help, need great, innovative nephrologist

[gfr10]

have been searching for a great nephrologist in the gainesville, fl area, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jayhawker]

Hi, gfr10

I live in Kansas City so can't help you out for your area. But I've been looking for a new nephrologist as well. In my case, I want to be sure that he or she supports in home dialysis options, e.g., PD dialysis. According to my first nephrologist, it's still rather difficult to find nephrologists who support and thereby prescribe in home dialysis options.

So, realizing what I was up against, I asked for ideas through this forum as you have. That helped. I also decided it might help to reach out to nurses affiliated with dialysis centers. That strategy really paid off!

I wonder whether you might find reaching out to nurses affiliated with dialysis centers in your area to be of some help as well. They would certainly know which nephrologists they've seen do amazing work with persons in Stage V.

Let us know how this goes--and best wishes!

Marj

[gfr10 in reply to Jayhawker]

thank you, that is a great idea! will try, i tried in center hemo dialysis for 9 treatments, felt like i was in a sci-fi movie, would like to try in home PD if i could find a nephrologist, the one at the center just told me if i stopped coming i would die in 2 weeks, i'm on week 9 so i will keep trying! hard to find some one who allows you to have ideas and actually participate in your care! i think at 73 i might have had some experiences with my health that may be different but worth a try. good luck to you and thank you.

[Jayhawker in reply to gfr10]

Yes, my first nephrologist was excellent. I had to move last summer. The nephrologist I've been seeing since moving is certainly not even close to the caliber of my first nephrologist--so I'm now shifting to a new nephrologist.

My first nephrologist mentioned, when I called his office about a month ago for some help finding a new nephrologist, that most nephrologists are still not trained on any of the home dialysis options. Thus, they won't prescribe them. He went on to say that medical schools in geneneral are STILL not training aspiring nephrologists on in home dialysis options. So this problem is going to persist for some time, I'd suspect.

Meanwhile, slightly more than 90% of all practicing nephrologists would use PD dialysis if they needed dialysis. But they won't prescribe for their patients what they would use for themselves. I find that more than a little incredible!

I was pretty frustrated when I realized in my appointment late last November that the nephrologist I've been seeing since moving only prescribes in center HD dialysis. Prior to moving I'd been through quite a lot of patient education related to all of this and had, following numerous discussions with my first nephrologist, agreed that PD would be my first choice for dialysis. This second nephrologist had heard me mention that in each of my first three appointments and said nothing. He would just look away when I mentioned PD dialysis.

So when I finally got him to talk about his plans for my treatment last November he was adamant that he would put me on in center HD. He has no patients on in home dialysis. So I would have to be on in center HD. I would also have to go to a dialysis center that is only open three days a week (M, W, F). That would also have knocked me out of the work force. When I mentioned that, he became pretty defensive...

Anyway, I've found a new nephrologist who does embrace in home dialysis options. My first nephrologist knows this new person and speaks well of him. Plus the new nephrologist and his colleagues have worked with the local National Kidney Foundation chapter to host a day long in home dialysis information conference bringing national leaders into Kansas City. This mini-conference was specifically targeted for nephrologists throughout the region. And the dialysis nurses speak very highly of this person and the entire nephrology practice. I'm waiting out my first appointment now; it's on May 30th. I'm hopeful that I'll hear that PD is, in fact, still an option for me at this appointment🐶

From my perspective, if there is no medical reason why I can't try in home PD dialysis, then that's the treatment I try first. If it doesnt work, then we move on to HD dialysis.

Marj

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

You can look on line at the website healthgrades.com

Patients post reviews on line and may give you an idea of what is right for you. I found out about my doctor that way and have been very happy with him.

You can also try google "Gainesville, FL Nephrologist"

Hope this helps. When we moved from WI to WY, I had no idea who to choose for a primary and my nephrologist. Found both by using the internet and have 2 fantastic doctors.

Good luck. Let us know how you do?