Several excellent neurologists, working at the cutting edge of MS research, were quoted in the Times supplement on MS on Monday. I thought it might be helpful to put a list of these doctors on here, for people who don’t have a neurologist or whose neurologist is useless. You don’t have to live in the same city as these doctors to see them, BTW and even if your GP has already referred you to a neurologist, you are entitled to a second opinion.
Professor Siddharthan Chandran, University of Edinburgh.
Dr Jeremy Chataway, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London.
Professor Gavin Giovannoni, Barts and Royal London Hospital.
Dr Eli Silber, Kings Regional Neurosciences Centre and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London
Raj Kapoor, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London.
I think there are good consultants in Oxford and Cambridge as well, but I don’t know their names - if you live near these places, a bit of googling will provide the info you need.
I’m lucky enough to be under the care of Dr Jeremy Chataway. A lovely man as well as a brilliant neuro. I saw him privately to start off and now see him through the NHS. I can highly recommend him. X
I see Dr Paul Molyneux at Addenbrooke’s, Cambridge. He is a good neuro, immediately recommending a switch of drugs for me last year after two relapses on Rebif. He also has a really nice manner and puts me at ease. I count myself as very lucky when I read all the nightmare stories on here. The whole team at Addenbrooke’s are brilliant.
I’m very lucky to have Dr Chataway as my consultant too. He listens, I get the sense he believes me and cares, and he explains. There might not be many definite answers out there, but to be treated with kindness and respect is a huge help. The whole team at the National have been great.
And, from what I could see in the supplement, he’s the neuro leading research into drugs to help people with SPMS, to stop them ending up on the MS scrapheap. Dr Chataway is the Jose Mourinho of the MS world (the special one, for those of you who don’t follow football).
I’m now on Gilenya which is, I believe, only available if one of the first line drugs isn’t working for you any more. I had two relapses within 3 months whilst taking Rebif and would have happily stayed on it but my neuro recommended the switch.
If Rebif isn’t agreeing with you, then you should have a chat with your neuro/nurse and see about the possibility of switching to something else. If you’ve been on it since Jan then you’ve given it a fair chance. Not every drug suits every person. Good luck.
Mmmm, Jose - does Dr Chataway look like him too? My neuro is quite handsome which makes the experience quite pleasant even if he was’t such a nice man.
This sounds like a lonely heart column but ‘polite, pateint, good listener with interest in ms wanted - lonley symptomatic female seeks a clear diagnosis’ ah ah. If anyone can recommend a much needed saviour in the east/west midlands area then please let me know… willing to pay… whoops this sounds a bit dodgey… Lou x
Does anyone know if you can see any consultant of your choice on the nhs, regardless of where you live? If so I am going to see if my gp will refer me to one of my choice. Lou x
My bad experiences have been in the hospital in Coventry, not Birmingham - I’m glad to hear they’re good there.
To change my neurologist, I went to my GP to get a private referral. He said that he thought I was entitled to get a second opinion on the NHS and he would check whether the local trust would pay for it (this was three years ago - it might be different now). The trust was OK with it and so I don’t have to pay to see my excellent neurologist.
My bad experiences have been in the hospital in Coventry, not Birmingham - I’m glad to hear they’re good there.
To change my neurologist, I went to my GP to get a private referral. He said that he thought I was entitled to get a second opinion on the NHS and he would check whether the local trust would pay for it (this was three years ago - it might be different now). The trust was OK with it and so I don’t have to pay to see my excellent neurologist.
[/quote] I have heard some things about the Neuros at Coventry. I am based in Redditch and should be under the local hospital and then see the Neuro at Walsgrave (Coventry). However i was diagnoised when i lived in Birmingham and have refused to change Neuro since i moved house. There is no way i am changing
I see Dr Paul Molyneux at Addenbrooke’s, Cambridge. He is a good neuro, immediately recommending a switch of drugs for me last year after two relapses on Rebif. He also has a really nice manner and puts me at ease. I count myself as very lucky when I read all the nightmare stories on here. The whole team at Addenbrooke’s are brilliant.
Tracey
[/quote] So I’ve heard. I’ll get my first taste in less than two weeks now. It really can’t come soon enough.