First Neuro Visit - How to Make it an Effective Visit

Hi Friends,

My very long awaited neuro-visit is next Thursday (9/3/15) and I'm hoping you can help me prepare. I am seeing the neurologist my GP referred me to (Dr. Amro El Feki of Unity Point in Des Moines, IA) who does not specialize in ALS, and his one & only patient review is horrible. Apparently that person was misdiagnosed by Dr. El Feki and later received an appropriate diagnosis from the Mayo Clinic.

I feel like I've been waiting an eternity to finally get into a neuro to figure out why my right hand/arm & right foot/lower leg have slowly been losing strength and functionality. Now that my appointment is almost here and I've done an online search for the neuro's reputation, I am (obviously) terrified- that I will either be misdiagnosed or leave there with no answers at all.

So, my request for you kind folks is...

How can I best ensure that this neurologist does his due diligence by thoroughly examining me and what type of tests should I insist that he conduct?

Side note - I have already undergone extensive blood work for thyroid& more, EMG (last April, no obvious abnormalities) and have been seeing a chiropractor for the past month, with no improvements. My chiro gave me a disc w/ x-rays of my thoratic (and other terms I'm not recalling, but included C5, C6, C7) and encouraged that I provide it to my neuro before my visit with him. I've since confirmed the neuro has said disc and my other previous tests results- for his review prior to my visit.

Any advice you can provide is so greatly appreciated.

Thank you and love to you all <3

First try not to prejudge this person on one review. Anyone can say anything on those websites and they could be making it up. For all you know it was written by a disgruntled employee or an ex-spouse.

But preparing is good. Take copies of all your tests with you even if he supposedly has them. Also take a companion as an extra set of ears

Think very very carefully about what your concerns are Try to formulate a few pertinent questions.

For my first visit I brought copies of all my records, organized by category each category clipped together
I prepared a page long medical history with the information generally asked as a new patient anywhere
Meds,allergies,serious illness and hospitalizations with dates, surgeries, social history( drinking,smoking,occupation,marital status,children) and family history( if you have no relevant neuro history just parents, siblings,children)
I wrote down my questions ( less than 1/2 a page)
I also wrote for my own reference and did not give to them my history of how things started and what had happened mostly so I could refer to it if a question came up
Be prepared to be organized and concise and to describe your symptom using concrete terms. My hand is weak is not helpful i can't do up a button is.
What are the ultimate questions you need answered. What do you find on clinical exam? What could be the cause of my symptoms? How do we rule these things in or out ? Since you are worried about ALS if it is not the rule out list how has it been excluded

Nikki J, you are a God send. I am copy/pasting your reply and will have my homework completed before my visit!

I can't thank you enough for your help!

THANK YOU! <3
(also donating and fundraising for ALS for the rest of my life - regardless of my personal outcome)

I looked at his other ratings and his education. Apart from that single review, which from content is hard to take seriously, the most I could say is that he has a colleague (Nakarawat) who focuses more on ALS, with whom he will likely consult if he needs to. But your guy has a background in neuromuscular dz generally and did his fellowship at Vandy, which is a good program.

Anyway, you would get a second opinion if he diagnosed you w/ ALS or another serious condition. ALS is certainly not the only thing that could explain the sx you have outlined. Go with an open mind, prepared as Nikki suggests, and try to use the time to focus on the key facts.

Laurie, Thank you SO MUCH for looking him up also, and for helping me see that he is not as bad as I'd been thinking!

Thank you, thank you & I will definitely report back to let my friends here know the outcome of my visit.