Thank You Joolsg

[Woody4]

Want to thank Joolsg for the info about finding a Dr with knowledge about RLS. Unfortunately my GP must give the call for a 2nd opinion and being that she and her Dr husband are personal friends with my neurologist, they feel like that would be an insult to their friend.

[Madlegs1]

So--- are you prepared to sacrifice your health on the altar of their personal feelings?That is the question! 🤔

[Woody4 in reply to Madlegs1]

Wish I could just go to another Dr but being a Veteran, my health insurance is through the VA. Plus you must be referenced by another Dr to see any specialist.

[Hidden in reply to Woody4]

Bummer, but I would have thought decisions about referrals to specialists were supposed to be based on medical grounds not friendship.

That seems unethical, if not corrupt.

[TheDoDahMan in reply to Hidden]

"Corrupt" sounds about right to me.

[Munroist]

Your wellbeing is your doctor’s prime motivation and if you are not well despite their best efforts then it is their professional duty to help you find alternative therapies. It’s simply a standard and well understood process and not personal and is aimed at giving you the best possible outcome. Your doctor should ask him or herself honestly whether you are happy and managing RLS well and if the answer is no, then a second opinion is an entirely normal process.

[Woody4 in reply to Munroist]

And how many Dr’s believe a second opinion is needed??

[Munroist in reply to Woody4]

I understand it may require some effort to convince the doctor hence my suggestion to focus on how well the patient is doing which is something difficult to argue with. The next hurdle is the idea that someone else may be able to provide better care but I’d hope most doctors would do the right thing, faced with an unhappy patient.

[Hidden in reply to Munroist]

I fully agree with you, but what you describe is an ideal that isn't always met.

There are (a few) doctors whose motivation for being a doctor is questionable.

There are some who aspire to the ideal but through lack of knowledge can't manage it.

Doctors (and other health professionals) in the UK, at least, are supposed to recognise their errors and failings and do something to correct them. Again an ideal, which isn't always met sometimes with constitutional cover ups and catastrophic consequences.

[Woody4 in reply to Hidden]

Another problem here is that RLS isn’t well understood by my GP or the neurologist that’s supposedly treating me.

[Hidden in reply to Woody4]

I appreciate your problem. I've had the same.