ANA Discussion Forum
Useful Information => Physicians => Topic started by: ruth07 on October 04, 2006, 04:20:18 am
-
I was newly diagnosed with AN yesterday and I'm looking for neurosurgeon who specializes with. I have already talk to several people but i want to weigh my decisions before I commit to one. Thanks
-
Ruth:
I concur with Bruce's recommendation of a consult with Dr. Doug Mattox. If you elect surgery, the neurosurgeon at Emory who specializes in acoustic neuroma is Dr. Jeffrey Olson. You'll want the two of them working together. If you elect stereotactic radiosurgery, Dr. Ian Crocker is the radiation oncologist at Emory with substantial experience in ANs. Drs. Mattox & Crocker work together to plan and execute the radiosurgery. I'm one of their patients.
Good luck!
-Labott
-
Just to throw something in the mix ;)
Someone from atlanta was referred to NC for surgery.
I know both that person (sorry can't think of the name right now) and Kim (wife4life) had surgery with great outcomes. Dr. Adamson I think? Kim hasn't posted but once since her return to work and was doing quite well after surgery.
I know I've heard Dr. Mattox named mentioned before.
All my best to you guys!
M
-
I have just been diagnosed with a 1.5cm AN. Met with Dr. Mattox on 11-8-06. Was very impressed with him. I am currently awaiting an appointment with Dr. Olson, after which we will schedule to have this thing cut out of my head. I have spent the last few days finding out as much as I can about AN's and after reading comments on this board am glad I live near Atlanta and can have this procedure done by Dr. Mattox and team.
-
Brucifer,
All in all, it's a club I'd rather not be in. :D
No, actually he offered up the microsurgery, the radiosurgery, and the "wait". He spent a great deal of time with us explaining the pro's and con's of each one. He was very patient with us as we asked a million questions, and was very clear in his answers.
I may have been a bit premature saying we are going the microsurgery route, in that we are awaiting the pre-approval" from the insurance company. The surgery route is my preferred method for various reasons, but if the insurance will only pay for the radiosurgery option then that is what I will do.
-
Ruth07,
Did you find any Dr.s in Atlanta? Maybe we should compare notes. As of right now I have seen Dr. Ceranko (nurotologist). However, I have appontments in the next few weeks with Dr. Mattox & DR. Olson at the Emory clinic.
I believe Rebarman had surgery on 1/29 with these same Emory Dr.s. He is hoping that his wife or another relative will keep us informed of his post-operative healing.
My family and the AN family here are all praying for a complete and healthy recovery for him.
-
Hi all and welcome
I have to agree with Bruce about Emory. Based on their history of AN microsurgery and radiation-surgery, Emory is the place to go in Atlanta.
Best wishes,
Phyl
-
Hi Everyone,
I too was recently diagnosed with an AN. I just met with Dr. Mattox at Emory today (I live in Duluth GA) and have decided to do fractionated radio therapy with Dr. Crocker. I feel good about my decision. The one-shot radiosurgery did not feel right for me and I definitely did not want microsurgery. My AN is 1.9 cm and close to but not vaginating (the word Dr. Crocker used) the brain stem. I've been reading all kinds of research on the web and some of the postings here tonight. Dr. Crocker recommended a 28 day treatment plan, rather than 10 that he usually recommends for older patients (I'm 48).
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has done FSR with the Trilogy System or GK or CK. What should I expect, any long-term results posted, etc. I will keep reading the postings that are here as well.
-
Thanks, Bruce, for your response. I do have hearing loss in my right AN ear, but it's at the low end of normal or just below normal in some frequencies. Everything else is normal for me--no other signs or symptoms, except for the constant noise of "night in the forest" sounds in my ear. I haven't watched my CN for any length of time. I'm a Kaiser patient and i just received the results of my MRI a week and half ago. I literally got into see Mattox because of a last minute cancellation--because I was told I was going to have to wait a month and a half, too.
I've got two long weekend commitments in April and mid-May, so I'm going to begin my treatment the third week of May and go for the 28 days straight (sans weekends) from that point on. I'm having some concern about the long term effects of the radiation--six months, a year, two or three years down the road-- that I've been reading about on the web and forum. And of course they don't have studies 10 to 15 years down the road to see if there continues to be good tumor control.
But I think I'm doing the right thing for me at this point. Since it is butting up against the brain stem, I don't want to wait. And the one-shot deal just doesn't feel right. By the way, please forgive my inexperience with posting on forums, but how do I post a question without replying to someone else's question? I can't see to figure that one out.
-
Thanks, Bruce. I did find the info after I wrote to you. I'll have some inconvenience every day, but I can deal with that. I have the ability to be flexible with my time at work. The info on metastizing (sp?) is helpful. Thanks.
Beverly
-
Hi Again Everyone,
I feel totally exhausted with all the maneuvering I've been doing with Kaiser to go somewhere I want to go. It turns out, Emory can only be used if I can't find another place who does what they do in the Atlanta area. Turns out, Piedmont has the Trilogy System, and the neurosurgeon I'm seeing on May 15, Dr. James Robinson, seems to have a good deal of experience with ANs. I'll see when I meet with him. I haven't heard anything bad about Piedmont or their radiation oncologists or Dr. Robinson. If anybody else has heard anything about them, please let me know. If I'm still not satisfied after meeing with Dr. Robinson, I may try to fight for Emory. But I want to give them a chance. Piedmont has both the GK and Trilogy, so I feel I have more options there.
Beverly