Finding a good doctor

[tigers9]

I just wanted to get some opinions on finding a decent & competent doctor to treat RLS. My general practice doctor readily admits to not knowing too much about this disease & wasn't really a whole lot of help. He referred me to a neurologist listed on the website, however, it is a long wait to get in to see her. I saw a neurosurgeon recently for a back issue who wouldn't even listen to my issues with RLS, referring me to a different neurologist for a nerve test. I really didn't care for that doctor as he had a tendency to talk very condescending. So, I guess my question would be how to find a good doctor who treats this & does it necessarily have to a be a neurologist? Thanks for any responses.

[ViewsAskew]

I wish there was a magic formula. There doens't seem to be. Some very good neurologists....some not very good ones. Same for sleep doctors and so on.

The closest thing to a key is that the doctor is open, willing to learn and listen, and doesn't dismiss you. Some people have had better luck with younger doctors - maybe they don't feel they know it all yet, so they will listen and learn.

We have found that it's best to educate them slowly. Provide a PubMed research article this visit, a WED Foundation pamphlet next. Highlight the parts you think important to your treatment and say, "Hmmm, noticed this in an article - what do you think about it? Does it have any relevance to my case?" or something like that.

I've seen at least three neurologists, a few sleep doctors, several family doctors, a pulmonologist, maybe others. It's been all over the map.

[dogeyed]

I agree with ANN. But LIZ, I have one more suggestion. An Internal Medicine physician group just may be able to help you properly and stick with you long-term until you get your meds straight. I think nearly all now will prescribe the two drugs that have ads on TV, and there are all sorts of reviewed on those, ranging from awful to pretty good.

I got lucky. As ANN said, younger docs seem to know more about this and what works. You COULD write to Dr.B about all this, see what he says. But I hit the jackpot with my younger female family doc (not internist, as I had left them), and she pegged not only that I had RLS, but gave me a mild opiate mixture for it, and Bingo! the stuff worked and has controlled it ever since. Keep in mind anything with antihistimine in it will make your RLS flare up.

I"m not sure how to write to Dr. B, it's somewhere on this website. I never had to. But could be he'll be able to get you started on your search to be FREE. GG

[tigers9]

Thank you guys, for responding to my desperateness! I just contacted Mayo Clinic in AZ to see if they can get me in for a total rundown. It takes a few days to hear back, but I'm desperate. I am totally cranky today with getting very little sleep the past few nights. Geez, I'm trying everything & nothing is working, which makes me think my meds are really messing me up. I JUST WANT ONE DOCTOR TO BE IN CHARGE OF ALL MY MEDS TO GET ME ON THE RIGHT TRACK! GOOD GRIEF I'M SO AGGRAVATED! Thanks again for all your "ears" & ideas!

[ViewsAskew]

Thank you guys, for responding to my desperateness! I just contacted Mayo Clinic in AZ to see if they can get me in for a total rundown. It takes a few days to hear back, but I'm desperate. I am totally cranky today with getting very little sleep the past few nights. Geez, I'm trying everything & nothing is working, which makes me think my meds are really messing me up. I JUST WANT ONE DOCTOR TO BE IN CHARGE OF ALL MY MEDS TO GET ME ON THE RIGHT TRACK! GOOD GRIEF I'M SO AGGRAVATED! Thanks again for all your "ears" & ideas!

If I could change one thing about how doctors are trained in general, it would be this. They really have a hard time thinking through the whole thing and seeing the whole picture.

I had one period where I called over 30 doctors and talked to their nurses. I went to them one by one - 4 or 5 of them - only to have no luck. I chanced into a good primary care/family doc who really did help, but he was far away. I started this drug rollercoaster in 2002 and in all that time, I still don't have a local doc that I can see that can do what I need. I stopped trying and fly to see a doctor in California (you'll see him referred to as Dr B - he's in the LA area and his name is Dr Buchfuhrer).