Tenerife forum

[Helena and Shiel]

Hi guys, I asked your advice on this one a while back, and Jenny was really helpfull, but I now need some more help.
I know for sure there is a consultant rheumatolagist in the University hospital in the North...what I need to know now is his name, as Cora's consultant has said she wouldn't be happy with us leaving without her liasing with the rhuematologist who would be treating her in the reef, as her condition is very rare, serious, and potentially life threatening (if not controlled properly).
She is the only child in Scotland with the condition. In the UK as a whole there are less than 2000 people suffering from it, so therefore a lot of doctors have never treated it.
I also need to find out if her medication would be available in Tenerife.
She is on Prednisolone (steroids), and Thalidamide, which is the one we are worried about, as it is a controlled drug, and we have to get it from her consultant, as General practioners are not allowed to prescribe it.
Her consultant here, would continue to see her twice a year initially, but can only give one months supply of Thalidamide at a time.
She would also need nerve conduction tests to ensure that the thalidamide was not causing nerve damage, again her neurologist here would see her initially, the tests are every six months, and she needs regular blood tests, to check for infection as her medication makes her immune system very low.
She would also need to see an opthalmologist twice a year as with her condition there is a chance of her going blind.
Her disease can be very devastating and there is no cure, but we are hoping that with montoring, and controlling it with drugs, she will have as near a normal life as possible.
You may think we are foolish taking her abroad with this condition, but as I said in an earlier post, the climate in Tenerife will be beneficial to her, as she suffers from severe arthritis, and could end up in a wheelchair, if it continues to deteriorate, the heat will almost definately help avoid this, and provided we can get her the level of care she has here, I feel we will be giving her a far better life, and more importantly she really wants to move to Tenerife.
I have tried phoning the hospital myself and have confirmed that there are rheumatologists there, if anyone could find out the name of the head of the rhuematology dept. I would be eternally gratefull, my spanish is not the best and the girl I spoke to spoke little english, so the conversation was going nowhere.
Even better if anyone knows if thalidamide is available from the hospital that would be a huge help, and lastly are there opthalmologists in the hospital as an optician is not enough.
If anyone knows the name and contact details of the english lady doctor, who has a practise in Los Cristianos, then I would be interested in speaking to her as I feel she could maybe help.
Thank you for reading guys.

H x

[apollo]

Only just seen this...

If Im not too late, I believe this is the bloke in question:

Dr. Jerónimo Balsalobre Aznar

Hospiten RamblaRambla General Fanco, 115
Tenerife, Santa Cruz 38001
34 - 922 291600

Also Prednisolone, Im pretty sure, WOULD be available on the island. It is a widely used med. It may come to it that it needs to be ordered in but Im sure you would be able to get it.

The above person speaks english and spanish so maybe give him a ring.
...........
just checked and pred is available.
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[apollo]

There is also this person:

Dr. Africa De La Rosa Alcaide + 34 922 534 730

Address: Centro Medico Quirurgico
CI Enrique Wolfson 8
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Canary Islands
Spanien

Good luck
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[Helena and Shiel]

Steph, thank you soooo much, I had gave up on this one, as I thought no one knew! My spanish tutor was going to phone la laguna hospital for me and try to find out, but this is excellent..Thank you ....i'll let you know how I get on!
H xx

[apollo]

Great, so pleased I could help.
Hope you get on ok, let me know.
Best of luck x
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[jenny]

Sorry, I hadn't seen this before. I have just called the Rheumatology department of the Hospital de la Candelaria, Santa Cruz and the lady told me that I cannot talk to (and she cannot give me the name of) any Doctor in their department who speaks English so that Cora's Doctor could call them. I explained what the situation was but she was pretty unhelpful and just said that when you move here you should see the GP who will then give you a "pass/note" to see the Rhueumatologist, either in El Mojon, near Los Cristianos (which I think only deals with adults) or in the north. I told her that you wouldn't move here unless you had all of this sorted so she said you could come on holiday and do it. But in order to get the appointment quickly with the Rheumatologist, it would have to be put as an Emergency by the GP.

Anyway, I know a Pediatrician who works in El Mojon so I will see if she can find anything out there.

In case it is of any help, the website page for the Rheumatology Department at the Hospital de la Candelaria is here: http://www.hospitaldelacandelaria.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=72 and it does give names of the Doctors so perhaps Cora's consultant could try to call (the direct line to Rheumatology is 922 602 036) and if they get a more helpful person on the end you could get it sorted.
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[Helena and Shiel]

Jenny, Thamk you so much for your reply, I haven't been on here in ages, as we've been really busy with work over christmas....Shiel has popped on for a nosey a few times, but he wont do posts!!
I really need to get this sorted now, as coras consultant is adamant that there are no rheumatologists in the whole of Tenerife, and has practically demanded that I prove that there are....so I am getting on to it!!
Hope baby Keri is doing well, and you had a lovely first christmas with her!!

H xx

[jenny]

The link I gave proves that there are at least 7 Rheumatologists on the island!

Sorry but I have not seen the person at El Mojon yet. I will get on the case.
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Who am I? Find out more here: http://www.myspacetenerife.com/index.php?page=view_profile&id=17

I will make this day a happy one for I alone can determine what kind of day it will be.