Ck at Stanford ? How's the followup?

[lynnee]

Hello all,
     
      I'm in the pretreatment mode and have decided radiation is the way to go. Now trying to decide Gamma vs CK, leaning towards CK.
I spoke with Dr. Chang and am impressed with him and the statistics he has.  My question is for those of you who have traveled to Stanford ..How is the followup care?  I will be traveling from the East Coast and won't be able to return for followups. Who handles the post CK complications? Is it easy to get in touch with Dr. Chang post CK?

Thanks much,
Linda

[grega]

Hi Linda,

I'm in MD and work in Baltimore.  I've read a couple of your posts inquiring about CK in PA and CA .... including your concern about follow-ups to the west coast.  Good if you can arrange and pay for that .... wow!

FYI, there are quite a few hospitals in Baltimore (e.g. Johns Hopkins) that offer that procedure, so please be assured that closer clinics might be worth looking into.

Greg

[lynnee]

 
    Hi Greg,
     
      Thanks, I didn't know that Hopkins did CK.  Do you know who I would get in touch with there?

   Linda

[Tisha]

It's been 18 months since my CK at STanford with Dr. Chang/Solsys.   I have contacted Dr. Chang and his nurses several times since then with concerns, questions, etc.  Dr. Chang gets back within 24 hours and so do most of the nurses.  He never leaves me hanging with any questions, I'm very impressed.   He even contacted me last month to make sure his nurse has contacted me to schedule my MRI.

gotta run...Tisha

[Tisha]

Lynne,

I posted this message BEFORE I received you PM!  LOL!  Hope this answers your question.  I have to leave work now, but feel free to ask me anything about Stanford.  I traveled from the midwest, and have NO regrets in doing so.  Tisha

[grega]

Hi again ..... the following Hopkins webpage should help you in your quest.  Check diff links to get additional info, and to make appointment, if desired.  The search box at the top will get you lots of cyberknife info too.

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/specialty_areas/otology/treatment.html

Also, JHH was again rated at the top ..... http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/usnews/

Take care ....... Greg

[lynnee]

Thanks Greg, that's a great site. I'm going to look into it further. I actually did find a good CK place that does high volume at UPMC in Pittsburgh but they don't take my insurance, Aetna!  So my search goes on.
 Thanks again,
 Linda

[crivers]

Linda,

I traveled to Stanford from Perth AUS in April this year. The treatment was very simple, and Drs Chang / Soltys and staff are all very good, comforting and professional. I have had to contact him on 2 occasions about some headaches and anxiety I was having about 1 month after treatment. As someone mentioned above, Dr Chang got back to me in less than 24 hours. Very reassuring and helpful. Also, I am having my follow up scans done here and I'll send them over digitally to Dr. Chang for review and any necessary follow up. I feel completely comfortable with it.

Hope that helps and I hope you find a good path in the near future.

Cayce

[Tumbleweed]

I, too, traveled from out of state to Stanford to be treated by Dr. Steven Chang. After treatment, he was just as accessible and supportive as beforehand, always getting back to me within 24 hours (and sometimes within an hour or two!). I was so impressed with him and the rest of his staff that I decided to swallow the extra traveling expenses and return to Stanford for each of my followup exams. Dr. Chang explained to me that this wasn't necessary but that Stanford's latest-generation imaging equipment provides a clearer image than the other clinic that had been taking my MRIs leading up to my treatment. Even my untrained eye can see a difference -- the MRIs taken at Stanford are sharper, clearer, more-defined. My small, untreated (hypoglossal) tumor went unnoticed initially because the first couple of relatively inferior MRIs (not taken at Stanford) didn't show it clearly. After my first MRI taken at Stanford, a radiologist there noticed the hypoglossal tumor.

Choosing Stanford and Dr. Chang for my treatment was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. (The other was marrying my wife.) When I go to Stanford, I feel 100% confident that my care is in the very best hands possible.

Best wishes,
TW