Is it difficult to get an appointment with Mayo in MN?

Hello @wascaly. I would be happy to look into the current access for spine care in FL. Were you requesting a specific timeframe and/or provider that may have limited your request? Are you a current Mayo Clinic patient?

Thanks for your answer.
I have a request in to the Spine Clinic, and have been in touch. They lack only ONE report from my neurosurgeon. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, I was just able to get an appointment for an updated CT scan yesterday, so this has been my holdup.
Other than this one test, that’s all they need. My fear is that I send all this info to them, and they deny my request. I have a substantial surgical history for scoliosis from 2008. If Mayo won’t see me, I don’t know what I’ll do. I have constant pain on my left side (the site of the scoliosis), and have been on heavy-duty pain meds since the very first surgery, i.e., almost 17 years. Recently, a new pain management doctor took me off EVERYTHING, so I’m pretty much always in pain. SOMEHOW (with the help from God), I’ve managed to stay in good physical condition for my age (73), but everyday, it gets a teensy bit harder. One day, I may not be able to do that.
Sooooo, I am concerned after forwarding all my history to them, they will not see me. If Mayo refuses, I don’t think I’ll have any options left.
I apologize for going on and on. I just wanted to make you aware of what I’ve been going through for almost 17 years.
Again, thank you for responding.

I am a current spine patient at Mayo in Rochester. I was a self-referral in 2016. I submitted all my records to Mayo in March 2016 and had my first appointment in May 2016. I do not know what the current situation is in terms of new appointments. Appointments might be easier to get in Rochester because there are more physicians. Good luck to you.

Thank you - it sounds like I’m going to need luck, plus they can’t even tell mr IF I’ll be seen to begin with.

I have been trying to get into Mayo in Rodchester, for 3 yrs. I first tried on my own, thought I was making good progress, until they told me, they were no longer taking my advantage plan. I changed to Traditional Medicare, asked my Primary to help, I got turned down three times, by three different departments. I have two rare disease, rare allergies that are effecting me from getting eye care, digestive care, and to be able to take any medications to help my body from deteriorating any further. My Primary can't even get me into other specialists were I live because they don't know how to handle my allergy situation. It's unreal to get denied from every direction. Good luck to you!

I am SO sorry you’re having these problems.
At this point in my life, I, too, feel I don’t have many options to get relief. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to go flying around the country, paying for hotels, meals, etc.., so Mayo ANYWHERE sounds like best chance I have to be free of pain.
Kind of gives one a fatalistic attitude, don’t you think?

@wascaly I self referred to Mayo (Rochester) in 2016 for spine surgery with Dr. Jeremy Fogelson. I wrote him a letter with my application after I was refused help by 5 local spine surgeons, and he accepted me as a patient. I told him my history and symptoms and I had just found medical literature with a case like mine that I sent with my request. He is a deformity expert with lots of experience in scoliosis. You may want to ask that he review your case. He is the reason I volunteer here as a Mentor for Connect and he is happy that I do this for other patients.

Here is a video of him about scoliosis.

@lilli64 Have you tried an environmental medicine doctor? They can be allergy specialists and look at the functional chemistry in the body and optimize health. I saw a doctor like this for several years until he retired. Here is a provider finder.
https://www.aaemonline.org/find-a-practitioner/
I have a current doctor who is also an allergy specialist in functional medicine who is in the Forum Health Group https://forumhealth.com/ They have doctors nationwide.

Typically these doctors look for a cause of a problem instead of prescribing something to treat an effect or symptoms of a problem. They may not be able to address all of your issues, but they may be able to help with some of it that is allergy related.

There is also the practice that started this field of medicine. That is the Environmental Medicine Center Dallas in Texas. Here is there website. https://www.ehcd.com/ There is information at this website about issues they can treat.

Jennifer

Thanks very much for this info. I will certainly keep his name in mind!

I tried to get an appointment in Rochester location. I sent them all my records, MRI, CAT scan etc etc. I was hoping but they turned me down and wouldn't say why even. So at this point I'm actually not considering surgery since I have complicating factors anyway, I have severe osteoporosis in addition to my severe lumbar stenosis. I am going to try the spinal cord stimulator. Good luck and let us all know if you get an appointment.