Migraine

I've had migraine for over 30 years, with almost no success stories to tell. I finally have an appointment with a specialist: Dr. Brandes in Nashville. Because it is going to take around 4 hours to get there, I'd like some feedback from someone who has seen her.

I'd also be interest in hearing about success stories from headache specialists in North Carolina or Georgia.

Why so long to see a specialist? None of my doctors seem to know anything about them. I had to do my own research and ask for a referral in spite of once having status migrainous for over 2 months. (My doctor then didn't even change my treatment or send me to a hospital or anything. I fired him! I have a new doc now, but still not impressed with level of knowledge on migraine.)

I've never seen Dr. Brandes, but my local neurologist mentioned that Dr. Brandes would be good if I wanted to go out of town to a migraine specialist.

There's a list of recommended doctors on the site. Look on the left side of the screen.

Gretchen

Dr. Brandes is quoted in Teri's book,

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Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches

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and is also on our patient recommended doctors and clinics list. I wouldn't hesitate to see her.

Good luck

Thanks! I've seen the list. That's where I first heard of Dr. Brandes! So thanks for the good work, guys!

I's still like to hear from someone with first-hand knowledge of Dr. Brandes. I picked her because she's the nearest specialist (4 hours with good traffic). The next nearest is out-of-state (Yikes! Insurance!) and over an 8 hour drive. The only other one in my state is over a 13 hour drive away!!

I saw one neurologist with a reputation for being good with migraines, and several other area neorologist referred me to her, but she was awful! She had ONE course of treatment for everyone. (I found this out taking to other patients in the waiting room.) No way could every patient with whom I spoke (>12) need identical treatment plans. She was just the only one in the area even willing to deal with migraine patients. That did not make her good; it just gave her a reputation.

I just want some first-hand info on Dr. Brandes because I had to wait 6 months for that appointment. (If she doesn't seem right for me, I'd like to go ahead and get a referral to my second-choice.)

If I don't seem hopeful, I've seen 6 neorologists already. And I still have almost daily migraine. Each doc just says, "Well, this is just the best you can hope for." (Less intense pain and less frequent ER visits) I'm actually aiming for at least a few pain-free days and less than one ER trip a month! Is tha too much to wish for?

quote:

I just want some first-hand info on Dr. Brandes because I had to wait 6 months for that appointment. (If she doesn't seem right for me, I'd like to go ahead and get a referral to my second-choice.)

If I don't seem hopeful, I've seen 6 neorologists already. And I still have almost daily migraine. Each doc just says, "Well, this is just the best you can hope for." (Less intense pain and less frequent ER visits) I'm actually aiming for at least a few pain-free days and less than one ER trip a month! Is tha too much to wish for?

Nope, it's not too much to wish for. I understand where you're coming from, having doctor-shopped and come up short several times over. It's only natural to want to find the doc that will click with you in one shot.

In my very humble opinion, though, I'd suggest that you give Dr. Brandes a shot before you get a referal to your second choice. You never know who will click with who. Someone's doc they'd never go back to is always someone else's best ever, and you don't know until you give the relationship with the doc a good try.

I've done this myself, with my endo doc. My gram saw her several years ago for diabetes, and didn't care for her at all. But a few years after, I started seeing her for my thyroid ick, and I think she's way greater than Wonder Bread. I wouldn't be anywhere without her, and I flat-out adore her, both as a person, and as the doctor that works with me. You might find the same thing with any one of the neuros or headache specialists you come across. I would take any anecdotal accounts from other patients with a grain of salt.

As for the wishing and hoping, I throw my wishes and hopes in with yours that the wait was worth it, and Dr. Brandes or whoever you choose is the perfect choice for you.

Shaliali,

I haven't seen Dr. Brandes as a physician myself, but several people recommended her to me from their experience with her. That's why she's on the recommendations list. I have talked with her on the phone several times and emailed back and forth with her and have always found her to be very helpful in my work. She seems to be very bright, knowledgable, and compassionate.

I hear you on the travel and the insurance. I live in West Virginia and drove the 8 hours each direction to see Dr. Young at the Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia for several years. At first, our insurance covered it. When my husband retired, it quit covering it, so we paid out of pocket. Still, it was worth every $$ and every mile.

