Dr in Pa

[sonya]

  Im a newbe with a 12mm an I am woundering if anone had any dealings with Dr Chyette or Dr whiteker at Giesinger Medical Center in Danville Pa

[superrmaren]

hi sonya.
im a newbie, too...as of tuesday! and i grew up in the line mountain school district -- not so far from danville! my ENT suggested i check out the doc at johns hopkins, so i figured there wouldn't be any AN specialists anywhere closer than that.  are the docs at geisinger an specialists?
maren

[Static]

Please be sure you've gone to someone with lots of experience in removing AN's.  They aren't all that common.  I'm in Montgomery County PA and went to Philadelphia for my surgery.  Both Jefferson and University of Penn have good doctors who have lots of experience with these things.  At least it's a little bit closer than Johns Hopkins even through they have a very good rep as well. Just another option you might want to look into.  Good luck!

[trudy]

Hi Sonya,
I live in Pike County and work in Monroe County, PA.  I had consulted
two neurosurgeons in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and found that
although I'm sure they could do this surgery, they weren't as
experienced.  I asked them how many of these surgeries they do and
they both said only a few.  I went to the Univ of PA Hospital and
saw Dr's Judy and Bigelow who see this all the time and do many of
these surgeries.  I felt comfortable right away that I would be getting
the best outcome.  My surgery was on 12/16/05 for a 2.8 cm tumor.
I had not lost my hearing at that time and had experienced some
minor balance issues which is what led my general Dr to send me for
an MRI.  The tumor was pressing against my brain stem - had not
wrecked my hearing.  They and I felt that the tumor size was too
large for radiation.  My surgery was approx 10 hours and I did come
out of it with a CSF leak and needed to be in the hospital for 10
days.  I have no hearing on my affected side and had vestibular
therapy and eye therapy to get to where I am today - but really
after reading what some of the people on this site have gone through,
I'm doing very very well and feel that the Dr's I chose did right by
me.  I'll be going to see them tomorrow for a checkup.  I hope that
you are able to find Dr's that you feel comfortable with.  I can say
that the two I went to in Phila were good.

[russ]

Sonya
  I just feel better you expand your horizons beyond the Poconos Mtns. area. to such as JHH or MGH or UPMC. There's another in Phile.
  Russ

[chrissmom]

Sonya,
I hope I'm not too late to reply to you.  My son Chris just had AN surgery in Pittsburgh at Allegheny General.  Dr. Arriaga has a world-reknown reputation and the neurosurgery dept. is excellent.  This is one of the top 100 hospitals in the country and in the top 25 for neurosurgery.  Dr. Arriaga works with Dr. Chen at Pittsburgh Ear Assoc.  He had an excellent team of surgeons.  They have done many, many of these and I know for a fact that they did at least 2 this week. These Dr.'s did fellowship work at House Inst. and they have the latest techniques and they train others. Please consider and let me know if I can help you.

[lee]

hi - i'm a newbie also - i'm being seen by dr bigelow @  unniversity of penn. but also getting a second opinion from the house out in la - have a 3 mm on the left side and am very dizzy. can anyone relate???

lee

[ganto]

Hi Lee,
I'm a newbie just as you are.  My doctor told me that I have a"very tiny" tumour and wants to do another MRI to determine size and volume.  I don't know what "very tiny" means but your 3 mm  tumour seems pretty small to me.  I am having dizziness also but it comes and goes.  The tinnitus is more constant but that will disappear at times.  By the way, I live in Exton, Pa so possibly could end up at UPENN depending on treatment.  Are you looking at options other than surgery since your tumour is so small? 

Joe

[Zion]

Hi Lee,
I see where you had Bells, so did I.  That is how the AN was found.  I go to Dr. Bigelow and will see Dr. Judy Sept. 28 and do all the pre-op tests.  My tumor is 1 cm. on the left side.  No major symptoms except fullness in ear, tinnitus, and itching.  It has doubled in size since found in 2003 and my surgery is scheduled for October 11.
What were the results of the second opinion from House?
 
Donna

[Stevey]

Fellow Pennsylvanian AN patients,

I highly recommend Drs. Judy and BIgelow, they were fantastic on each end and the staff at UPenn was great, if you leave toward the west, I think Pitt is a great option.  Anyone with questions about Penn Judy or Philly, please give me a holler, I went to college in the city and my wife is a Prof at UPenn Med School and know the city well, if you are down there for an appointment, I can recommend great restaurants.  By the way I am 4 months post op, no facial issues or pain and they monitored my hydrocephalus and prevented shunting by carefully monitoring me while at in-patient rehab.  I ride my bike about 10 casual miles a day now and could not have imagined it two months ago and my 3 month mri is clean and am so hopeful for an AN free life.

Cheers,

Steve