Posted by Lonely on February 8, 2006, at 1:47:38
In reply to Re: Neuropsych Testing, Validity, Feedback/Report » Lonely, posted by James K on February 8, 2006, at 1:22:08
Thanks, James. I appreciate your comments.
It seems to me too that at least 8 hours of continuous testing (they allowed 45 mins for lunch) is asking for an exacerbation of MS. I know extreme heat, stress, and lack of sleep can and does trigger them. My hubby is still working and putting in 8+ hour days 5 days a week so possibly that indicated he could deal with it. He's also walking although w/some difficulty. Fell down twice on the way into the test building and hit his head on cement. He was alone.
From what I've learned in a support group, and this includes an MD w/MS, they do it intentionally because there are things they need to know about the way the patient responds as they get tired and how fast they get tired and how their response starts slipping. An MS'ers response is different than that of other brain disordered patients. The best I can say for this neuropsych is that he's very familiar w/MS. Slight lack of insight into the fact that this disease affects the whole family, though, and that the caregiver needs support and needs to be involved in the process.
This test was ordered back in Sept. of 2005 by a neurologist and it took until mid Jan. to finally get the test started partly due to insurance, ignorant primary care doc, and especially the ornery neuropsych who said he would just run the test and then submit to insurance for payment! That's the part that blew me away - we are in an HMO and NOTHING is paid unless it's approved FIRST!
At the first meeting he insisted upon talking to my hubby alone which I didn't want. My hubby doesn't report symptoms or meds correctly and gets confused about appointments and other important details. I walked out and left him there. The neuropsych still has not interviewed any family member or anyone close to my hubby. To me that seems like bad healthcare - at least it's lacking. So, there's some tension over all this.
I'd like to hear from others too who've had neuropsych experiences.
Thanks again to all of you out there who are reading this.
> I don't have the answers to you all your questions, but to subject someone with MS to a test that long seems like they are looking for an exacerbation. You have an absolute right to the results of your tests. Please take it easy on yourselves and firmly but calmly get what is coming to you. Mainly I want to say this seems harsh and you have my sympathy. Someone else may have better concrete answers to some of this.
>
> James K
poster:Lonely
thread:607388
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060131/msgs/607426.html