INTRODUCTION
Now that you have the disease, what can you as patient do to play a proactive role in the determination for treatment and choices that will affect your prognosis and outcome for the rest of your life? You must learn as much or more than most doctors. The specific neuropathy that will be cited as an example of this family of neurological diseases is of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD}. The pain doctors do not know much RSD as a rule. The neurologists, who are specialists in the neuropathic diseases, strangely enough, know very little about RSD and the appropriate effective treatments.
BE INFORMED
Do not depend upon your doctor or doctors for their unverifiable knowledge. Read and learn. There is much information on the Internet. Go to your library. Go to the Medical bookstore of the nearest University. Begin by learning exactly what RSD is. Then what the symptoms are. Then the diagnosis and how they are arrived at. Then read about the treatments and finally the prognoses. Now that you are armed at least with terminology and names that do not have any definitions in the standard dictionary go to the Internet and search for each term.
You will get a list of web sites that have that term. These websites are called "hits." The object is to refine your search so that you get a reasonably small list of hits. Some of these web sites will have the information that you seek. This is the task of the researcher - when using the Internet as a source of material that provides basic information. Of course you must exercise diligence to assure that the information that you are using is accurate and verifiable. To verify any article or paper, look up the name of the author or all of the names mentioned if more than one.
SELECTING A DOCTOR
Your candidate Doctor should be specialized in the treatment of your particular Neuropathy. The doctor must be board certified. Do not deal with an amateur for it is not only a waste of time, it is definitely injurious to your health. Check the track record of your doctor candidate. Once you have a list of 3 or 4 doctors that meet your basic criteria you should then interview them. Go for an initial visit.
You want a doctor that will listen to you and not ignore you. You do not want an egomaniac or one that is so impressed with himself that you will not even be visible on his horizon. You want a doctor with whom you can discuss your treatment and offer your own opinions as well. This must be a two way participatory relationship. You must be completely involved in your own treatment because you doctor may come to depend upon you to supply the latest research information his time is in short supply.
