Who is your favorite doctor?

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ViewsAskew
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Who is your favorite doctor?

Post by ViewsAskew »

I know we've had some posts before, but I saw an article today and I thought we might try to put together a consolidated thread with doctors we trust to handle our RLS.

To start, the RLS Foundation now has certified care centers. Here is a list to them: http://www.rls.org/qcc-directory

As of April 2016, we have:
8. Vanderbilt Sleep Center

Vanderbilt Neurology One Hundred Oaks
719 Thompson Lane, Suite 24100
Nashville, TN 37204
Appointments: (615) 936-0060

1. Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic

200 1st Street SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Phone number: (507) 538-3270

2. Emory Sleep Center

12 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Appointments:
Phone: (404) 712-7533

3. Houston Methodist Neurological Institute

6560 Fannin Street, Suite 1002
Houston, TX 77030
Phone number: (713) 363-7077

4. Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Neurology, Sleep Lab and Sleep Disorders Outpatient Clinic

Anichstr. 35
6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Phone number: + 43 512 405-23890
Appointments: Maria Kuscher, Cesarie Ndayisaba, Manuela Oberlechner schlaf-neurologie@i-med.ac.at

5. Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome

5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle
Baltimore, MD 21224
Appointments: Robin Fishel rfishel2@jhmi.edu
Phone: (410) 550-0574

6. Stanford Sleep Medicine Center

450 Broadway Street
Pavilion B, 2nd Floor, MC 5730
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone number: (650) 723-6601
Fax: (650) 721-3448

7. Yale Centers for Restless Legs Syndrome

800 Howard Avenue, Lower Level
New Haven, CT 06519

Yale Centers for Sleep Medicine
8 Devine Street
North Haven, CT 06473

Appointments: (203) 287-3550
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

ViewsAskew
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Ohio

Post by ViewsAskew »

Here is a link to an article I found: http://www.10000articles.com/article/11 ... tness.html

At the end of it, there was another link to this doctor's website: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com/

He's in Athen's Ohio and it sounds like he "gets" RLS and would be worth a visit for anyone in that area who hasn't found someone yet.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

ViewsAskew
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Chicago

Post by ViewsAskew »

In the city of Chicago....

Lisa Shives is good. She's in Evanston. They have a sleep lab on the premises. EDITED to ADD in 2013: She doesn't focus on sleep disorders anymore. She is also extremely leery of using opioids. Not sure she's a good choice for people who are resistant to the other drugs.

If she wasn't so busy, I'd recommend Cynthia Comella, a neurologist. She gets RLS well (though I can't say as much for her colleagues), but it took me 4 months to get my first appointment. She's got a great manner and is very likable. She is very reticent to go to opioids, however, even when all other medications have been exhausted. She's also a Parkinson's expert and I'd definitely use her if I needed someone for that.

I personally would not see Dr Burnstein, a neurologist who specializes in RLS. If anyone is local and wants to hear about my experiences with him, please PM me and I'd be happy to share.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

ViewsAskew
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South Suburbs Chicago /Indiana RLS Doctors

Post by ViewsAskew »

I highly recommend Trevor and Gary Marcotte, both primary care doctors. They closed the Peotone office and only have one on the Illinois/Indiana border, just over the state line from Crete, Illinois. They were my lifeline. I'd choose them for my primary care doctor AND my RLS doctor in a heartbeat if they weren't so far away from me. EDITED in 2013: They are still good doctors, but they no longer will use strong opioids with RLS patients. If you need methadone, they are not an option.

In Frankfort and Joliet there is a neurologist who is well informed, Dr Bertrand. He's old school and definitely has the "I'm the boss" attitude, but he does know his stuff pretty well. He's definitely not willing to use strong opioids, so I wouldn't start with him if I'd already worked through everything else and had no other options but opioids.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

pedrime
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Post by pedrime »

Dr. Ilia Itin, Neurologist/ Movement Disorders specialist at the Cleveland Clinic; main campus, Cleveland, Ohio.

I've only been his patient since March but thus far everything is perfect. How many doctors are deferential--I'm younger than him and he calls me "Mrs." Most importantly, he takes RLS seriously and says I am no less important to him than a Parkinson's or ALS patient. Huhh??

Understands our condition and always has a plan B--says not to worry if my medication stops working. Just fax him my issues, he later calls me, and we mutually agree to the next step.

Very odd to have this kind of partnership with an MD, especially re. RLS & 15 + years of docs disrespecting and even laughing at me.

