I am wondering what will happen when I turn 18 in regards to seeing my pediatric doctor. The only specialist I see is my orthopedic surgeon who specializes in pediatrics. I've been seeing him for 14 years and really, really like him as my doctor. So my question is will I have to find a different doctor when I turn 18??? Do they notify you that you can't see your doctor anymore because your now an adult??? My doctor wants to remove my plates and pins that he put in 5 1/2 weeks ago when he operated on me in 1-2 years from now but I'll be 18 by then so I don't know if I'll have to find another doctor to do it.

I've been seeing the same ortho since I was 2 and I am now almost 21. I think it depends on their individual policy so I would call them and ask. I don't know what I am going to do when mine retires!

JellyRJFan,

I know what you mean. My doctor is 64 and still practicing. I would have thought that he would be training someone by now to take over for him but he is still the only peds ortho at the clinic I go to and the clinic is huge and very well known in the Midwest. I just can't imagine going to anyone but him. I think I'll ask at my next appointment.

The peds Drs I've seen take people until they turn 21, so your safe for now. I haven't been to the dr since then, so I couldn't tell you what to do after that.

I had been out of care from a ped ortho for almost 16 years. But I started having problems again, went to a regular Ortho and he suggested (after getting a bunch of co-pays) that I should go see a pediatric ortho. Visited him, scheduled my surgery a few days later. It seems like we'll probably have to always go to the pediatrics, mostly because they're the ones with most of the experiance with CP. I know the first guy I went to wasnt very comfortable treating me and when it came to surgery, wouldnt do it at all. So it goes.

edit:
I'm at the ripe old age of 23. Saw him last spring. Kind of strange sitting in a waiting room full of kids and moms.

I saw my pediatric ortho. until I was 21. At the time he told my mom that adult orthopedists specialize in certain joints. I sprained my right ankle a few times during college, so I went to the ankle specialist. He turned out to be no help. He prescribed some crummy orthotics for my shoes that didn't do anythign to control my walking. He said that I was wrong and that they were working. I showed him that my ankle was still moving inwards and I couldn't walk heel-toe. I asked him about an AFO and he said that those were only for people with cp! I told him that's what I have. He prescribed physical therapy. This did nothing. I eventually found a doctor that prescribed the AFO. Aside from another ortho that was ok and a physiatrist that was not so good, I haven't really been to a specialist in the area of cp since I was 20 and I'm 29 now. A colleauge of mine who has hip issues due to a car wreck recommends an orthopedist. I checked my health insurance and his specialty is joint replacement. I guess going to him would be good to try to keep my joints in good condition.

well all my doctors are at AI dupont, and i can see them until age 21. After that I have no idea what i will do. Im hoping the drs. have clinics out side the hospital.

it is really scary i think to go to new drs after YEARS of seeing the same ones all the time and that know your case.

what do you guys think?

amber and sd quincy

well all my doctors are at AI dupont, and i can see them until age 21. After that I have no idea what i will do. Im hoping the drs. have clinics out side the hospital.

it is really scary i think to go to new drs after YEARS of seeing the same ones all the time and that know your case.

what do you guys think?

amber and sd quincy

Is the 21 year old limit something your docs said? I would ask them what docs would be good to see after you leave their care. They probably have a handful of docs that they like to hand people off to.

I went for my check-up yesterday and someone said that my doc is thinking about retiring in 1-2 years:eek: I have no idea what I'll do then. By that time it'd be just easier to find an adult doctor but people say they don't have experience with cp. I don't plan to have anymore surgeries but things do come up. Anyone know of good doctors in the upper midwest (MI, WI, or MN area)??? I bet I can find a doc at the clinic I go to, they have the best docs in the midwest (besides Mayo of course). I just don't want to see my doctor retire!!!!!!!

well its just a fact of life that we grow up and we have to switch doctors. Honestly a CP specialist is nice to have when you are younger, but as an adult I dont see them doing much good at all. Honestly by the time we are adults they just need to treat the symptoms and effects of the CP. On account of the CP itself and the brain damage can not be reversed or fixed. They only can treat the symptoms!

Any ortho or adult doctor can do that! you just have to find the right one! and if that means Shopping aroud then oh well, thats what you have to do!

if a doctor is going to retire, honestly you cant really stop them. It is their choice, when it all comes down to it in the end. Our job is to just get over it and move on.

Amber and SD Quincy

I went for my check-up yesterday and someone said that my doc is thinking about retiring in 1-2 years:eek: I have no idea what I'll do then. By that time it'd be just easier to find an adult doctor but people say they don't have experience with cp. I don't plan to have anymore surgeries but things do come up. Anyone know of good doctors in the upper midwest (MI, WI, or MN area)??? I bet I can find a doc at the clinic I go to, they have the best docs in the midwest (besides Mayo of course). I just don't want to see my doctor retire!!!!!!!

I know, it's a bit of a drive (about 4 hours to the other side of the bridge) but I've heard that there are good docs down @ UofM in Ann Arbor. No personal experience though, just heard good things.

