Cleveland Clinic

[Springtimeholly]

Has anyone here been to the Cleveland Clinic for your asthma? My doctors can’t figure me out, so this is my next step. Curious if it was helpful for anyone else.

[Jjude1003]

If you go please let us know how your experience is. I’ve also struggled getting a good diagnosis and considered the advanced evaluation processes at places like Cleveland Clinic and Mayo.

[Springtimeholly in reply to Jjude1003]

I will! I’ve done some looking around online, and I have yet to find where someone who said they were going to the Cleveland clinic came back around and talked about the experience. In fact, that was usually their last post to any support group. Maybe that in itself is a good sign? Lol

[Jjude1003 in reply to Springtimeholly]

Last post is probably a good sign.

[ejohns]

I made 6 trips to Cleveland Clinic 2016 thru 2017 for asthma/COPD. They are very through in testing and cover everything with you. Best pulmo department I have ever been to. I took their information and recommendations back to my local doctors. I was a 7 hour trip, one way , for me so I stopped going but would do so again if needed.

[Springtimeholly in reply to ejohns]

Thank you for sharing that! Did it lead to a lot of improvement? I am only 5 hours away, but I was hoping to go once and be done. It seems like that’s not the reality, though, is it? One reason I’m going is to get a diagnosis because even though I know I have asthma, we’re not sure if there are other things contributing, since I have a lot of other weird symptoms.

[ejohns in reply to Springtimeholly]

If you have more than 1 issue they will schedule you so as to address as many as possible in one trip. My first visit, first day, I saw a doctor that did an overall exam and and question period for the problems I wished to have looked into. Since I was there only for respiratory that was thoroughly taken care of the next day and follow up appointments scheduled.

[Springtimeholly in reply to ejohns]

Have you gone alone any of those times? I don’t have anyone to go with me, so I’ll be alone on my first visit, and I’m nervous about all of it. Including how to navigate getting from the hotel to all the appts. Im used to being on my own, but feeling awful on top of it makes it hard.

[ejohns in reply to Springtimeholly]

Unless you are going to have surgery or invasive testing you can go alone. I did. The only time they insisted that I have a companion was for a bronchoscopy. They insist there be some one there to drive. You can stay at the Clinic at either a very expensive hotel attached or one a little less expensive down the street. I always stayed overnite at a motel on I90 about 11 miles away and drove in in the morning. Once you are in the Clinic ( huge place ) you never have to go outside to reach other departments. In fact they have golf cart shuttles to take you wherever you need to go while completely indoors.

[Springtimeholly in reply to ejohns]

Oh wow thank you! In all my phone calls no one every mentioned the shuttles, even when I said I was concerned about how to get around because my breathing is so bad I can’t walk far. They told me if I bring someone with me, they could push me in a wheelchair.

[ejohns in reply to Springtimeholly]

You will need to call Cleveland Clinic to get appointments scheduled. They will likely mail you a packet and answer all questions via phone. Just give them a call. Please remember my information is 3 and a half years old but I doubt if much has changed