Need help choosing a new neurologist.

[Sedona]

I am devastated, my neurologist retired! I had been seeing her for over 10 years, shortly after my diagnosis and really felt comfortable with her. She listened to me, she worked with me on meds, taking any changes very slowly and after 2 years of trying to get me to leave my job, I finally did and she retired abruptly. Unfortunately, at 6 months out of work and time to apply for long term disability and ss disability, I have no neurologist and no doctor other than my gp to fill out my paperwork to apply. I am in a rural area and have a choice of 2 fairly local neurologists, who I can drive to and can get in to see within the next month. There is also a neurology clinic at a university medial center in the nearest city that specializes in movement disorders and participates in various drug trials and seems to be on the leading edge of things. However, I cannot get an appointment for 3-4 months and I do not drive in the city, so my son would have to take off from work to take me. I am having a difficult time deciding what to do; I obviously want the best care, yet hate to wait so long, as I am anxious to get the disability applied for. Though I would feel guilty for my son having to take time off from work to take me to the neurologist in the city, if there is a big difference between the care that I'd get from a basic neurologist and one specializing in parkinsons and/or movement disorders, it would be worth it. Any advice?

[grandmasanta]

Go to the local one you can drive to, after you get your disability,,,you can always chang e doctors at a later date...

[Hidden]

Having to find a new Neurologist can be very trying. When my husband was first diagnosed, our family doctor sent him to a neurologist and we fell in love with her as she was so caring and easy to talk to but she moved out of state after a few years so we had to start all over. We saw 4 other specialists before we ended up finding one who we felt would help him and he ended up being a "movement specialist". We liked him very much but getting an appointment was extremely difficult because the wait time was usually 3 to 6 months plus having to wait in his office at least an hour or more to get seen. I was told there are just not enough of these specialists to help all the people who need them and that's why you have to wait so long. Good luck on your search but I think you just have to "try them out" and pick the one you feel is helping you the most.

[SharonAB]

Dear Sedona,

Is it possible to see your 'local' neurologist/s and GP and then if it doesn't work out travel further afield.

As you may find the 'local' medical professionals have a network of physio's, speech & OT's etc that could of great use to you (if not already...)

Regards,

Alana - Western Australia

[quirkyme]

do you want a general neurologist who sees PD patients and people with other neurological conditions? My husband sees a general neurologist but if we ever change, we'd probably do to a movement disorder specialist.