthinking! (and, yes, I would agree that my husband is pretty awesome)