Alzheimers care and treatments: Consult with Mayo Clinic?

My wife has just been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment and AD. She is going through the process to begin Kinsula infusions--hope to start in May. Our neurologist is in the Twin Cities and seems fine, but I wanted to get a second opinion, consult, at Mayo in Rochester. Thinking Mayo would be on top of any new developments, treatments, etc. Anything to give us more hope. Got through the initial process so she will have a consult, but we were told there is a waiting list and it might be 3 months to a year. Disappointing, to say the least, tho I understand there are lots of folks getting this diagnosis.

@paul55 I am taking my husband(74) to Mayo in Rochester for the four day testing regimen next week. We were on the wait list for four months, after his neurologist made the referral. When I inquired without the referral it was a 6 month wait to make an appointment.
I got a call in January for a March 30 appointment. I am not sure if they schedule quarterly or bi annually.
I am relieved to finally have a diagnosis as to what type of dementia he has. I hope that the results will help plan for our future.
Hang in there and remember patience is a caregiver’s mantra.

@upgirl2013 thanks for your information. Hope things go as well as possible. Just wondering what you told your local neurologist was the reason you wanted a referral to Mayo? Just that you wanted a second opinion or something else, or was it your local neurologist idea. Based on your info, I am thinking of asking our neurologist who is a Alzheimer’s specialist, for a referral if it will speed things up. But obviously I don’t want to alienate our local neurologist. I think any good doctor would not object to getting a second opinion, but who knows.

@upgirl2013 thanks for your information. Hope things go as well as possible. Just wondering what you told your local neurologist was the reason you wanted a referral to Mayo? Just that you wanted a second opinion or something else, or was it your local neurologist idea. Based on your info, I am thinking of asking our neurologist who is a Alzheimer’s specialist, for a referral if it will speed things up. But obviously I don’t want to alienate our local neurologist. I think any good doctor would not object to getting a second opinion, but who knows.

@proth1018
Thank you for taking the time to give me such a detailed response.
We live in Scottsdale and have been with Mayo for many years, and yes, we think they are the best.
My husband was diagnosed with MCI in 2012, and frankly, there wasn't a whole lot they could do, but support us. We have tried just about everything that was available at the time and it probabley did buy him some more time. By the time the new infusion drugs were being used, my husband's Alzheimer's was already too far along to qualify.
I do agree with thegobalnomad1 the HABIT program was great very much worth the time and money. We both learned a lot and really enjoyed not only the staff but the other couples. It was just so nice to be with other people who understood.

@jlharsh The HABIT program we attended in 2017 at the Scottsdale campus was 2 weeks, with a 1/2-day reunion 6 months later.
Our doctor at Mayo had referred us 3 years earlier, but my husband refused to do it at that point.

@trishaanderson Our HABIT reunions in Jacksonville are monthly and my husband wouldn't miss them! He balked a little at going to the HABIT program at first but had just been diagnosed and realized we had to do as much as we could to learn more. He agrees it is THE best program for anybody dealing with this. I think we learned at least a semester's worth of info, all of it helpful, interesting, and life- changing for both of us.

@trishaanderson Our HABIT reunions in Jacksonville are monthly and my husband wouldn't miss them! He balked a little at going to the HABIT program at first but had just been diagnosed and realized we had to do as much as we could to learn more. He agrees it is THE best program for anybody dealing with this. I think we learned at least a semester's worth of info, all of it helpful, interesting, and life- changing for both of us.