Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Trying to locate "my" doctor

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Trying to locate "my" doctor

    I have reached the point that I do have to have surgery and am trying to locate the best doctor for me...I live in NC on the NC/SC line and have tentatively narrowed my selection to Craig Brigham with Bruce Darden assisting as he does not traditionally do adult sugery now but does assist...I am willing to go any where my insurance (Medicare and BC/BS SC) is accepted...First, I asked the internet for the best surgeons for scoliosis--picked out 5/6 of 10 and contacted them (they were great on the whole)--the doctor at MUSC who has been "following" me for years recommended Bruce Darden (who said they were in organizations together and BD is one of the top 50 spine doctors) and he recommended Craig Brigham who I had seen years ago and heard about from the MIT list--I contacted Dr. Darden simply b/c my MUSC doctor recommeneded him--I have a call in now to see if my MUSC doctor also knows of Dr. Brigham
    Linda, I know you have a great deal of knowledge from the MIT site years ago and will appreciate your input--should a person only have a SRS doctor? If you feel free to do it, please make some recommendations. I am 73 but said to be in top health--passed two stress tests, blood work and bones A ok, nerves shot!!!

  • #2
    https://www.heyclinic.com/index.asp

    Dr Hey in Raleigh would be my choice if I still lived in NC. I met with him and was very impressed
    Melissa

    Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

    April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm with Melissa. My spine Doctor in Boston recommended Dr. Hey to me when I saw him last May. I needed someone nearby since we moved from the Boston area 1 1/2 years ago. Dr. Hey seemed very compassionate and was very thorough. Although I am not planning on having any more surgery, I needed someone who could recommend Physical Therapy, Pain Clinics and the like.

      Tell us a little something about yourself, as in your curves, male or female, and how long you have been dealing with scoliosis.

      Welcome to this great forum.

      Sally
      Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
      Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
      Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
      Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
      New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
      Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

      "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by loves to skate View Post
        I'm with Melissa. My spine Doctor in Boston recommended Dr. Hey to me when I saw him last May. I needed someone nearby since we moved from the Boston area 1 1/2 years ago. Dr. Hey seemed very compassionate and was very thorough. Although I am not planning on having any more surgery, I needed someone who could recommend Physical Therapy, Pain Clinics and the like.

        Tell us a little something about yourself, as in your curves, male or female, and how long you have been dealing with scoliosis.

        Welcome to this great forum.

        Sally

        I am not sure how to use this forum so please feel free to advise if I am not doing the correct "thing".

        I am so, so very appreciative of the input that you and Melissa have given me and intend to follow through on it--Raleigh would be my choice as it is two hours from me rather than four for Charlotte and my cousin lives near there. And the NE Baptist Hosp recently came up in conversation with a lady who works for a friend of mine and whose daughter had sugery with Dr.Emmons. I have the information for Dr. Rand. Meant to be!!!

        I am a female--although I have always known that I had scoliosis (very mild) my problems began with an automobile accident in 88 and rapidly progressed with several failed surgeries for ruptured diverticulitis nearly resulting in death (thought I had flu and waited days before going to ER), hernias, etc Now I have multiple painful issues--four "blown" discs, muscles and ligments detached from hip, gross scoliotic "area" and am on a scheduled meds to my disgust. I am in pain all the time despite the meds and have "existed" for the past two years--and this despite giving birth twice and a loss without meds. At this time, I resemble the letter "C". I was 5'8" and was asked to model at 15 so my body was OK according to general standards--no lumps or bumps but some pain for as long as I can remember.

        Animals are my passion. I have one horse having lost another just over a year ago and a dog who goes every where with me--in the front seat of the car sitting up like a judge. I am a member of a nationwide rescue group.

        Comment


        • #5
          i hope all the compassion you have shown animals comes back to you
          tenfold when you have your surgery!
          animals lovers are the best people...
          so now i know you are a good and kind human....

          i hope an excellent scoli surgeon can help to transform your body so you
          may have a quality of life, without all the pain you have been thru!

          jess...and Sparky

          Comment


          • #6
            Lordswild--
            Welcome to the forum and for sharing some info with us. I think Melissa and Sally have given a very good recommendation for your area. I didn't have surgery until 57 and as we age we certainly need the very best surgeons. I could have found lots of surgeons for "kids" but adults were a lot different.
            I was just at a meeting last night and the speaker was from Paws of Life. She is training others nationally who do search and rescue and brought along a great border collie who spent a great deal of time with me and I have some hairy black pants to prove it. I am a big dog lover! It was so interesting and so coincidental that you would mention that you were a member of the nationwide group--weird! Janet
            Janet

            61 years old--57 for surgery

            Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
            Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
            Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
            Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
            T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

            All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi...

