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What is the Procedure for a New Patient Seeing a Mayo Clinic Doctor
Hello everyone,
I have been dealing with chronic pain, locked muscles, and a Lumbar Spinal Fusion surgery was performed in November of 2025 that did not correct my pain issues in my side. My back is fine, no pain after the surgery, everything healing nicely about (9) months post-op.
This has been going on for more than three years now. July 7, 2023 is the day my low right back pain started, and to this day, August 19, 2026, I am in pain from when I get up until I go to bed. Every day, all day, pain that has now ramped up a 7/8 pain level. My only relief is laying on my back, and within 10 to 15 mins, the pain is mostly gone.
I have been to every major hospital in my city (5 total), and I have seen going on 40 medical professionals, from Chiropractors, to Acupuncturists, to Physical Therapists, and all of the traditional doctors as well (MD's, DO's, Pathologist, Hip Specialists, Spine Specialists).
I am now at my 4th Physical Therapy location this year, having my 4th session yesterday, August 18th. My insurance only pays for 24 visits for the entire year, which is about 3 months of treatment when going twice a week. So my insurance coverage was up a long time back, as I started PT back in January. So, I am spending $1,200 / month to continue with PT, and after (9) months of treatment at (4) different PT offices, no one has been able to tell me what is actually wrong, and therefore, they cannot tell me how to treat it.
My wife and I discussed going outside of our state for treatment, and now I am gathering the information necessary to get an appointment with The Mayo Clinic.
Thank you,
Marc
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@marcd2k Time for a neurology consult?
@sueinmn I believe that would be the next step. I was reminded to make sure Mayo would be in-network with my insurance, and I'm doing that in the morning.
Thank you,
Marc
@sueinmn Correct. BUT...
I have had asymptomatic spinal and lumbar stenosis for years. My neurologist has been mystified that it didn't cause pain. Until it did. Suddenly I had severe pain radiating down both legs at the beginning of 2025. After a few months a pain doctor gave me an epidural caudal steroid shot. That was in May of 2025. Fingers crossed it is still working.
On the other hand, I learned during the recovery that my right knee had failed. My surgeon's PA gave me a steroid shot in the knee and it did absolutely nothing. Result: a new right knee.
So...yes...sometimes these things help and sometimes they don't. Medicine is still partly an art.
@steveinarizona Yep - that's why it is called "practicing medicine" - every person is different, and while docs have protocols for what "generally" works, individual cases can vary greatly.
For example 20 years ago my agemate cousin & I had identical hip implants done by the same surgeon. Mine succeeded, hers became infected with MRSA (later learned it was workplace acquired), many treatments failed, and the prosthetic had to be removed. She is in a wheelchair, I am still dancing. Life ain't fair!
@sueinmn I sometimes listen to Dr. Radio in my car when I am driving (channel 110 on Sirius XM). It is physicians from the NYU Langone complex in NYC talking about various issues with patients calling in with comments and questions.
One time they were talking about patient abandonment which they said should not happen. For example, if a surgeon did the surgery and then ghosted the patient he is committing medical abandonment and this SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
MRSA is vicious. I am so sorry for your agemate cousin.
@steveinarizona I've had this happen (Abandonment) by three doctors at two different hospitals. The last one is my surgeon from last November, who never set any follow up visits or physical therapy for after my spine surgery. These hospitals are what people that have never been to them call "elite". Unfortunately, they all seem to be living off of past accomplishments, because all of them are terrible right now.