Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Neuro Appt
        
(Message started by: Lizzie2 on Apr 7^th, 2004, 9:35pm)

Title: Neuro Appt
Post by Lizzie2 on Apr 7^th, 2004, 9:35pm

Today I had my 3rd neuro appointment over at UMDNJ's University Headache Center in Moorestown, NJ. My doctor there is Dr. James Rogers. I wasn't entirely sure how things were going because I've had some problems with their office recently! They billed the wrong insurance company several times, and I wound up getting billed for the entire appointment (never paid it!). Then, they weren't very friendly when we tried to correct this. And they also never sent the first override letter to my insurance company for my Amerge restriction!

Crappy things aside, today went well! My doc has no clue who I am every time I see him, but I guess looking at his notes refreshes his memory! One night he called me back about a prescription, and he asked me if I was taking Amerge for menstrual migraine. I said...uhhh no...I have NDPH and cluster headache. He still didn't remember!! Oh well...guess they are busy! ;)

Today he made a few more changes to what I'm doing. We kept the verapamil the same at 120mg 4 times a day. Then he is upping my norpramin (tricyclic antidepressant) from 20mg to 30mg this week and 40mg next week. He wrote another script for Stadol NS which I can use when the NDPH gets very bad. He told me that the bottles go bad and dry up after about 2 weeks, which was why the 2nd script. Then I'm starting a prednisone taper in the next few days. I will be doing 80mg for 1 week and then decreasing by 10mg every day for another week.

Here's the best part!! hehe He showed me the letter they finally sent to the insurance company regarding the amerge, so I now just need to check with the insurance co to make sure they got it. But...he gave me 7 boxes of samples of Amerge!! Woohoo 14 pills!! :)

Last time, he wanted me to take the amerge twice a day for 9 days, but the insurance only gave me enough for 4 days. This time, I'm not going to take it every day since I'll be doing the prednisone, so I will be saving it very carefully for when I really really need it!

I felt like it was my birthday or Christmas or something!! LOL!! It's funny the things that make us happy sometimes. ;)

So I'll see how all this stuff goes!! :)

Lizzie :)

Title: Re: Neuro Appt
Post by cootie on Apr 7^th, 2004, 9:57pm

GOOD for you Lizzi....great news to hear.....am glad for you !!! Anyone know of a good nero (neuro surgeon) in upper Ohio by any chance ? (sorry to ask off topic here) Pam that has joined the ranks of neuro hunting :-[

Title: Re: Neuro Appt
Post by Carl_D on Apr 7^th, 2004, 10:28pm

on 04/07/04 at 21:57:00, cootie wrote:

GOOD for you Lizzi....great news to hear.....am glad for you !!! Anyone know of a good nero (neuro surgeon) in upper Ohio by any chance ?

As a matter of fact...
You might be a good 45 minutes or hour and a half from MHNI (Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute). It is in Ann Arbor, MI. When I lived in Michigan - they had people coming from as far as Switzerland to this clinic.
They helped me get a grip on my headaches back in '95-96.

Peace,
Carl D

Title: Re: Neuro Appt
Post by cootie on Apr 7^th, 2004, 10:47pm

Carl......I don't mean to sound stupid but does this place also take patients with other neuro type problems ? Or is it mostly for head related ? Thanks for the info !!!! Pam that prolly sounds dumb as hell :-/

PS: Didn't mean to screw up yer thread Lizzi.....I am so happy for you !!!

Title: Re: Neuro Appt
Post by Opus on Apr 7^th, 2004, 10:48pm

Great news Lizzie, Too bad it means so many meds, but hopefully you will finally get some PF time.

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: Neuro Appt
Post by Lizzie2 on Apr 7^th, 2004, 11:03pm

Thanks y'all!

Cootie..have you looked into the Cleveland Clinic?

Lizzie :)