Last I posted my Doctor had cancelled an appointment and I was waiting for his office to call back with an appointment time. Would you believe me if I said they never called back?? I thought you would. So I called them and this is the B.S. they gave me.
Me: Hi. I need to make an appointment with Dr. *.
Office: Have you been here before?
Me: Yes. My name is ____.
Office: What is (information).
Me: (Give info).
Office: He is not booking until July.
Me: (Immediate irritation, but trying to stay calm) Ok, well, I haven't seen the doctor since November and due to weather my january appointment was cancelled and then the doctor was sick in February so he cancelled my appointment. I am runing low on abortives and my daily meds are running low as well. Is there a way he can squeeze me in? I don't think it would be fair if he didn't.
Office: I don't know. Hold on.
Me: (Waiting for a few mins.)
Office: Our records show you cancelled the appointments.
Me: (Losing patience and rolling eyes): Well I cancelled one due to weather. In PA there was a bad snow storm. I couldn't drive to NY. The last appointment he cancelled. He was sick.
Office: Hold on please.
Me: (Trying to stay calm)
Office: He scheduled 2 days to see those patients. The receptionist (and I am almost 100% sure she is the woman I am speaking to) called the patients to inform them. Are you saying you didn't get this call.
Me: I spoke to her and she said she would call me back when she had a date for me to see him. I never got a call and that is why I am calling today.
Office: We can leave a message for the doctor to give you call. He won't be here until Wednesday. He might return your call this week.
Me: (Ready to terminate all communication forever) That's fine. Please do that.
Office: Ok we will leave him a message for you.
I really dislike this doctor now. This is B.S. and I don't feel like he gives a rat's butt about me or my migraines. I had such hope with this doctor. It all started down hill the minute he said migraines are not a disability. This is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Now I am looking for a new doctor again. I just don't know where to start.
I am pretty sure I exhausted the migraine doctors in the PA area. I do not want to see another one far away. I might just go back to the doctor I am not thrilled with because at least she is sympathetic. That is if I can see her. I never told her I was leaving and I haven't seen her in 2-3 years. I have no idea how this is going to work out. My first choice is a different doctor in that office and I think I will try and get a referral for a different doctor. If it doesn't work and I have to see her again, then I will just bite the bullet and do it.
My only other option is to see a doctor in NY who is even farther than the yahoo I see now. I had faith in him before but I don't have it in me to drive 3 hours to long island, ny. If they had a train or bus that went there maybe, but there isn't one.
Hi Bri,
I went to the Migraine Research Foundation under FOR SUFFERS, then to For a list of doctors certified in headache medicine click here. It will give you a list of Doctors that you can choose from. maybe you can find one not to far from you and they Will understand what you are going through. I found mine there and he is just WONDERFUL I love him! He is available 24/7 I have his cell number! Can you believe it? I live in VA but I know I saw some for your area PA/NY/NJ area too. Good luck and take care!!!!
Thank you so much for the list of doctors. It is good to see names instead of clinics because I have been ot the headache clinic in my area and I don't think they will take me back as a patient because I left without notice. I am going to try and see what happens, but if not, a list of doctors to try is better than a place. I appreciate that very much.
Did you know there's a list of migraine and headache doctors right here on this site. Doctors recommended by patients? It's at http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/headache-specialists.html.
Nothing against the MRF, but the people who do this site do so much for us that I think it's nice to use the information here before looking somewhere else.
Ruth
Thank you Ruth,
The only problem I have run into on that list is the first doctor is 6+ hours from me and the other 2 work in the clinic I have already been to. I would love to see William Young, but I don't think I will be allowed to because I was seen by his associate at the same headache clinic he works in. Whenever I have tried to switch to a different doctor in the same practice, I have gotten grief and legal reasons why I could not.
The other list provided so many more doctors that don't just work in the one headache clinic.
I understand Brie. One big difference between the two lists of doctors is that at least we know those on this site have worked will with the patients who recommended them.
I'm not knocking the MRF list, but training and certification don't always mean that they're doctors who listen and work well with their patients.
As for the Jefferson, if I remember correctly, Young and Silberstein are the permanent doctors there, and the others are "fellows" who train there under their supervision for a while, then move on. Whatever doctor you saw before may not even still be there.
Bri,
Ruth is right but I found my doctor on the MRF site and I just Love him. I know its taking a chance but we, migraine suffers, have nothing but chances to take and how can we refer doctors to the rest of us suffers if someone doesnt take that chance and go see a new one? I wish you luck with whatever you decide and I hope you get to a point where you can have Some peace. Take care. :)