Time for a New Doctor?
Updated April 24, 2015.
Judging from my email and from the posts in our forum, it's time to talk about doctors. More specifically, it's time to talk about when to consider selecting a new doctor or adding a specialist to our team. We quite literally place our lives in the hands of our doctors, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. It's time to talk about when and why to go to a new doctor, how to choose one, and how we can help our doctors help us.
Adding a doctor to your team:
Most of us begin treatment for our headaches or Migraines with our family doctors, which is the logical thing to do. They know us, our medical history, and our needs best. Unfortunately, many of our family doctors quickly run out of ideas for treating us. Their training in treating head pain disorders is limited, and with all the various illnesses they treat, it's difficult for them to stay current in every specialized field. If their attempts at devising a successful treatment plan for you don't meet with success in a reasonable amount of time, a referral to a specialist is in order. Your doctor may suggest this before you do. If not, don't hesitate to ask for a referral to a neurologist or a headache and Migraine specialist.
Finding the doctor who is right for you and your needs isn't always easy, especially for patients with head pain disorders. Below, taken from our forum are some excerpts of posts that demonstrate times when a new doctor may be in order.
When what the doctor says is inaccurate:
Doctors aren't perfect any more than any other person. They have a great deal of information to assimilate, and may not have the time to keep up on headache disorders. You're not out of line to confirm what you're told if you are doubtful.
When communication between you and your doctor isn't working:
The best approach to good health care is a team approach where the patient is a member of that team. We all know that a team can't function properly without good communication. Whether we're sitting in the doctor's office or needing to phone them, it's important that we feel comfortable with the communication with our doctor and that they be reasonable accessible to us. It would be unfair of us to expect our doctors to drop everything to take our phone calls instantly, but calls should be returned within a reasonable amount of time.
Judging from my email and from the posts in our forum, it's time to talk about doctors. More specifically, it's time to talk about when to consider selecting a new doctor or adding a specialist to our team. We quite literally place our lives in the hands of our doctors, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. It's time to talk about when and why to go to a new doctor, how to choose one, and how we can help our doctors help us.
Adding a doctor to your team:
Most of us begin treatment for our headaches or Migraines with our family doctors, which is the logical thing to do. They know us, our medical history, and our needs best. Unfortunately, many of our family doctors quickly run out of ideas for treating us. Their training in treating head pain disorders is limited, and with all the various illnesses they treat, it's difficult for them to stay current in every specialized field. If their attempts at devising a successful treatment plan for you don't meet with success in a reasonable amount of time, a referral to a specialist is in order. Your doctor may suggest this before you do. If not, don't hesitate to ask for a referral to a neurologist or a headache and Migraine specialist.
Finding the doctor who is right for you and your needs isn't always easy, especially for patients with head pain disorders. Below, taken from our forum are some excerpts of posts that demonstrate times when a new doctor may be in order.
When what the doctor says is inaccurate:
Doctors aren't perfect any more than any other person. They have a great deal of information to assimilate, and may not have the time to keep up on headache disorders. You're not out of line to confirm what you're told if you are doubtful.
When communication between you and your doctor isn't working:
The best approach to good health care is a team approach where the patient is a member of that team. We all know that a team can't function properly without good communication. Whether we're sitting in the doctor's office or needing to phone them, it's important that we feel comfortable with the communication with our doctor and that they be reasonable accessible to us. It would be unfair of us to expect our doctors to drop everything to take our phone calls instantly, but calls should be returned within a reasonable amount of time.
Judging from my email and from the posts in our forum, it's time to talk about doctors. More specifically, it's time to talk about when to consider selecting a new doctor or adding a specialist to our team. We quite literally place our lives in the hands of our doctors, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. It's time to talk about when and why to go to a new doctor, how to choose one, and how we can help our doctors help us.
Adding a doctor to your team:
Most of us begin treatment for our headaches or Migraines with our family doctors, which is the logical thing to do. They know us, our medical history, and our needs best. Unfortunately, many of our family doctors quickly run out of ideas for treating us. Their training in treating head pain disorders is limited, and with all the various illnesses they treat, it's difficult for them to stay current in every specialized field. If their attempts at devising a successful treatment plan for you don't meet with success in a reasonable amount of time, a referral to a specialist is in order. Your doctor may suggest this before you do. If not, don't hesitate to ask for a referral to a neurologist or a headache and Migraine specialist.
