Fibromyalgia Support Group

Hey everyone

I'm not sure if this is the proper forum to post this under or not, but I am requesting your help -

my wonderful internist gave notice with less than a month's warning that she is retiring from practice, and will no longer be available to patients. She has prescribed ALL of my meds for the past 3 years, fibro and other-related, except for my ob/gyn and asthma meds. At last we had hit on a protocol that was working for me, and now I must find a new doctor, preferably one who has experience with treating fibro as a serious disease - either rhuematologist or pain specialist, neuro, or internist - and hopefully someone on my preferred provider list for my ins. I take a number of meds which are dangerous to quit cold turkey, and would need to be safely weaned off of under a doctor's care, but as of now, I have no one to prescribe these meds for me.

If anyone knows of a GOOD fibro doc in NE Ohio, preferably one in Summit Co, please let me know ASAP - by PM or in this forum if you are comfortable with that! It is hard to start over from scratch, and right now I have NO names, other than Dr. Mark Pellegrino, in N. Canton, who is a good general knowledge diagnostician, but does not prescribe fibro meds as a rule -- rather works as a consultant with one's primary care physician. I had an appointment with him last week and he told me that I would have to find someone else to write out my Rx, preferably a new PCP. I have NO IDEA where to turn now for my Rx, not having had much advance notice of this happening with my current doc. If anyone has any ideas or advice, I would love to hear it!

thanks!

-Sherry in NE Ohio

Post edited by: hipmama42, at: 06/02/2009 09:42 PM

Sherry, didn't your internist write you the three months worth of scripts? They can write that much without seeing you. That'll at least buy you some time.

As for a doctor in your area, I know Hampton is in Ohio and Janilee is in Ohio. Those are the only two that I know of for sure.

The only other thing I can suggest is checking the National Fibromyalgia Association website. They have a doctor finder feature on there.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Hugs, Tina

thanks Tina -- she was able to write my Rx's for most of the meds for up to 3 months except for the Adderall (no refills allowed on that one) and the steroid I was taking for asthma for years that was not supposed to be maintenance, but that my body has become dependent on unfortunately because of my adrenal fatigue and suppressed HPA axis, that can't be safely taken away suddenly - and my asthma specialist appt. isn't until September of this year! Guess I will have to try to get in early somehow to discuss this problem with their office. They are so booked up they schedule a full year in advance, like so many specialists these days.

thanks for your suggestion - I have already checked out National Fibromyalgia Foundation, and found a local support group contact e-mail, so guess I will ask that person. Ultimately it may still come down to eenie meenie minie moe - which is actually how I lucked into my most recent doctor, the one retiring! Just hope I can get lucky a second time! lol.

Hi Sherry ~~~

I wish I could help you but all I have are suggestions.

Could you request copies of your records from present retiring physician so that a new physician could prescribe the same regimen for you ? I m sure that would help ~~~

I am in Ohio but in the Northwestern part of the state. I see my PCP but also a Rhuemy (for Fibro only). I have only been dealing with the Rhuemy for just a year but he does seem knowlegable on Fibro as well as concerned about how my Fibro is making me feel.

I hope you find a doctor soon ~~~ I wish you the best of luck in doing so.

Have a good day ~~~ Marilyn

Sherry, you could try what I did for a short term fix. I had left my last doctor and was running out of my meds. I hadn't yet found a new doctor. So I took all of my prescription bottles into an urgent care.

They weren't really happy about it, but they did fill everything for me for one month. They also charged me 200 instead of the regular 80. It was enough to get me through until I found my doctor, though.

Since all my scripts were from the same doctor and the same pharmacy, it wasn't really an issue, you know what I mean? So if all you really need right now is the steroid and adderall, it should be even easier for you. Maybe?

Keep us posted.

Tina