Moving and finding a new dr.

[MichelleRM]

I am moving next month to South Carolina. I have to find myself a new neurologist. I love the one I have now. It's too bad he can't move to South Carolina too, but can anyone recommend a neurologist around the Columbia area? I have no idea where to start. I know there is a MS Center in Charleston. Thanks!

[KatieAgain]

I did not want this to go unanswered. I am not living in South Carolina, I am I little further South, but I moved recently too.

I made a HUGE mistake. HUGE. I previously was assigned to a MS Center about 90 minutes away, and then had a local neuro who worked with my MS Specialist for emergencies.

Well, I unexpectedly had a seriously major flare. The kind that brings you to your knees and you want to die type of flare. Well my neuro panicked as much as I did. Seriously...it upset me so much, I think it made the flare worse. And he is a graduate of Johns Hopkins. Home Health had to be called in and Bless my Nurse...she is the one that got me through it? I found out the hard way, not all Neuros can properly treat MS...that is why there is a sub-specialty within Neurology.

I am now assigned to an MS Center.

My advice is to get assigned to the MS Center via a local neuro referral. That way you get a local neuro and a MS Specialist. If down the road, once you have hit a few bumps, and you find the local neuro is really good at handling the problems and comfortable then you can drop the MS Center.

Good Luck on your move, and try to keep it as stress free as possible.

[sgrammied]

Except for recommendations from people on here. The best thing to do is ask your Neuro to recommend a Dr. in South Carolina. Neuros do know each other either from schooling or conferences.
Wish you the bwst on the move and new Dr.

[JerryD]

I think that you need to contact the local chapter of the NMSS for their thoughts on this. Also, I would imagine that you will need to get a new PCP, as well. You could ask for a referral. Good luck

[MichelleRM]

Thanks for all the recommendations! I see my neuro this coming Monday, and I was going to ask him if he could recommend someone.

[MSW1963]

I did not find Columiba, SC the best resource for MS Specialist. I hate to say this, but for full disclosure the general neuros I saw in Columbia were some of the very worst doc's for MS.

Columbia, SC for many medical conditions and delivery of general medical services is considered one of the top locations in the country, but not for speciality neuro, IMO.

BCBSSC in Columbia, is one of the contributing factors in Columbia's outstanding delivery of other, non-neuro-specialty medical services.

MUSC in Charleston, SC is approx. a 2hr drive from Columbia. Duke University MS Center, Durham, NC is approx 4hr drive from Columbia.

Best of luck with your move and finding a good local MS neuro.

[JerryD]

If someone at Duke can give you a reference to an MS specialist, that would be a good place to start. Good luck

[MichelleRM]

Thanks for the replies. I saw my neuro today. I had a MRI for the brain. The radiologist compared the Mri had this year to the one I had in 2010. I had one done in 2011, but for the life of me I don't know what happened to the CD.

Anyway, in 3 years, I have 1 new lesion. Not too bad since I am not on any new meds. Every thing I have been on has not worked for me. MS has really damaged my spinal cord, but my brain not so much.

I did ask my neuro for any recommendations, and he recommend that I go see a Primary Physician first so they could recommend a neuro. I did bring up the MUSC MS center, and he definitely recommended that. Should I try the Carolina Chapter for National MS and see what they recommend?

[MSW1963]

The SC NMSS probably maintains a comprehensive list of MS Specialist, as most local chapters do. They can provide you with the names of MS docs on their list.

NMSS does not rank or rate the docs, and the list probably has all MS docs practicing 'in good standing' in SC, or MS docs practicing at a particular MS center, clinic or location you specify in SC.

NMSS does evaluate skill, MS training or competence of docs on their list.

[MSW1963]

CORRECTION...

NMSS does NOT evaluate skill, MS training or competence of docs on their list.

Sorry...

[MichelleRM]

Thanks for all the help! Sometimes I wonder when trying to find a good MS doctor or specialist, you need a dart board and whatever the dart hits, that's the one you need to see.