Neurologists

Does anyone have a recommendation for a solid neurologist in Washington, D.C.? It doesn't necessarily have to be Dr. House, but I'm looking for someone with that level of expertise. 😁

Also, am I allowed to specifically request a certain neurologist when I'm at the hospital?

I’m looking for him too... but just the kid version.

Just one more thing: which hospitals or private clinics have a Siemens CT scanner called the Leonardo?

Ethan Garcia8 said:Just one more thing: which hospitals or private clinics have a Siemens CT scanner called the Leonardo?

The Golden State Warriors definitely have a Leonardo on site, 100%. It’s an incredible CT with 3D reconstruction capabilities; you get these color images that look just like they were pulled straight out of a high-end anatomy textbook.

If you're looking for a specific neurologist, your best bet is to show up when they're running their outpatient clinic. They'll take you in, go through everything, and then you should be all set to move forward under their care automatically.

Honestly, from what I've seen, you aren't going to find anyone quite like Dr. House—or even someone close to that level—among the neurologists in America.

Scott Allen10 said:The Golden State Warriors definitely have a Leonardo on site, 100%. It’s an incredible CT with 3D reconstruction capabilities; you get these color images that look just like they were pulled straight out of a high-end anatomy textbook.

If you're looking for a specific neurologist, your best bet is to show up when they're running their outpatient clinic. They'll take you in, go through everything, and then you should be all set to move forward under their care automatically.

Honestly, from what I've seen, you aren't going to find anyone quite like Dr. House—or even someone close to that level—among the neurologists in America.

Fair point, that’s quite a stretch. I'll try looking in Washington, D.C. first; I'm sure they have something similar there.

From what I've seen, even with Dr. House or someone like him, you aren't going to find that kind of specialist among neurologists here in America.

I was just kidding. I know I won't find anyone like that anywhere.😁

Ethan Garcia8 said:Does anyone have a recommendation for a solid neurologist in Washington, D.C.? It doesn't necessarily have to be Dr. House, but I'm looking for someone with that level of expertise. 😁

Also, am I allowed to specifically request a certain neurologist when I'm at the hospital?

House isn't even a neurologist.

mistygull21 said:House isn't even a neurologist.

😁

I need a Dr. House type situation over here. Doctors have been spinning their wheels and failing to give me a single diagnosis for three years straight now. If anyone knows a specialist outside of the States—anything at all 😢 maybe a neurologist or a neuropsychiatrist (even though we already have the best ones in this part of the country)—basically I need a Dr. House.

Dr. Vida Demarin over at Mercy Hospital is an absolute powerhouse of a neurologist (just in case anyone's looking for a real doctor instead of some TV version of House)

Keith Cox6 said:Dr. Vida Demarin over at Mercy Hospital is an absolute powerhouse of a neurologist (just in case anyone's looking for a real doctor instead of some TV version of House)

I’m totally on board with that recommendation too. She taught our neurology course back in the day and she's top-tier. Plus, my old man is a neuropsychiatrist and even he talks her up constantly as a peer and a total pro.

Honestly, I’d say go see Dr. Miller or Dr. Anderson.

Can someone help me make sense of these EMG results:

The findings indicate chronic neural root lesions at S1 bilaterally, more pronounced on the right; also noted are bilateral L5, bilateral C8, Th 1 (more pronounced on the left), and bilateral C5-C7.

Charles Cox5 said:Can someone help me make sense of these EMG results:

The findings indicate chronic neural root lesions at S1 bilaterally, more pronounced on the right; also noted are bilateral L5, bilateral C8, Th 1 (more pronounced on the left), and bilateral C5-C7.

Look, it's pretty much impossible to interpret a finding like this without knowing why you even bothered getting the test done in the first place. What kind of symptoms are we talking about? If you lay out what’s actually going on with you, maybe I can help make sense of it.

Wouldn't it make sense to run a whole battery of tests—looking at both cardiac and neurological issues—to figure out what actually triggered that "attack"? I mean, losing all control over your left leg for about five minutes like that is serious, and we really need to uncover the underlying cause.

Dr. Željko grbavac

He’s a top-tier neurologist. I’ve seen him privately, though I believe he also practices at a major hospital system. Honestly, I’m much more satisfied with his care than with most neurologists I’ve encountered in hospital settings (with a few rare exceptions). A handful of different specialists recommended him to me, and even during my recent hospital stay, there was zero doubt about the diagnosis because he handled the testing and evaluation personally.

Charles Cox5 said:Wouldn't it make sense to run a whole battery of tests—looking at both cardiac and neurological issues—to figure out what actually triggered that "attack"? I mean, losing all control over your left leg for about five minutes like that is serious, and we really need to uncover the underlying cause.

What exactly are we talking about when you say "loss of control"? Are we talking a complete inability to move it, or more like involuntary twitching/spasms? Honestly, looking at those results, it sounds a lot like radiculopathy at those specific segments. Basically, it's nerve root damage in the spine, which can be caused by all sorts of things, like a herniated disc. An EMG will pick up on the radiculopathy itself, but it won't tell you *why* it's happening. You'll probably need to push your doctor toward some imaging, like an X-ray or an MRI, to get a clear look at your spine.

Thanks for getting back to me on this.
For those few minutes, my leg was completely numb—just totally dead. At first, we were all worried it might be a stroke, but the CT scan ruled that out. Then we thought it could be a heart issue, but everything came back fine there, too. So, looking at the facts, is it actually possible that this is coming from an issue with my spine?

I know of a similar case where someone was completely paralyzed in the moment. Since doctors couldn't find any physical underlying condition, they just chalked it up to psychological issues.

Charles Cox5 said:Thanks for getting back to me on this.
For those few minutes, my leg was completely numb—just totally dead. At first, we were all worried it might be a stroke, but the CT scan ruled that out. Then we thought it could be a heart issue, but everything came back fine there, too. So, looking at the facts, is it actually possible that this is coming from an issue with my spine?

Look, sure, it’s possible. Why wouldn't it be? You could also be looking at psychological triggers, like Patrick Young2 mentioned earlier. Sometimes you just don't find a smoking gun, and you have to see the whole diagnostic process through to the end. Honestly, the most important thing is ruling out the scary stuff—like tumors or whatever—even if the actual cause remains a mystery. As long as it doesn't happen again, you're okay. It could have been a TIA (transient ischemic attack); it's basically a mini-stroke, similar to a full one but milder, and it often won't show up on a CT scan. Has the spine been imaged yet using an X-ray or an MRI? An EMG is a solid test because it can pinpoint whether the issue is in the muscle itself or the nerves. Based on what's being said here, it sounds like something is up with the spinal nerve roots. A neurologist definitely needs to dig into that and finish the investigation. It might be directly related, or it might just be an incidental finding.

Well, I finally got my diagnosis back:
Bilateral cervicobrachial syndrome.
Bilateral lumbosacral syndrome with sciatica.

Could someone please help me make sense of what this actually means?
My doctor mentioned it’s some kind of nerve disorder, implying there isn't a cure and that I should brace myself for these episodes to happen more frequently. Interestingly, the first and most recent flare-ups were four months apart, and I haven't dealt with any issues in the meantime. He did prescribe strict bed rest, though he didn't give me any indication of how long I need to stay off my feet.