What to expect and chances of getting in?

Thank you so much for sending his name. Good luck on your medical journey!

After I get my ET taken care of, my next and most pressing issue is my upcoming (7/8/24) radio-frequency ablation/rhizotomy. It’s going to be 3 levels, bilaterally.

Of course our daughter is flying down 7/9 and wants to go to St. Augustine’s. Not for me. I can’t even go out on the boat - it’s hard to get into at the best of times, and I doubt my back will enjoy bouncing around!

When I have had epidurals in the past, I was not allowed to go in the pool for 7 days. I’m hoping they will give me a piece of Tegaderm to seal the injection site, so that I can at least go in the pool. It’s our own private, salt-water pool, so decreased germs!

I wonder what my luck will be getting into, heck I don’t know which type of doc - neurosurgery or pain.

Anyone have any ideas?

TIA,
Karen

I requested an appointment through the site about 2 weeks ago. All of my imaging and extensive records had been sent and were being reviewed. I called twice for an update but they stated I was still in “triage” and it could take however long they needed. I started dismissing my pain and thinking well maybe it is all in my head blah blah blah. NOPE. Yesterday they called and I have an appointment a week from tomorrow (this is for the GI department for my pancreatic issues in Phoenix). I am elated and am just praying once I get there, we are going to do imaging and compare my results. I really. Really reallllllyyyyyy am hoping for a surgery for my pancreas.

Best of luck to you 💜

@leilani898

Welcome to Mayo Connect.
Thank you for sharing your experience in requesting an appointment.
I am glad you received an appointment and hope you get answers and the help you need.

Please keep us informed here or in Digestive Group what the providers recommend for your chronic pancreatitis.

Do you live in Phoenix area or have to travel for your appointment?

@leilani898 I am a longtime patient at both Phx and Scottsdale locations. My care is not GI, but I assume that they will follow the same protocol as the other departments. Typically on your first visit, you will be seen by 2 docs for a duration of about an hour. The first will be a either a NP or PA who will ask you a series of questions and examine you followed by the assigned MD. These medical staff really do care about your further treatment. If you ever need immediate emergemcy care, follow up at the Phx ER.

Regarding parking, Scottsdale is no problem, but Phoenix tends to fill up quickly as there are no parking structures located by the 4 buildings. You may get lucky and find good parking but plan to arrive slightly early for a spot. Typically, your appointment time is about 15 minutes after your assigned time. Lastly, make use of the patient portal. It is the best portal, well ahead of any others.

My experience self referring was pretty good. They told me a time frame that it would take for them to review my records and it took about exactly that. I got an appointment end of October beginning of November for February.

I applied for my grown daughter. She has been sick for over a decade at this point, and had to take a medical leave from work and was fired when her FMLA ran out and she was still unable to return to work. She got sick and it took a LONG time to diagnose the initial problem. When they finally did (years later), they are treating her for that (no-so-successfully). But ever since she has had a whole host of random symptoms popping up. She now has all these weird random symptoms, and can rarely leave her home. She can't even turned on most of her lights because her head hurts too much. She has ZERO quality of life. We set up the appointment and did the questionnaire, and was rejected almost immediately. I know my answers to the questionnaire were the problem. The questions didn't really apply to her situation, and I know it didn't tell the story at all. Is there any appeal? We have a HUGE binder with her medical records to paint the picture. She lost the whole decade of her twenties to this and she should not have to be homebound for the rest of her life because the doctors can't figure it out. It took so long for her to agree that we needed to do it, and then she gets rejected. I'm completely gutted by this response. She has no life and is in constant pain. I don't know what to do to help her. What can we do? Please help us.

@clwbarry, I suggest calling the Central Appointment Office of the Mayo Clinic location your daughter would like to visit. The numbers are listed here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

I've sent identical self-referrals twice over the last 6 or so weeks, and have yet to hear anything at all.

@usdiplomat, I suggest calling the Central Appointment Office of the Mayo Clinic location you submitted your request to and ask about its status. The numbers are listed here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

Thanks, Colleen. I find it unconscionable that they are so cavalier about the process promising that you will hear back from them in 2-3 business days and then not living up to that promise. As a full-time caregiver for my wife who had liver transplant surgery, followed a year later by liver resection surgery due to problems in the biliary tree, all at Mayo, I have to keep canceling or rescheduling my health appointments because I'm usually at Mayo with her as it's a never-ending going back and forth with the schedule changing often. I've changed my primary 3 times in the 10 years we've been in Jacksonville as I've been unable to receive the quality of care I had been used to, and I have seen the quality of care she has received at Mayo. I'm starting to feel like chopped liver.