any docs vt or nh?

[Lesliegc]

Just diagnosed with AN 2 days ago. Anyone have doc recommendations for  VT or NH?

[Chris P]

Hello,

  I am so sorry you were diagnosed with AN.  I was diagnosed last year and I know what you are going through.  I am sorry I do not know any doctors in your area .   I am in Gainsville , Florida and we have Shands teaching hospital which is where I had my Gamma Knife last June.  I would suggest you do a lot of research and decide on the best choice for you. 

   I went with the Gamma Knife because Dr. Friedman one of it's inventors was at Shands and I felt if it did not do the job I could always have the surgery.  So far I have been happy .  I am still not back to normal but I am hopeful that that will come in time.  Good luck and if you have any questions just post them on this forum and someone will answer you .  You have come to the right place for support, everyone is so nice.  Good Luck.

Chris Paulsen

[krbonner]

There was a woman treated a year or two ago at Dartmouth and I think she was happy with the outcome and her doctors. I'll see if I can find the thread(s). If you're willing or able to come to Boston, there are several good doctors for any treatment method. Let us know if you're interested in any of those recommendations.

Good luck!
Katie

[ppearl214]

Hi Leslie and welcome. We need to hook you up with YogaSue here in Mass.  She is amazing!

I'm trying to think of who it was that was treated at Dartmouth Hitchcock but for NH, that is the place to go. I am not familiar with treatment options in VT.  As for Metro Boston, wayyyy too many of us (myself included) to note all the AN treatment options available locally.

Couldn't get any better than in our own "back yard".  Welcome to the forums.
Phyl

[Lesliegc]

Thank you Phyl and Katie
I'm in the "system" at Dartmouth and am meeting with the neurotologist in the know next week...I may also explore the Boston option so I'll keep you posted
Leslie

[ppearl214]

Thank you Phyl and Katie
I'm in the "system" at Dartmouth and am meeting with the neurotologist in the know next week...I may also explore the Boston option so I'll keep you posted
Leslie

Glad to help, Leslie. I thought (if my old-age memory serves me well) that there was a neurosurgeon at DH that originally was based at either Mass Gen or Brigham/Woman's. If I heard his name, I'd say "yah! THAT's him!"  I heard nothing but good about him. Will have to check my email history here.

Phyl

[krbonner]

OK, I found the two forumites I was thinking of who had surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

1) Lamsue23 had retro surgery in 2008 with Drs. Morrison and Erkmen
2) cin605 had retro surgery in 2008 as well

They both had many threads about the surgery and experiences so you can search for them on the forum. You can also send them private messages asking for input.

Katie

[Rivergirl]

I am from NH and respect what they do at Dartmouth but I chose to go to Boston (Dr Mckenna MEEI), they do many more AN's there and I wanted surgeons that do many.  But the ones that had the surgery at Dartmouth had great outcomes as well.  Good luck with your journey.

[Lesliegc]

thanks so much for the input...was not impressed with Dartmouth and frankly had shoddy treatment (first meeting with surgeons they didn't call me to tell me the surgeon couldn't make it, and seemed surprised that I wouldn't be just as happy meeting with his nurse). I have pretty much decided to go out to HEI in LA where they do a bazillion of these things. Have you had your surgery yet? Many thanks,
Leslie

[Rivergirl]

I had very good results with my surgery at Mass General, it was done on May31st.  The surgery itself is a tough surgery, riding home 5 days later was hard, I cannot imagine being in LA and even flying after 2 weeks, that is a long journey.  Dr. McKenna at MEEI has quite a few of us as his patients, he is very good, think it would not hurt to go and at least talk to him, at least Boston is close.  I  did entertain the thought of going to LA but just could not figure out all the logistics and the expense.  Best of luck with your decisions.

[Mei Mei]

You should chat with Cindy  (cin605)  who lives in New Market.   She lives in New Market and she is only allowed to go to NH docs.  Her surgery was a Dartmouth.

Take care,
Mei Mei