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Fibro Friendly Doctor in Philadelphia

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Posted 11/20/2020 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi. I have Fibro and have been seeing the same amazing Rheumatologist for 20 years. I've been extremely fortunate. At my appointment earlier this week, he told me that he will be retiring shortly after the new year. He doesn't plan to have anyone take over his practice so while I'm sure he will do what he can to help me, it's pretty much going to be up to me to find someone to take over my care. Can anyone possibly put me on the trail of a good Fibro-friendly doctor in Philly or the Philly area? Thank you so much.
Posted 11/21/2020 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Blazemom and welcome! It’s so difficult to lose a doctor you really like and has helped you so much. But there are other good doctors out there. Your records go to the new doctor you choose so things shouldn’t veer off too much. You really need to make sure your doctor believes in fibro though.

Here are a few ideas to help you. Ask your present doctor if he has referrals of good doctors that believe in fibro that he can give you. My Internist gave me a few names of rheumies when I needed to find a good rheumatologist. Find an arthritis support group in your area. Your doctor can help you with this most likely. Your local hospital could help too. Contact the support group and see what local rheumatologists their members are using. I got the name of my excellent rheumy three ways. He was one of the referrals from my Internist, a friend of mine with arthritis highly recommended him to me, and lastly my hairdresser! Yep! I know how women discuss things with their hairdresser so I asked her if she had heard a name of a good rheumatologist. She said she had a customer with bad arthritis and loved her doctor so she called the customer right then and got the name. Usually a quality rheumatologist treats fibro patients too.

Once I had the name, I checked them out at Healthgrades.com and Vitals.com.

When I called to make the first appointment I asked if the doctor treated fibromyalgia patients and he did. The rest is history. I have one of the best rheumatologists in my area.

I hope these ideas help you find the best rheumatologist in your area.

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There is a lot of good info about fibro and you can learn new things there. Be sure to let us know when you find a new doctor because we do care about you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine
Posted 11/21/2020 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Sherrine. Those are good tips and I will certainly try some them, although I'm not sure there are any support groups meeting right now as Philadelphia is completely locked down due to Covid. I'll see what I can find out. My meeting with my doctor this time was really brief because it was tele-med but when I see him in February (hopefully) we can have a longer and more meaningful discussion about the issue. Still if anyone here knows of anyone in the area they can recommend, I would really be grateful. If you can't or don't want to post the name to the forum, maybe there is some private messaging function that can be used?

Thanks again.
Posted 11/21/2020 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I do want our members who might have a suggestion for a Philly doctor to do it through email. But you need to be sure you put your contact info in your profile. I don’t want doctors’ names put on the forum. I don’t think that a good idea. But writing via email is good.

I’d still look up a local arthritis support group in the phone book or online. If they have a phone number hopefully someone will answer and could give you suggestions of doctors the group uses. It can’t hurt to try. Meanwhile you can go to the two links I gave you and put in rheumatologist and your area and you can see some of the doctors and some info about them. There are reviews there too but remember you can’t trust all of them. Usually people who love the doctors don’t bother to review but the ones who have a bone to pick do.

Good luck and I hope you find one soon.

Sherrine
Posted 11/21/2020 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
OK I edited my profile to show my email. That should enable anyone who wants to answer me to email me directly.

I'm searched online and I can't find any arthritis or FM support groups anywhere in the Philadelphia area. I don't even think I have a local yellow pages anymore. Maybe there's one online. I'll check.
Posted 11/21/2020 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Sherrie-

When I click on #12 on Fibro101 - the link for Finding a Doctor - why does it take me to a page that lists hotels in Norwegian. Am I missing something? Thanks.
Posted 11/21/2020 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
Try calling here.

https://www.arthritis.org/local-offices/pa/pennsylvania-offices

https://www.meetup.com/topics/fibromyalgia-support-groups/us/pa/philadelphia/


Sherrine
Posted 11/21/2020 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks. I appreciate your staying with me here. That Meetup is no longer active anymore (probably because it only had 3 member in it and maybe due to Covid, not sure). I will definitely call the Arthritis Organization number. Thanks for that. In my continued searching on my insurance company website meanwhile, I did find a doctor who lists Fibro on her website so I'm pretty excited about that. She's going to the top of my list of possibilities.
Posted 11/21/2020 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, that’s great! That’s very mportant. There are still doctors out there in the Dark Ages who don’t believe in fibro. We have had members sent to a psychiatrist!!! We all know who the crazy one is. 😂

I think your present doctor will give you names of good doctors in the area. I doubt he would leave his patients high and dry. Do start a list of questions for your old doctor and keep it on the refrigerator and add to it as thoughts arise. When we see our doctors...in person or virtually...we tend to forget many things we wanted to ask. This is very important in your case. But I feel confident you will end up with a doctor you like as well as the doctor you have now. You are planning ahead and not waiting until the last moment.

By the way, only HealingWell members can see your email address. That’s for your safety.

Sherrine
Posted 11/21/2020 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Sherrine. I appreciate the support. Take care.
Posted 12/14/2020 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Resuscitating this thread as I am currently seeking a rheumatologist in the Philadelphia area. Well-recommended one I had been waiting for months to see left practice. Need personal recommendations, if any. Following online searches suggested or asking PCP have not been helpful. Email is included with profile. Thanks.
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