Connect
← Return to Eyes and Neuropathy
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@pjfrahm and @jimhd, I discussed my cataract eye vision problem with my primary care doc and asked if he can get me an appointment at Rochester Mayo where they first diagnosed the start of cataracts in 2015. He requested an appointment for me but they could only put me on a waiting list and told me they would get back with me in about 4 months. I was disappointed but will wait to see if they schedule an appointment after 4 months. I tried to see them in 2019 when my eyesight was getting worse and more sensitive to light and night driving and they would not even put me on a waiting list since they were booked out for over a year. It's really hard for me to believe. I really love Mayo but this kind of year to year scheduling problem is not very patient friendly.
My sister who is six years younger than I am just had cataract surgery in her right eye after having the surgery in her left eye last month. Happy to hear that both her cataract surgeries went well.
Replies to "@pjfrahm and @jimhd, I discussed my cataract eye vision problem with my primary care doc and..."
I would go elsewhere for your cataracts if Mayo can't help sooner. I am going to Minnesota Eye Consultants after my eye doctor in my area referred me. I've had scheduling issues at Mayo as well, which is very discouraging. Plus, I hate the drive back and forth for days long appointments. Seems like the last half dozen drives back and forth I've run into serious weather issues. After driving through straightline winds and torrential rains the last time, I have opted out. It sure doesn't help neck issues when you are white knuckling your extremely stressful 2 hour drive.
Connect
I should have also stated that the Gabapentin was prescribed for three issues for me, I have neck, shoulder and back issues as well as the neuropathy. If I don't take it at night, its a sleepless night for me with severe pain issues. I've had a L4-S1 fusion in 2002 for degenerative disc disease, a cervical decompression and laminectomy on my neck in 2017 for the same issue, which did not help. I also have adjacent segment disease around my fusion which I had a decompression and laminectomy the same time as the neck surgery in 2017. The low back decompression and laminectomy helped somewhat, but still quite a bit of pain depending on the activity. I have arthritis in neck, spine and shoulders. I had a bone spur, SLAP tear and arthritis in my shoulder which I had surgery on and am still doing home PT. The other shoulder has been having some of the same pain issues and that has been getting progressively worse although I have hesitated in going in because of COVID. All of those issues on top of the neuropathy make for a fun night. I am always optimistic that things will miraculously go away and get better. What else can I do? I still think my neuropathy is nerve damage from my low back spinal fusion, but any doctor I bring that up to basically ignores that suggestion and changes the subject. I never had feet issues until my fusion in 2002.