Finding the doctor who is right for you and your needs isn't always easy, especially for patients with head pain disorders. Below, taken from our forum are some excerpts of posts that demonstrate times when a new doctor may be in order.
When what the doctor says is inaccurate:
Doctors aren't perfect any more than any other person. They have a great deal of information to assimilate, and may not have the time to keep up on headache disorders. You're not out of line to confirm what you're told if you are doubtful.
- "...My neurologist says its not necessary because Migraines aren't neurological..." forum post
- "...My doctor said this couldn't be a Migraine, because if I get Migraines with an aura, then I always will..." forum post
- "...I went to the doctor today, he told me it was all in my head..." forum post
- "...No one really told me about migraines, including my doctor... he simply proscribed Imitrex for me and said it would help. I didn't even know that you could take medications to help with migraines before you got them..." forum post
When communication between you and your doctor isn't working:
The best approach to good health care is a team approach where the patient is a member of that team. We all know that a team can't function properly without good communication. Whether we're sitting in the doctor's office or needing to phone them, it's important that we feel comfortable with the communication with our doctor and that they be reasonable accessible to us. It would be unfair of us to expect our doctors to drop everything to take our phone calls instantly, but calls should be returned within a reasonable amount of time.
- "... since that phone call to the Dr. NO ONE has called me back. The nurse said that the neuro would call me that day. I also called her own office two days in a row and she hasn't bothered to call me back..." forum post
- "...His "bedside manner" was rapid fire questions, discounting anything I said and pooh-poohing the pain I suffer. So I am supposed to trust that he will be there for me when I am in dire need?" forum post
Judging from my email and from the posts in our forum, it's time to talk about doctors. More specifically, it's time to talk about when to consider selecting a new doctor or adding a specialist to our team. We quite literally place our lives in the hands of our doctors, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. It's time to talk about when and why to go to a new doctor, how to choose one, and how we can help our doctors help us.
Adding a doctor to your team:
Most of us begin treatment for our headaches or Migraines with our family doctors, which is the logical thing to do. They know us, our medical history, and our needs best. Unfortunately, many of our family doctors quickly run out of ideas for treating us. Their training in treating head pain disorders is limited, and with all the various illnesses they treat, it's difficult for them to stay current in every specialized field. If their attempts at devising a successful treatment plan for you don't meet with success in a reasonable amount of time, a referral to a specialist is in order. Your doctor may suggest this before you do. If not, don't hesitate to ask for a referral to a neurologist or a headache and Migraine specialist.
Finding the doctor who is right for you and your needs isn't always easy, especially for patients with head pain disorders. Below, taken from our forum are some excerpts of posts that demonstrate times when a new doctor may be in order.
When what the doctor says is inaccurate:
Doctors aren't perfect any more than any other person. They have a great deal of information to assimilate, and may not have the time to keep up on headache disorders. You're not out of line to confirm what you're told if you are doubtful.
- "...My neurologist says its not necessary because Migraines aren't neurological..." forum post
- "...My doctor said this couldn't be a Migraine, because if I get Migraines with an aura, then I always will..." forum post
- "...I went to the doctor today, he told me it was all in my head..." forum post
- "...No one really told me about migraines, including my doctor... he simply proscribed Imitrex for me and said it would help. I didn't even know that you could take medications to help with migraines before you got them..." forum post
When communication between you and your doctor isn't working:
The best approach to good health care is a team approach where the patient is a member of that team. We all know that a team can't function properly without good communication. Whether we're sitting in the doctor's office or needing to phone them, it's important that we feel comfortable with the communication with our doctor and that they be reasonable accessible to us. It would be unfair of us to expect our doctors to drop everything to take our phone calls instantly, but calls should be returned within a reasonable amount of time.
- "... since that phone call to the Dr. NO ONE has called me back. The nurse said that the neuro would call me that day. I also called her own office two days in a row and she hasn't bothered to call me back..." forum post
- "...His "bedside manner" was rapid fire questions, discounting anything I said and pooh-poohing the pain I suffer. So I am supposed to trust that he will be there for me when I am in dire need?" forum post
Source...