Doctors can be insulting.

[Mamabug]

You and I are in the same general area. If I wanted to see a "real" doctor I'd have to go either to Kansas City or St Louis. Too much driving or riding for me. So in Springfield Mo we are locked in to mediocre doctors for the most part. It makes me crazy since this is a fairly big city with pretty good hospitals. Why can't all cities get the good doctors and the most recent treatments? I always read about the next, most efficient treatments etc or hear about them on the news. But we never see them here. Why is that??

Marti --
Yes; I go to Dr. Sharon Lynch at KU Med Center in Kansas City. And, yes. It is a lot of driving. I don't regret my choice to change from a Wichita neuro to a KC specialist though, even though Wichita was only 30 minutes away. Dr. Lynch is very knowledgeable about MS, she takes all the time I need, she confirmed my dx in 2008, when she suspected that it might not be correct, she switched meds to one that was much more effective for me.

In short, she is able to help me manage my a-typical MS much more effectively. I have had only one hospitalization since 2008, when I made the switch, instead of the one or two per year that I had between 2002 and 2008. We just decide to make a mini weekend vacation out of my appointments. I schedule them for a Friday or a Monday, and we spend one night in a motel there. We get a good price (I bid $30 or $40 on priceline.com). I wouldn't want to go back to the way my MS and my flares used to be.

I know what you mean about a big city without access to the best doctors. Wichita, KS is about twice the size of Springfield, MO and there are no MS specialists there. I continue to be concerned for you, Marti, that your neuro has taken you off DMD meds. Still wondering if you are in SPMS, are still RRMS. I also wonder if, if a regular drive to KC or St. Louis is too far, if even one visit with one would be helpful to, perhaps, get you on a med that could help you to manage your MS better. Perhaps the new neuro, though, that you will see in April, will have a better handle on good options for you.

[JerryD]

Thanks for getting this discussion out to all of us, Marti. I wish that you could have the benefit of consulting with a 'bona fide' MS specialist. This site should compile and maintain a list of MS specialists by state and city. That would be a great 'resource'.

[marti]

Marti --
Yes; I go to Dr. Sharon Lynch at KU Med Center in Kansas City. And, yes. It is a lot of driving. I don't regret my choice to change from a Wichita neuro to a KC specialist though, even though Wichita was only 30 minutes away. Dr. Lynch is very knowledgeable about MS, she takes all the time I need, she confirmed my dx in 2008, when she suspected that it might not be correct, she switched meds to one that was much more effective for me.

In short, she is able to help me manage my a-typical MS much more effectively. I have had only one hospitalization since 2008, when I made the switch, instead of the one or two per year that I had between 2002 and 2008. We just decide to make a mini weekend vacation out of my appointments. I schedule them for a Friday or a Monday, and we spend one night in a motel there. We get a good price (I bid $30 or $40 on priceline.com). I wouldn't want to go back to the way my MS and my flares used to be.

I know what you mean about a big city without access to the best doctors. Wichita, KS is about twice the size of Springfield, MO and there are no MS specialists there. I continue to be concerned for you, Marti, that your neuro has taken you off DMD meds. Still wondering if you are in SPMS, are still RRMS. I also wonder if, if a regular drive to KC or St. Louis is too far, if even one visit with one would be helpful to, perhaps, get you on a med that could help you to manage your MS better. Perhaps the new neuro, though, that you will see in April, will have a better handle on good options for you.

Wow... my neuro is named Lynch also! She used to tell me I was Progressive/Relapsing then she changed her mind. So who knows? Right now I'm more concerned about my other problems like Gastritis, Degenerative disc disease, IBS, Graves disease, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis etc. The list goes on. I don't know if the MS is making all of them seem worse or is they are causing my MS to feel worse. Confusing. Thanks again.

[Mamabug]

Wow... my neuro is named Lynch also! She used to tell me I was Progressive/Relapsing then she changed her mind. So who knows? Right now I'm more concerned about my other problems like Gastritis, Degenerative disc disease, IBS, Graves disease, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis etc. The list goes on. I don't know if the MS is making all of them seem worse or is they are causing my MS to feel worse. Confusing. Thanks again.

OK. Maybe a DMD wouldn't be effective for you, then. And, I hope you get some of your other medical problems under control. But, with all of that going on, and a possible PRMS dx, those just seem like additional reasons to consider a specialist. Hope things work out for you.