I'm not trying to one-up you, but I'd fired at least a dozen neurologists, including one so-called Migraine specialist whom my GP had recommended. Neurologists aren't necessarily Migraine specialists. When we stop to think about all the conditions, diseases, injuries, etc., that they treat, we see that they're really the GP's of neurology. They can't possibly be specialists in any one area. True Migraine specialists, on the other hand, treat ONLY headaches and Migraines. They get far more experience and tend to do a good bit of continuing medical education in the field.

Yes, it can be a wait for an appointment -- because there simply aren't enough good specialists. I waited 9 months for my first appointment.

Please don't lose hope. The key really is in getting to a doctor who knows what he or she's doing. There are over 100 medications and virtually endless combinations of them that can be used for Migraine prevention.

Welcome to the forum!

quote:

Originally posted by Shaliali:
Thanks! I've seen the list. That's where I first heard of Dr. Brandes! So thanks for the good work, guys!

I's still like to hear from someone with first-hand knowledge of Dr. Brandes. I picked her because she's the nearest specialist (4 hours with good traffic). The next nearest is out-of-state (Yikes! Insurance!) and over an 8 hour drive. The only other one in my state is over a 13 hour drive away!!

I saw one neurologist with a reputation for being good with migraines, and several other area neorologist referred me to her, but she was awful! She had ONE course of treatment for everyone. (I found this out taking to other patients in the waiting room.) No way could every patient with whom I spoke (>12) need identical treatment plans. She was just the only one in the area even willing to deal with migraine patients. That did not make her good; it just gave her a reputation.

I just want some first-hand info on Dr. Brandes because I had to wait 6 months for that appointment. (If she doesn't seem right for me, I'd like to go ahead and get a referral to my second-choice.)

If I don't seem hopeful, I've seen 6 neorologists already. And I still have almost daily migraine. Each doc just says, "Well, this is just the best you can hope for." (Less intense pain and less frequent ER visits) I'm actually aiming for at least a few pain-free days and less than one ER trip a month! Is tha too much to wish for?

Here's my reply to another person on here asking about her. . .I know it's too late for you Shaliali. . and I hope you're experience was better than mine. . .but for other people that come here looking for advice. . .take the good with the bad and make your decision based on all the info. . . I will never go back. . . My general practioner prescribed the SAME medication to treat my migraines and THIS SPECIALIST. . . so GOOD RIDDENS TO HER. . .

Here is my response. . .


Running WAY behind is her speciatly. Nothing else. I saw her too . . .several times. Each time WAY behind. I waited in her office for FOUR hours the first time I saw her. When she finally came in to see me she did that classic detailed medical history bit. . .and then pretty much ignored my medical history and prescribed her latest research piece. . .

I had blood work done. . but no other tests run.

She did a muscle injection to relieve tension in my shoulder muscle . . TERRIBLE. I cried the entire way to the car. . I couldn't use my arm at all the whole day and then next day that pain was so severe it actually triggered a series of migraines.

Upon arriving at my next visit, which I waited in the lobby for a hour. . this time I was seeing Dr. Atkins. . . I paid my unexpected charge of $75 for my trigger point injections from my last visit, that she didn't tell me about. Dr. Atkins did not do anything new. . did not tell me anything new and wasted a lot of new time with me. . .

After this, I begain receiving letters from their office threatening to send my "account" to a debt collection agency for the $75 I owed them - the SAME $75 I had paid in office. I called and left messages for the billing department for Patricia. I called during business hours, I called after hours and left messages with their services. No resolution. I FINALLY spoke with her. "They had filed it under misc. and there it was! Their mistake! So sorry! Hope it didn't really go to debt collection!" When I asked her if she could make sure of it. . she said they just said that so they could get their money. I was honestly disgusted. I told her to let the office know that I would never be returnig and I was throughly dissatisfied with their service and have never been so unhappy in my life with the overall care of a facility. She didn't care. She said she'd let Dr. Brandes know.

A week later, I get a bill for a "No Show" charge. $50. Apparently, Our Patricia failed to let the office know that I would not be returning. So, I called and talked to the young man at the receptionist desk. He went through this big production about finding the specific date that was missed. And then we could proceed. And he said, "Now was was your question about the appointment you failed to show for?" Hello?!?! What a jerk! I told him first of all, that appointment was to be cancelled per my request to Patricia. And he cut me off and said he would leave a message for her and she'd have to call me back to handle it. End of story. He had heard enough. I was again disgusted. So I let him know that they could expect for the no show charge to never be paid because it was not justified. That Patricia could call me back if she deemed it necessary but I had nothing more to say.