              Welcome. It's always nice to hear from one of my early buddies.

              While I don't think it's a hard and fast rule to select an SRS surgeon, I'd want to be really certain about someone who isn't a member. I agree with Melissa and Sally about Dr. Hey. He seems to be a very good surgeon, and he is a really nice person.

              Best of luck.

              Regards,
              Linda
              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

              Comment


              • #8
                Thank you to every one again for the input--I felt that I would get the help I needed and wanted when I got on the forum--and it was a struggle due to my ignorance--I am going to see Dr. Hey as soon as I can get an appointment--his site states that a referral is necessary now but that is not a problem...unless he turns me down (is that possible?-- scary thought), I will have my surgery with him...

                My daughter and I have been animal lovers and advocates as long as I can remember and, although I do not feel that we are obnoxious about it and I have said more here than usual, we are known for this (my daughter and I have shown up unexpectedly twice to pick up two different horses in training b/c we had firm evidence that they were being mistreated despite up front conversations about our expectations--she came home one night with a nearly dead dog in tow--the country natives were about to eat him)--and I wish I could have as many as I want but that's not possible or realistic and maybe a little greedy...so I am trying to help those that need help--a long time friend introduced me to this group--we receive emails when any animal is found and needs a home--they can be transported almost any where in the country--it is amazing what the group accomplishes...I will say that even when I am gone, my animals will continue to live as they do presently...

                Again, my most heart felt thanks for your input...please feel free to send any ongoing comments--I know far too little...

                Comment


                • #9
                  I spoke to Dr. Hey's office Monday morning, got together the information requested, spoke to my GP for referral Tuesday afternoon, faxed everything mid morning Wednesday, received a phone call from Dr. Hey's office at lunch and had an appointment late Wednesday afternoon...if there is a cancellation, I will receive a phone call...I am still in shock at the speed with which this has all taken place...seems like a very good omen to me...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by lordswild View Post
                    I spoke to Dr. Hey's office Monday morning, got together the information requested, spoke to my GP for referral Tuesday afternoon, faxed everything mid morning Wednesday, received a phone call from Dr. Hey's office at lunch and had an appointment late Wednesday afternoon...if there is a cancellation, I will receive a phone call...I am still in shock at the speed with which this has all taken place...seems like a very good omen to me...
                    Please say hi to me from Melissa Beckoff and tell that I am doing OK. Thanks

                    Be prepared to spend some time with him. He will take as much time as you need. I went to see him as a second opinion favor from my CA surgeon and he spent
                    almost 3 hours with me knowing that I was not going to have my surgery with him. He told me that the reason he left Duke Hospital and opened his own practice was to be able to take care of his patients in his own way and to be able to spend as much time with them as needed.
                    Also, I wanted to say that I wished that I had gone to him in the beginning of my nightmare instead of my Charlotte surgeon. I do not think that it would have ended up the way it has if I did. But he was 3 hours from my house as opposed to 1 1/2 hours to Charlotte.In addition my husband worked in Charlotte and it made it easy for him to visit. Oh well, one cannot live in the past
                    Last edited by mabeckoff; 01-12-2012, 07:12 PM.
                    Melissa

                    Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

                    April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      That WAS super-speedy. I hope the whole journey goes as smoothly as it has so far!
                      Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                      Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                      T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                      Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                      Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Once again, I thank the Forum for the help, input, encouragement, the good will and feeling...it cannot be replaced or purchased.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I sent you a private message.. Hope you read it
                          30 y.o female, very active, considering surgery
                          08/03/11 - 54 degrees
                          06/2004 - 33 degrees
                          Don't like hospitals

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Linda and all...

                            What kinds of questions should I ask Dr. Hey? Should I also go to at least one more doctor? If so, does any one have any knowledge of Craig Brigham and/or Bruce Darden of Charlotte, NC? I am becoming depressed the closer I get to my appointment and/or surgery. Any input will be greatfully appreciated...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Questions

                              Linda and all: Please send any suggestions for questions for Dr. Hey--my appointment is Monday and I am really not sure of the questions that I should ask....

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X