Has anyone had experience with a neuropsychologist? Took my BF to see one for the first time 2 days ago. Not very pleased with the visit. Was one hour long and I left feeling like he gave us no feedback or guidance. He let my BF ramble and get of course many times with information that I thought had no relevance to the question that was asked. He seemed more interested in just making the next appointment than making us feel like he had a game plan or a course of action. I pressed him for feedback and he told me he would discuss with his other doctors and get back to me. Not knowing what to expect from this appointment I was let down. What can be expected of a good neuropsychologist?
Neuropsychologist : Has anyone had... - Encephalitis Inte...
Neuropsychologist
Written by
Cmiller1971
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
6 Replies
•
I haven't been to see one or had one come to see me yet, I'm 'on the waiting list'
NP seems to be a mixture of cognitive therapy, counseling and medication.
A simple Google search came up with the following:
"What can I expect from a neuropsychological test?
Neuropsychology assessments typically include:
Tests of intellectual functioning, attention, learning and memory, reasoning and problem-solving, visuospatial skills, and language, as well as mood and personality.
An interview with the patient and a family member or friend, if possible.
Medical record review.
Always best to get an idea of what to expect before attending, what seems like mere talking can reveal a lot about one's hopes, fears, and future potential for recovery.
G2
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the input.
Hello Cmiller1971,
As a survivor of near fatal meningitis/encephalitis, I will tell of some of what I went through. Hopefully it will be of some help to you. At 5 months into your boyfriend's recovery, it is indeed still early so improvements might be happening at a rapid pace. Like your boyfriend, my short term memory wasn't very good at first, my personality has changed, and the fatigue is so bad that I am a recipient of SSDI.
I saw more doctors and specialists in one year than I had seen in my over 50 years on this planet, in 2018-2019! Here's some of what I learned:
After being released from the hospital, the most important doctor I had (and still have) is my Primary Care Physician. He was the overseer of everything that I would need, medically. Specialists and others would have to consult him first, to "clear" new medications, etc.
I saw some doctors that proved to be unhelpful. What was important was that my PCP told me that although they were unhelpful, it was still good to see them, simply to eliminate ALL possible causes of my after effects.
Another thing I learned is that during many of my visits with specialists, I also rambled on and on and thought that they were just trying to get some insurance money by seeing me and not much more. What I didn't know is that they were actually recording all sorts of data regarding my reactions, behavior, physical presentation, etc. This data was compiled and sent to my PCP, then I didn't see the "unhelpful" specialists any more. They had done their jobs and I moved on to other specialists.
I am seeing neurologists at the local hospital here, every 6 months now. As far as I know, a neurologist is also an MD, and can write prescriptions, recommend other specialist consultations, etc. A neurophycholigist, is not an MD, and therefore cannot do what a Medical Doctor can do. If your boyfriend's neuropsychologist is working closely with his PCP, then it is possible they are looking for things that you may not be aware of. It is possible that his seemingly worthless visits may be of value, after all.
It is crucial that his PCP be the "hub" of all medical follow-ups, specialist referrals, visits, etc. If not, it's time to find a PCP that will be this "hub".
Did he spend some time in the hospital? They should be working with his PCP, as well.
So, for now, a tremendous amount of patience is required by everyone. This illness is truly a terrible one, and is not easy to diagnose and treat. It is a struggle, too!
Hoping things get better as quickly as possible, and with much care,
OldGnome
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m sure I need to learn a little more patience just as my BF does. Maybe I’m just hoping for too much too soon. In the meantime, still waiting for the first NP to get back to me like he said he would and I’m also reaching out and looking for a new one. Actually spoke to one on the phone Friday and I was very pleased with the information he gave me. If I get no positive feedback from NP #1 might make an appointment with this one instead. All the same, I will try and be more open minded and patient. Thanks again.
Hi there,
I am really sorry to hear the appointment didn't go too well. It can be really disheartening when this happens as patients and carers we tend to eagerly wait a long time for these appointments!
A neuropsychologist should not only provide feedback but also some input as to the cause of symptoms and should work with the relevant team of doctors such as neurologist, GP, or psychologist to evaluate a plan of action going forward.
Unfortunately, this appointment doesn't sound like any of that was achieved. I had encephalitis and I've had one appointment with a neurologist who was in training at the time and I actually left the appointment in tears. It was a terrible and very unhelpful appointment so I completely relate to and understand how you and your boyfriend must be feeling.
Just like a therapist, it can take a while to find the right fit! Could you find a different neurologist and find someone who is highly recommended? Or return to the neurologist, GP or doctor who cared for your boyfriend while he was sick with encephalitis and see who they would suggest referring to as an occupational therapist, psychologist or speech therapist are all resources for patients with encephalitis.
The encephalitis society is always there to help and it can be good to talk to others affected directly and indirectly via the zoom calls - encephalitis.info/Listing/C...
Thanks for responding. I actually did reach out to the encephalitis society already and the responded with a very empathetic and informative email. I have also reached out to his neurologist for a recommendation as well as doing some more research on my own. Had a very positive phone conversation with one last week. Just have to make the decision as to who to try for the next time. We’ll keep trying !
