Is anyone else waiting as long as me between apointments?

As I remember it was Ocober last year when I last went to anyone about my migraines and I was to be reffered to someone. Still waiting!! Meds suggested were ones on the don't use list so have had nothing since. I don't want to be one of these people they complained about on the radio the other day that bother the doc for "nothing" but,,,,,,,

I have ideas from here about what I want to try but it is so easy to tread on someone's toes and then end up with nobody looking out for you.

Di

It's a pain isn't it. Are you being referred to a big centre? When I was referred to the National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery I had to wait 13 monbths to get an appointment, but I've heard it's 18 now. They really are the best though (IMO) if you want to try new things and really try stuff out, just incredibly oversubscribed. When you get on the books they tend to see you every 3-12 months depending on how much they think you need it or what is planned, and in the mean time you work through their suggestions with your GP. I mostly go every 4-6 months. A BIG problem comes if you can't make the slot they give you as to reschedule to the next available one can push it back 2 months easily. It makes me mad when people don't turn up to their appointments - they are so precious to the NHS and it causes a lot of these problems.

When I've seen more local neuros the wait has been 1-2 months to get an appointment and I've usually got to see them every 3-6 months too. It's not ideal. Would your GP try any of the ideas or are they a bit more 'advanced' than they'd be comfortable with?

Hope you hear something soon and if not chase it up. Things do unfortunately get lost in the system.

Amy

My doc said would rather wait but I don't think he is aware of the 18 month wait. I can't afford to wait 18 months doing nothing, I'm not working because of this at the moment as I can't tip things in my favour or control.

Has anyone acessed this level of help privately in England? I don't think I can afford to wait this long it will ruin returning to my career chances.

Di

I live in the US and do not have to wait at all--can get in the same day if need be. I just don't go anymore though because I get sick of nothing working. If I hear about something on this forum or read about something, I just call my neuro and he prescribes it for me over the phone. I pay him a token visit maybe once every 2 years. If I wasn't having luck with my abortives, I would be camping at his office. That is what they get paid for.

How awful to have to wait so long. I guess I am fortunate as well. I can usually get in the same day if I call before 12, if not it"s early the next morning. My normal check ups are once to twice per year.

it is really frustrating but I don't really know of anything else to do other than wait and keep prodding now and then.

Di

Di,

Do they have cancellation lists? I know my doctors offices keep a cancellation list and can often get you in sooner when someone else cancels their appointment.

Just a thought.

Asking about a cancellation list is a great idea.

I am so lucky that as long as I call in first thing in the morning, I can usually get in the same day..

There are times that I go twice a month and I feel like my doctor probably sees my name on the schedule and thinks, "On no, not again!"

He always does his best to help me though.

He always apologizes if I have to wait very long.

I feel very blessed to have him.

Hope you get an appointment soon.

Cindy

The wait is to see the specialist. Have just had the hospital phone with apointment but for the wrong department. So will have to wait another couple of months for the right one!!!!!!! I really don't understand this.

Di

Di - I don't understand it either. What good is an appointment 2 months out? A person could be dead by then. I don't know what to tell you because I live in the US and that just wouldn't happen. Hang in there and keep posting. Someone may have an answer.

estre004 wrote:Di - I don't understand it either. What good is an appointment 2 months out? A person could be dead by then. I don't know what to tell you because I live in the US and that just wouldn't happen. Hang in there and keep posting. Someone may have an answer.

Um, this does happen in the US. I had to wait 3 months to see my headache neurologist - just for a consult. I book my GYN appointments almost 6 months in advance - trying to get in to them is horrible. Eye appointments - at least 2 months out. Following a car accident a number of years ago I was having neurological issues and still had to wait 3-4 months to get in. I have private insurance so please don't think this doesn't happen here in the US.

Wow! I had no idea. I have never had to wait. At the most I might have to wait until the next morning regardless if it is an eye appointment, neuro, GP, anything. In fact, I lost a crown on my tooth yesterday and they asked if it was "OK with me" to wait until today to get it fixed. I guess I am fortunate! I do live in a large city. Maybe that is why.

Estre - I live near a fairly large city (250,000+ people) with a medical teaching university. I have good insurance that I don't have to fight with on, but the doctors...well they book up fast. My gp (only within the last year or so) could you get a same day or next day appointment. Usually it was at least a week if not longer. When I saw my gp following the car accident with the problems I was having, said that it would be a while. Unless I was having a stroke right there, getting into see a neurologist would be a wait.

I don't know if all the insurance groups are this way (there are 2 others in town) but mine is. It is affiliated with the university and most physicians have some sort of adjunct appointment within the medical school. Not necessarily teaching but they are tied in in some way.

My guess is that it is the University, not your insurance. I work at a large University and these doctors are busy with their research also. They also take on people who can't afford other doctors for teaching purposes. You might want to try somewhere else. I can't imagine that. Where do you live?

I can get into neuros pretty fast but my region has a urologist shortage. It took me 8 months get into see one only to find out he came out of retirement to cover for the doctor. It was two more months before I could go back in to see the regular doc. Then 2 1/2 months before I had the surgery.

It gave me an ugly taste of what it's like in other countries. What I had was not life threatening but very painful and a high potential to be life threatening. It's both scary and frustrating to be hurting and not be able to do much of anything to alleviate it.

estre004 wrote:My guess is that it is the University, not your insurance. I work at a large University and these doctors are busy with their research also. They also take on people who can't afford other doctors for teaching purposes. You might want to try somewhere else. I can't imagine that. Where do you live?

Most of the doctors are affiliated with the university but not all are doing research. I know my neuro is not currently doing research, neither was the GYN, or eye or my gp either. I think there is a problem with retention as well as the fact that there has been a population surge in the last few years (lots of folks moved up from IL). More people + same amount of doctors(or slightly fewer) = long waits.

Also in WI, we have something called BadgerCare. It is very much like Medicare/Medicaid, applies to WI residents only and for those without health insurance. Originally it was for women with children but in the last year or two has been opened up to any WI resident without health insurance. I also know that they don't solely get put into my health plan (a single mom I know was on one of the others in town).

I live near Madison and going elsewhere, well would be a long drive and I highly doubt my insurance would cover it. So I put up with the waits and always ask to be on the cancellation lists.