Finally, our visit with the neurologist

bigfoot2you

Tomorrow is our 1st visit with the neurologist.  It has taken me 6 months to get this appointment!!   Can? anyone give me some advice on what to expect?   Anything I should be asking for questions ?    Thank you in advance

Ed1937

I would suggest that you write a note to be given to the desk clerk, and ask that the doctor read it before the visit. Tell them everything that you have seen, and anything else that you would not feel comfortable saying in front of your husband. The more information you can give the doctor, the easier it will be for all three of you.

You can expect the doctor to order several tests, including blood tests, so they can rule out any other conditions that might cause the symptoms.

dayn2nite2

Don't expect a diagnosis or really anything more than maybe them alluding to dementia, writing a prescription for Aricept or Exelon or Namenda, and "see you in 6 months."  Maybe they'll order some tests.

Rick4407

Hello Kathleen, I've been on this road a couple of years now and been through several neurologists visits.  The first several were definitely disappointing for me.  I've learned that having low expectations for appointments is a safe course.   I always tried to sit slightly behind my DW so she would feel the focus of questions would be on her.  I would also shake my head a little when my DW would answer a with the wrong answer.  For example when asked "do you have children?" and she would answer "two" I could gently shake my head to communicate that was the wrong answer.  

With my neurologist I have established an email link to a NP in his office who will update prescriptions and provide advice as needed.  It is effective even on weekends, she responds within a few hours and will call in prescriptions.  That started through the physicians patient outreach website.   

Passing a list of issues is also something that I do that helped in the beginning.  At this point it is pretty easy to say about anything and my wife will not remember in 10 seconds.  I still endeavor during conversations to deflect comments from my wife.  I use "we" when referencing a behavior.  Or state her eyes are better than mine when I mention she sees things that are not there - people in the house etc. 

Good luck, its a long and twisting road.  Rick

M1

I would try to get a sense of what he/she is comfortable prescribing. Some will only prescribe for dementia and others will prescribe more broadly for sleep, depression, behavior management.  If s/he is a narrow prescriber, ask for a recommendation to a good geriatric psychiatrist.

DrinaJGB

In our case his neurologist (chief of neurology;Columbia med school graduate) ordered another neuropsychological testing series since it had been a few years since his last one. He did not order and meds as his Mini assessment was nearly in the normal range. This was in 2017.

 Since then he has had an additional NP testing session showing organic mixed dementia, and another MRI showing massive scarring from the original culprit of near fatal viral encephalitis in 2010, but no new changes to speak of. He tried DH on Aricept but he had to take him off due to rapid weight loss, diarrhea, copious mucus production, etc. He is not on anything currently.