Just praying he stays put for years to come!!!!

lorabell
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Location: NO. IL.
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Favorite Dr

Post by lorabell »

Hi All.
In the greater Dixon, Sterling ,Rock Falls area of IL. I highly recommend Dr. Eric Gale in Dixon and Dr. David Bruce in Sterling, both are affiliated with the Rock Falls, Sterling clinic.
Dr. Bruce is my sleep specialist and Dr. Gale is an MD. Took me a while to train him ( lol ) but the training paid off a couple of years ago when I went in for a checkup. Dr. Gale thanked me for having rls and educating him, as he knew what was happening when he realized his legs were getting weird on him !
One of his nurses and one of the receptionists has rls and plmd also.
I sure never thought I would be thanked for having this wonderful condition. I somtimes think I'd rather have a root canal and give birth at the same time, both without drugs !
Still , got to love it cause the alternative just makes you miserable.
Lorabell
aka
wowobl
Always remember, if you cut off your limbs, you'll have phantom rls and nothing to rub .LOL

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zookeeper
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Post by zookeeper »

Dr Donald Hopewell at Skaggs Neorological in Branson, Mo. seems to have a handle on RLS. I saw him for back pain but we also talked about my RLS and he had no problem keeping me on hydrocodone for the RLS.

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

My sister still sees the Marcottes mentioned upthread. She was in last week with her daughter and Dr Gary mentioned that he'd gotten several new patients from this post. I do hope that whoever saw him had an experience similar to mine. My sister has had nothing but great experiences with him (he agreed to let her try the Armour thyroid instead of synthoid and it's made a world of difference).
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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The Artist in the Mirror
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Post by The Artist in the Mirror »

mark atkins randolph nj

Neco
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Post by Neco »

Well I've only had one doctor.. cause I'm poor and he's a great guy who helped me out and continues to do what he can for me.

Dr. Ben Schmidt, local in Waterloo, WI where I live. Our visits don't always last as long as I'd like, but sometimes there isn't much to talk about so its in and out.. But if you have an issue to bring up he usually has no problem sitting back down, or sometimes I prefer to wait and let him come back to me after he does his next patient real quick, etc.. He has good bedside manner I think and he'll talk to you on your level, in your own language so that's pretty cool.

Overall he's a good guy who clearly cares for his patients so I would reccomend him not necesarrilly for RLS, but for other general problems too.

slee
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Post by slee »

I live in Maple Grove, MN and have just found a new doctor and I love her already. Dr. Fox at the Minnesota Sleep Institute in Plymouth, MN. I went in for a sleep study and was surprised how well versed she was with RLS. She had the list of no, no meds like Benedryl, over the counter sleep aids, etc., knew what meds to try in what order, including opiates. She even said a lot of patients just need the opiates to control the RLS and so that's what she gives them. It was like listening to someone read to me things from this forum and the Mayo Clinic Algorithim, sorry can't spell, going on 3 hrs or less of sleep nightly for a longgggg time. Anyway, since I had a horrible experience with Requip, she wants to start Mirapex at half the starter dose and quit when it starts working if it does or if I have the side affects again to stop. Even warned me of augmentation. I'm in love, but don't tell my husband.

booth205
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Good Doc??

Post by booth205 »

Does anyone know of a good doctor in Alabama?? I went to the doc today and he only wants to give me Klonopin b/c of fertility issues. I understand his stand point. However, I don't feel good about this drug after reading info.
So, I would like to find another doctor. Can anyone help??
Blessings to ALL!!

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

Slee, I'm so glad you had a good experience with the MN Sleep Institute. I saw Dr. Mulrooney at the Woodbury office, and he was OK, but the nursing staff left a lot to be desired. After I augmented, I had an appointment with the nurse practitioner (don't remember which one) who tried to prescribe me a CPAP, even though I clearly didn't have apnea, and wanted to totally ignore the fact that I was having horrible augmentation issues. Then, after she put me on Vicodin, they wouldn't refill it, and Dr. Mulrooney told me that if I needed painkillers I would have to go to the Pain Clinic. (I have painful symptoms since augmenting on Requip.)

I had trouble because Dr. Mulrooney kept cancelling my appointments because of illness, and the nurses would only call in my prescription for Vicodin for the number of days until my rescheduled appointment. And then when I was going on a trip and was out of meds, I called and called and they didn't call me back until after I had left town.

This all reminds me that I really do need to fire off a letter to the clinic director because of the horrible treatment I got there.

Anyway, it sounds like things have maybe improved. I hope so! Please keep us posted.
Susan

slee
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Post by slee »

Susan, what got me excited about this doctor was she told me specifically that some people need the pain killers so that's what she gave them. She didn't seem to pigeon hole people into "here is the only option" area. She seemed to genuinely get what RLS is about. I work in Oakdale, and my GP is in White Bear, (GP was a personal friend before he was my doctor) so maybe I should be glad I live near the Plymouth office, because my doctor thought he was doing me a favor by recommending the Plymouth office.

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

Wow, Slee, you really get around the metro area! You'll have to stop by sometime when you're in White Bear Lake. Are you happy with your GP? I would assume so if he was a friend before he became your GP. Would you mind sharing his name? I've been to 4 different GPs in the last year, and I'm really not thrilled with any of them anymore. I'd like to find someone who practices "evidence based medicine" and also listens to me and believes me.
Susan

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