how long you wait for appointment?

[sesebaby]

When I called to make an appointment to see neuro I didn't have to wait too long maybe a week,because they had a cancelation,next time I had to wait just three days.I am just wondering if you have to wait for a long time to get an appointment.I didn't like my near too much and now I thinking he might be not too good if there is no waiting time.
So is long wait time means a better specialist?Thanks

[hunterd]

i usually get in to see my neuro (who is a good ms specialist) in a couple weeks or less. hope this helps.

[dpmich]

It depends on where you live and how much of your population has both MS and MS neuros. I have a fantastic Dr, it's very rare when I don't get in to see her the day I call or the next day at the latest.

[Mama_Darwin]

My Primary Care Physician made my first appointment with this new neurologist, and the soonest they could get me in was about three months from the referral date. (I assume that subsequent appointments will be easier/quicker to get)

[chalknpens]

yes, three months for first.

My first appointment with the neurologist was three months, but later ones were set well in advance. I've called to report heat exacerbations, but haven't had to go in to see him, and he usually just got the message. He sometimes called me back, but usually to tell me to go to my PCP.

He's retired now ... and my new neuro is great, but it takes at least a month to schedule an appointment between regular visits (six months apart)

[Shashi]

I've had to wait anywhere from two to nine months, depending on which doctor it was. (I've seen two MS specialist.) I was once able to get in the next day because they had a cancellation. But that was the only time I didn't have to wait a long period of time.

[MrsBones]

In cases of what the dr considered an emergency, I've been told to just come in right then. Routine appointments are made several months in advance, so I get the times of day I need. As of the 17th of this month, I have all my regular appointments set until September, '12.

My dr is hard to get into for what I call "just because" appointments, but when there is an issue or he thinks he needs to see me, there is little wait time.

[jazzgirl]

I didn't have to wait. I went to the ER, was evaled, and admitted to the hospital that day. This all took place, however, 14 years after my 1st symptom. I finally had a MAJOR exacerbation of the disease...NOT fun!

My first appt. in 1979 brought me a "probable" diagnosis, but I didn't want to hear it. No treatments available then, anyway. When I had the major blowout of too many symptoms to mention, I couldn't ignore it anymore. I had MS, it was going to suck, and that was the end of that.

I see both an MS specialist AND the neuro who diagnosed me, each q6mos. I'm thinking about just going to the MS doc because the center is all inclusive with nurse practitioners, social workers, nutritionists, etc.

[sunshine008]

my neuros closest appt. when i called last week was in 2 mos.! how insane is that?


so i agreed to see his nurse practitioner. i actually had to schedule my 2012 appointments so i can make sure i get into him next year. I don't want to see the nurse practitioner. she's probably awesome yet my rapport is with him. yet i'll do what i have to do and see how it goes.

good luck either way!

[hallk33]

Wow I feel very lucky now. I think I have only had to wait like 2 weeks. The doctor even rearranged his schedule the day after my first MRI to have me come in the next day. He spent the next few hours going over my MRI and talking about MS and how to proceed.
Maybe if you just have a question you can email or call instead of waiting for an appointment?

[valeriem2220]

I feel lucky also. I can get into my neuro the next day if I have to.
I was in town one day and feeling horrible and figured instead of calling the nurse I would just stop by the office. The Dr wanted to see me and I was in and out in 1 hour.
I have been on a biweekly schedule with him though for a couple of months. Now I don't see him again for 3 weeks.
My neuro is amazing and on my last visit last week he mentioned that I seemed calmer the last couple of visits with him and I told him that finding him is what made me calmer....

[rdmc]

My first time with my present neuro was probably a 2 month wait, now that I'm established, I can usually get in within a week. I can talk to her nurse any day with a question and the nurse will get back to me before the day ends. The MS neuro has a 6 month waiting list for a new patient.

My GP is also busy. I can get in any day with the NP, but to see him, it's about a 2 month wait. I saw him in October and he said he wanted to see me again in a month. I smiled at him and said, "You know you don't have a appt. on the books in a month." He replied, "Well maybe I do." I went to the front desk and made the appt....first week in December. I was right!

[onlyairfare]

My first neuro, allegedly an MS specialist, it was 4- 5 months to be seen, from the day I was diagnosed and my family doctor called for an appointment to the date that doctor actually saw me.

In the meantime I panicked at the diagnosis, and since I had just moved from West Virginia to Washington State the year before, I called my prior family doc in West Virginia and he got me an appointment with the chairman of Neurology at West Virginia University just 3 days later. That doctor came in an hour early just to see me, added on to his regular schedule. I will never forget his extraordinary kindness, and I felt so much better after seeing him, getting reassurance, and getting started on medications.

Then we moved to North Carolina and it took several months to get an appointment with the MS specialist there. Now we've moved again to Arizona, and 3 weeks ago I flew back to NC for a follow-up appointment. By mistake, I came one week late, the wrong Monday! I was mortified and apologized, telling the receptionist I would reschedule for another date and fly back then. She said no, the doctor would work me in - and he did! No surprise I think it is well worth a 3 hour plane trip to see this neuro.

So my experience has been all over the map - many months to the same day.

[tiffdulla]

i see my neuro frequently, so its never a long lapse between our visits. the only time i have to call is i have a question or something, and he'll have a nurse call me back usually in a day or so. he specializes in ms, and pain management, so though they'll get u in fairly quickly (within a week), waiting room time is at least an hour. they're always taking pts who have emergencies and need a round of steroids.

[hunterd]

oh yea, my ms brain (that`s where i direct the blame anyway) should have mentioned that a standard appointment took a week or two. otherwise, i`m seen that or the next day for anything more serious.