Okay, after re-reading my post, I realize I probably should fill in some missing information.

I suffer from sleep apnea which was not taken into consideration with my treatment. I also suffer from muscular triggers to my migraines and they were mildly taken into consideration. I felt like I was given a lot of expensive drugs and sent away. I left their office several messages about side effect concerns and never received a call back. When I was in the office, I asked about not being called back. . .and it was blown off like it wasn't a big deal. Dr. Atkins said well has your issue resolved. And I was seriously floored. Has my issue resolved? She never asked what it was, how it affected me. . .just was it resolved.

I feel like this clinic wants their patients to suffer less but doesn't care about the person, but the end result.

It pains me to read online that EVER review about this clinic says the wait time is HOURS long. Wouldn't you think a schedule could be made appropriately so that the patient doesn't have to sit in your office for hours?

What is the point of an answering/messaging service if they don't deliver messages?

Why do patients pay bills if they aren't accounted for?

Why do you call it patient care if you don't care about your patient?

I just feel like I was a piece of research and not a human being. It's even little things like after watching a 15 min. video about migraines. . . it would be nice if SOMEONE came back into the room to turn the lights back on. . . sooner than an hour and a half later. . . instead of just sitting outside the door at their desk eventhough the patient is peaking their head out the door to let you know it's OVER!

If you're too busy to care for your patients, stop taking them.

Jade,

-:¦:-•:*'""*:•.-:¦:-•*Hello!*•-:¦:-•:*'''''*:•-:¦:-•*Welcome to the family!*•-:¦:-

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience. Unfortunately, no doctor is right for every single patient. No matter how many great recommendations we receive for a doctor, there are always one or two who didn't have a great experience. I keep track of both the recommendations and the complaints. In eight years, it has been extremely rare for anyone to be unhappy with Dr. Brandes. Have you seen any other Migraine specialists? I must be honest and comment that ALL of them are overbooked because there aren't enough to take care of all the patients who need help. Please don't let this experience discourage you. A Migraine specialist really is our best bet for making progress.

Welcome again!

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Originally posted by Jade2412:
Okay, after re-reading my post, I realize I probably should fill in some missing information.

I suffer from sleep apnea which was not taken into consideration with my treatment. I also suffer from muscular triggers to my migraines and they were mildly taken into consideration. I felt like I was given a lot of expensive drugs and sent away. I left their office several messages about side effect concerns and never received a call back. When I was in the office, I asked about not being called back. . .and it was blown off like it wasn't a big deal. Dr. Atkins said well has your issue resolved. And I was seriously floored. Has my issue resolved? She never asked what it was, how it affected me. . .just was it resolved.

I feel like this clinic wants their patients to suffer less but doesn't care about the person, but the end result.

It pains me to read online that EVER review about this clinic says the wait time is HOURS long. Wouldn't you think a schedule could be made appropriately so that the patient doesn't have to sit in your office for hours?

What is the point of an answering/messaging service if they don't deliver messages?

Why do patients pay bills if they aren't accounted for?

Why do you call it patient care if you don't care about your patient?

I just feel like I was a piece of research and not a human being. It's even little things like after watching a 15 min. video about migraines. . . it would be nice if SOMEONE came back into the room to turn the lights back on. . . sooner than an hour and a half later. . . instead of just sitting outside the door at their desk eventhough the patient is peaking their head out the door to let you know it's OVER!

If you're too busy to care for your patients, stop taking them.

Hey Teri,

Thanks for the reply!

I ammended my first post. . .I was a little (okay, a lot) angry and decided to leave the story up there, not my grumpy opinion so much! Anyhow, I so I deleted that last bit. . .

I have seen other doctors over the years, but she is the first migraine specialist I have seen. I have tried lots of different treatments though, prescribed mostly by primary care physicians. I would like to try someone else. Do you have any reccommendations in the Nashville area?

Because I have sleep issues too, I am also looking for a sleep specialist. It has been my experience in Nashville, that is it is very difficult to find any doctor that isn't overbooked here. With it being such a big area for medicine, it's definitely in high demand. So if you know of any sleep specialist, I could use a reccomendation in that department too!

I've been to Vanderbilt Sleep Clinic and because of my particular sleep issues, I need to go elsewhere to find a clinic that accomodates afternoon appointments. They primarily keep morning hours and in order to get in before next year, I'd have to be in around 7 am. Hard to do when you have insomnia, sleep apnea and then sleep arousal problems! I gave it a shot, but missed two in a row . . . not fair to them either. . .(and yes I have a night job!!)