I've heard Ann Arbor was good but unfourtunatly it's like a twelve hour drive from where I live. Thanks anyway!!! I was thinking last night that because my clinic (Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield Wi) has such a large peds orthopedic department they'll probably try really hard to get a good replacement for the doctor when he does retire. It's just that he is one of the best and people come from all around the midwest to see him and it'll be a loss to the clinic when he retires. I'm kinda suprised he has stayed practicing for so long and I'm glad that I was able to have him do my first and only surgery this summer.

I believe that even when we reach adulthood that the cp symptoms are still issues and from what I've heard from other people with cp not many adult orthopedic doctors know how to treat our unique issues that are contributed to cp i.e. spasticity. I'm just think that when we turn 18 or 21 or whatev er our issues that the peds doctors treated don't subside and still need to be monitored. Sometimes I just dread getting older and being an adult. But it's just something that we have to do even if we don't want to.

Wow, you're way over there on the west side of the state, aren't you? lol It's my dream to move to the UP. Anyway, bummer about the drive time. I hope you find someone closer to you.

Any ortho or adult doctor can do that!

Except when they can't or wont. Many non-peds orthos have no experience treating CP and I've heard from many people they've been turned away by many "adult" doctors because they have CP.

Honestly by the time we are adults they just need to treat the symptoms and effects of the CP. On account of the CP itself and the brain damage can not be reversed or fixed. They only can treat the symptoms!

As opposed to treating what when we are kids??? It doesn't matter if we are one or one-hundred: doctors and therapists can only treat the physical problems that come from having brain damage. What you're saying doesn't make sense, to me...

Honestly a CP specialist is nice to have when you are younger, but as an adult I dont see them doing much good at all.

CP doesn't go away when you are older... it doesn't get better and the syptoms do worsen. CP Specialists know what they are doing with CP. Just because we are "adults" doesn't mean their knowledge doesn't apply to us anymore.

Malwm01,

You said exactly what I felt about those comments! Sometimes I just don't know how to put my feelings about some posts that I don't agree with. I do live pretty far west in the state. The only thing I don't like about the UP is the snow and the fact that you have to drive to find any good specialist. I'm sure I'll find a doctor sometime in the future and the good thing is that if my doctor retires in 1-2 years I have time to shop around for a new one if they don't replace him.

Amen Michelle.

and I feel like telling someone to "get over it and move on" is a little harsh. Aside from my family my ortho has been the most constant person in my life for nearly the last 2 decades. So, I'm sorry, but when he retires and I never see him again (AND will have to start completely over with someone who doesn't know the struggles I have gone through and the progress I have made in 21 years) I will not be able to "get over it and move on".

You said exactly what I felt about those comments! Sometimes I just don't know how to put my feelings about some posts that I don't agree with.

I think more clearly and am more blunt at 2 a.m., when I posted that post... it was like word vomit, I couldn't stop it if I wanted to.

I do live pretty far west in the state. The only thing I don't like about the UP is the snow and the fact that you have to drive to find any good specialist.

I don't like the snow either 11" or 11' it's all the same crappy stuff... I remember once, we were snowmobiling up by Newberry, and my dad had to get off the sled for whatever reason and he told me if I got off, I'd be stuck there until spring because there was like 42" of snow. lol But in the summer it is sooooo freaking pretty (well, minus the flies) it (almost) makes up for the snow.

Aside from my family my ortho has been the most constant person in my life for nearly the last 2 decades. So, I'm sorry, but when he retires and I never see him again (AND will have to start completely over with someone who doesn't know the struggles I have gone through and the progress I have made in 21 years) I will not be able to "get over it and move on".

Oh you are SO right, and I never even thought of that. I totally agree, saying "get over it and move on" is way harsh. Besides, even your family doesn't get it as well as your ortho either... so really, in that part of your life he's like your #1.

I totally agree, saying "get over it and move on" is way harsh.

well....not to start a fight or anything, but I kinda agree with the original point, which I took as--lots of stuff happens that we don't like, but we have to (and do) find ways to overcome it. Why is there an issue over that?

:p

Amen Michelle.

and I feel like telling someone to "get over it and move on" is a little harsh. Aside from my family my ortho has been the most constant person in my life for nearly the last 2 decades. So, I'm sorry, but when he retires and I never see him again (AND will have to start completely over with someone who doesn't know the struggles I have gone through and the progress I have made in 21 years) I will not be able to "get over it and move on".

Exactly. I'm sure that there are I can find good doctors who can take care of me just as well as my doctor but it will never be the same. Like JellyRJFan said above, this is the one person who has been a constant in my life for the past 15 years and it's really sad for me to think that when my doctor retires he'll be gone out of my life and it will never be the same ever again. A new doctor won't know my history or struggles or how much progress I've made or even that I'm super involved in my medical decisions and issues. I know it's something that would happen, I'd either go off to college or he would retire. It's just hard because when that person has done so much for you and pretty much has seen you grow up you kinda get attached to that person.

I hope none of this starts a fight but it is something that we have to do but it is also something that people just can't get over right away. I'm just having a harder time getting used to the idea of a new doctor and I don't think it's a big deal if I am. One good thing, I found out that they are looking someone to join the practice so if the doctor that joins the practice is good I won't have to leave the clinic. I really like the nurse clinician (assistant) my doctor has so hopefully she'll stay even if there's a new doctor.