I'll be moving to Portland, OR, in August for a job. I probably won't be there more than a year (it's a replacement job for someone on leave), but I don't want to be without an MS doctor.
I've seen online that there are a lot of options, but I always like to hear recommendations from actual people.
Here are some of my particulars:
*only 2 exacerbations in the last 17 years, still in RRMS
*on Betaseron since 2008 and I'm okay with it
*very active physically
*use complementary medicine - mostly specific kinds of massage and bodywork, but also eating healthy etc., but no serious supplementation. Basically I'd like someone who is at least open to CAM and won't make fun of it or dismiss it. They don't have to push fads on me.
*I'm VERY on top of all of my health matters and VERY involved as a patient. I ask questions that are informed and I expect to be treated with respect.
*I fired a neurologist for being sarcastic, and not taking my concerns seriously - e.g. I had been in a tropical country for an extended period when I had the exacerbation that led to diagnosis. When I pointed this out to the diagnosing MD (as the CDC says one should for a whole year after returning from such a situation) and asked what tropical diseases we should be ruling out, the doctor said since she didn' t know anything about that, so it could be any of those diseases.
If you have a doc who seems like a good fit, I'd love to hear about it. Not sure if we're allowed to comment negatively on individual doctors here, so I don't want to solicit negative stuff. But if you know things like a doc is out of town a lot, or hard to get an appointment with, that would be welcome information.
Thanks!
I've seen online that there are a lot of options, but I always like to hear recommendations from actual people.
Here are some of my particulars:
*only 2 exacerbations in the last 17 years, still in RRMS
*on Betaseron since 2008 and I'm okay with it
*very active physically
*use complementary medicine - mostly specific kinds of massage and bodywork, but also eating healthy etc., but no serious supplementation. Basically I'd like someone who is at least open to CAM and won't make fun of it or dismiss it. They don't have to push fads on me.
*I'm VERY on top of all of my health matters and VERY involved as a patient. I ask questions that are informed and I expect to be treated with respect.
*I fired a neurologist for being sarcastic, and not taking my concerns seriously - e.g. I had been in a tropical country for an extended period when I had the exacerbation that led to diagnosis. When I pointed this out to the diagnosing MD (as the CDC says one should for a whole year after returning from such a situation) and asked what tropical diseases we should be ruling out, the doctor said since she didn' t know anything about that, so it could be any of those diseases.
If you have a doc who seems like a good fit, I'd love to hear about it. Not sure if we're allowed to comment negatively on individual doctors here, so I don't want to solicit negative stuff. But if you know things like a doc is out of town a lot, or hard to get an appointment with, that would be welcome information.
Thanks!
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