So needless to say. . .my situation is a bit unique!

Thank you for you time and help!

Jade

Well, I have been to Dr. Brandes's office several times since I made my original post. And I have two things to say:

First: Yes, Dr. Brandes does seem to specialize in running late. I, too, had about a 4 hour wait at her office. They did, however, recommend a place for my husband and me to have dinner while we waited. They had no problem with our leaving and returning later. I agree that Dr. Brandes's office needs to keep better track of her appointment time when making appointments, but if you get there to hear those dreaded words, just ask if they mind if you leave. There's a nice bookstore nearby. It was really tough on me and my husband because we had just driven 4 hours to get there and had to drive back as soon as we got out. We just started staying over after the first time.

Second: I had a totally different experience once I finally saw her. I have had the best control of my migraine since seeing Dr. Brandes that I have ever had. They actually called Dr. Brandes when she was out of the office to have her return a call within a matter of minutes.

I do have to say that they seem to belabor the medical history. They ask every, single time. The nurse asks; the next nurse asks; everybody asks. After almost a year, we're still working on getting my medications right, but anything is better than working with the doctors? in East Tennessee.

Tracey

Jade,

Oops! Sorry it took me so long to reply to you.

We do have a couple of other specialists in Tennessee who have been recommended, but I don't know how close to you they are. You can find our list of patient recommended specialists HERE.

Hope you find some help soon. :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Jade2412:
Hey Teri,

Thanks for the reply!

I ammended my first post. . .I was a little (okay, a lot) angry and decided to leave the story up there, not my grumpy opinion so much! Anyhow, I so I deleted that last bit. . .

I have seen other doctors over the years, but she is the first migraine specialist I have seen. I have tried lots of different treatments though, prescribed mostly by primary care physicians. I would like to try someone else. Do you have any reccommendations in the Nashville area?

Because I have sleep issues too, I am also looking for a sleep specialist. It has been my experience in Nashville, that is it is very difficult to find any doctor that isn't overbooked here. With it being such a big area for medicine, it's definitely in high demand. So if you know of any sleep specialist, I could use a reccomendation in that department too!

I've been to Vanderbilt Sleep Clinic and because of my particular sleep issues, I need to go elsewhere to find a clinic that accomodates afternoon appointments. They primarily keep morning hours and in order to get in before next year, I'd have to be in around 7 am. Hard to do when you have insomnia, sleep apnea and then sleep arousal problems! I gave it a shot, but missed two in a row . . . not fair to them either. . .(and yes I have a night job!!)

So needless to say. . .my situation is a bit unique!

Thank you for you time and help!

Jade

Thanks, Teri. I'm not looking to abandon Dr. Brandes yet.

But here I need some advice. I spent 10 years in constant pain; I went to every neurologist in East Tennessee, but then I just gave up. I just kept seeing a GP who knew nothing about migraine that I din't tell him. Obviously, I don't know when to say, "This is not working!"

I have been with Dr. Brandes for a year now, and have had some moderate success, but I've had horrible side effects, return of headaches, and-- of course-- the always almost interminable waits, after very long drives. (The waits which seem to say, "I'm an important person, but you, my patient, are not.") So, given the only moderate success, I am beginning to have my doubts, but I'm not sure when to give up on a doctor. I certainly understand that I cannot expect miracles. I know that everyone is different, but is there some guideline on when to bail out? Like if you're not feeling satisfied with your doctor in 5 years, for goodness sake look for another one!

By the way those other Tennessee doctors are farther away. One is in Memphis (out of the question without flying); the other about 6 hours at least. So I would try North Carolina next, I think. I live almost on the border.

As always, thank you so much for your time and effort to help all of us!!

Tracey

Hey guys,

Yes, unfortunately, Dr. Brandes is the only recommended Doctor in my area. Clarksville and Memphis are hours away. And I agree Shaliali. . .really my main complaint is that feeling of unimportance. . .I realize that this doctor is hot stuff. . .but what good is it if it's never utilized?

In a way she's very unattainable. The most communication I've received is about a bill that they misfiled. So. . .sigh. . .who knows what to do. I wish I could start over with their office and erase my bad opinion of them.

I guess I'll just have to find someone else who doesn't know what they are doing and try . . .????

Sarah