Recommendations for Great Sleep Doctor in Chicago?

[Jimmycrackhorn]

... because I'm actually starting to think such a thing as a great sleep doctor doesn't exist.

I've only been to 2 here, but my Michigan experience want much better. The last one I saw at Northshore this week was an absolute terrible disappointment.

I need someone who can think outside the box, doesn't just look at stats and say, "OK well the readings are good so too bad if you don't feel better." (Almost what the Northshore doctor told me.) and actually at least seems to care about me as a patient.

Maybe I'm looking for a unicorn but it CAN'T be that all sleep doctors are garbage, can it?

[NadiaK]

I hope you are able to find someone to help you. I didn't even know there were sleep doctors. A few years ago I went to my family doctor for routine blood work. In my conversation with her I mentioned that I was always tired. She suggested having a sleep study which was done right in her office. A technician came to her office and did the sleep study on me where I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
After that everything was turned over to a local company that came out to my house and fitted me with a mask. I can't say that I am at all happy with them. Once I was set up its like you never even hear anything from them unless you call them with a problem. I did just that a couple months ago. I called to ask for a different mask as I was getting bad pressure marks from the one I am currently using. They asked me what mask I wanted to try. I mentioned a couple I had seen video's on but it was really frustrating. Seems to me they should be making suggestions not asking me.

[chunkyfrog]

With Medicare, it is a whole different horse race.
Once they latch onto the government teat, rhere is no letting go.
I just put my oncologist on "hiatus".
My surgeon does all the follow-ups, and my cancer was non-invasive.
Since the onco orders no tests, he serves no purpose, (for the frog, at least.)

[Jimmycrackhorn]

Thanks. I'll look into checkbook...

[crestifer]

i can't say enough about northwestern medicine in chicago.

every single person i've interacted with there from the receptionists and techs to my neurologist, the sleep center folks, the lab folks, the people in billing...has been just amazing.

they are the perfect example of good medicine.

my neurologist is dr. davison.

i did my sleep study and titration at the sleep center at northwestern medicine at the lake forest campus. great people there too. the techs are funny, kind and make the overnight stays extremely pleasant. you almost forget you are hooked up to tons of wires.

all the folks i've dealt with at northwestern have been kind, compassionate, friendly, funny, and just simply wonderful.

can't say enough good things about that organization.

i've spent the better part of 7 years dealing with so many doctors and specialists who treated me like a number.

not a single person at northwestern medicine has ever been disrespectful or ever treated me with a lack of dignity. they are the ultimate professionals and are the only people who have truly helped me with all the medical issues i've had for almost a decade now.

[CPAPPED-ADAPT]

... because I'm actually starting to think such a thing as a great sleep doctor doesn't exist.

I've only been to 2 here, but my Michigan experience want much better. The last one I saw at Northshore this week was an absolute terrible disappointment.

I need someone who can think outside the box, doesn't just look at stats and say, "OK well the readings are good so too bad if you don't feel better." (Almost what the Northshore doctor told me.) and actually at least seems to care about me as a patient.

Maybe I'm looking for a unicorn but it CAN'T be that all sleep doctors are garbage, can it?

I'm sorry to hear about your Northshore experience. I feel your pain, Chicago's been a trainwreck for me. I've been to many Sleep Clinics here with little success. However, I've recently seen Dr. Freedom (Neurologist) at Northshore Hospital in Glenview, head of the Sleep Program there. Is that the same Northshore you are referring to? I found him to be knowledgeable in ASV / Treatment-Emergent Complex Apnea (my diagnosis) and willing to spend quite a bit of time analyzing and discussing Sleepyhead data with me. The only Sleep Doc who ever would, by the way. And I referred a friend of mine there; he is also quite happy with Dr. Freedom.

I've heard nothing but excellent things about Northwestern (from friends who have been cancer patients there), but when I inquired directly was told a referral was required to get an appointment at their Sleep Clinic. I also have a referral for an ENT there specializing in Sleep Apnea, Dr. Robert C. Kern, Chair of their Department of Otolaryngology. This referral came from Magnet (Magnap magnetic implant) AADC Trials team at the University of California, San Francisco.

I would also point out that I got nowhere with the bogus sleep doctors, but began making progress when I started to use Sleepyhead on a daily basis, searching through existing threads here for guidance, and making incremental adjustments based on that. Time consuming and frustrating, but continuing improvement is a wonderful thing.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes whatever your choice of clinics.