Author Topic: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.  (Read 4125 times)

badyellowvette

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Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« on: May 09, 2014, 02:47:30 pm »
Recently had an MRI and they found something they missed on my 2012 MRI. Need to find a Doctor to look at the results. Family Doctor is just going by what the radiologist says in the report and I don't trust people that never seen an AN before, especially after they missed in in 2012.  I haven't really had a AN Doctor for a long long time. And of course my insurance runs out in June (thanks a lot Obama) so I need to do this fast. The insurance I will have after June will be crap. Thanks Jim
Small orange size AN removed 5-15-1985
Tarsarophy done 5-19-1985
Thumbnail size AN removed 4-18-1993
Tarsarophy removed and 1.6g gold weight added 7-22-1993
From 7-26-01 to 2-25-2013 five more surgery's on eyelid with now 3g of gold weight

LakeErie

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  • Posts: 347
Re: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2014, 04:19:31 pm »
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is a leading treatment center for AN's in the US. I am sure calling the center will get you to a doctor experienced in treating AN's.
4.7 cm x 3.6 cm x 3.2 cm vestibular schwannoma
Simplified retrosigmoid @ Cleveland Clinic 10/06/2011
Rt SSD, numbness, vocal cord and swallowing problems
Vocal cord and swallowing normalized at 16 months. Numbness persists.
Regrowth 09/19/2016
GK 10/12/2016 Cleveland Clinic
facial weakness Jan 2017

mandy721

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Re: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2014, 07:34:14 pm »
I want to suggest getting in touch with the leader of the Pittsburgh AN local support group.  You can find the listing my going to the main page and clicking on the Support Group tab and then the Support group state by state drop down.  Hope you find someone you like soon!
Husband diagnosed 5/30/09 with 3.2cm right AN
Surgery at  Columbia Presbyterian 8/4/09
Platinum eye weight implant - 8/17/09
17 days in hospital and rehab
SSD, facial weakness, some tinnitus, headaches , balance and eye problems

badyellowvette

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Re: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2014, 07:29:49 pm »
I got hooked up with Paul A. Gardner, MD at UPMC to review my MIR. Mailing the CD to him tomorrow to see if I need to go down to see him. Thanks
Small orange size AN removed 5-15-1985
Tarsarophy done 5-19-1985
Thumbnail size AN removed 4-18-1993
Tarsarophy removed and 1.6g gold weight added 7-22-1993
From 7-26-01 to 2-25-2013 five more surgery's on eyelid with now 3g of gold weight

robinb

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Re: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2014, 09:56:22 am »
Glad you found a doc at UPMC. From what I know, Dr. Gardner only does surgery and will not recommend other viable treatments.

Dr. Lunsford is also at UPMC; he specializes in Gamma Knife. To my knowledge, they do not consult each other so if you want to consider GK, you need to request they send your CD over to him. There are similar posts on this.

If you need more info, PM me.
AN Diagnosed 11-2012 right side
13mm x 7.2 mm
Gamma Knife 1/24/13
UPMC w/Dr. Lunsford
Officially a postie toastie!
See my treatment journal at: http://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=18291.0

v357139

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Re: Need to find a Doctor in the Pittsburgh area.
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2014, 08:24:39 pm »
I got hooked up with Paul A. Gardner, MD at UPMC to review my MIR. Mailing the CD to him tomorrow to see if I need to go down to see him. Thanks

If you need another opinion, I had done some research and Allegheny General looked pretty good as well.
Dx 2.6 cm Nov 2012, 35% hearing loss.  Grew to 3.5 cm Oct 2013.  Pre-op total hearing loss, left side tongue numb.  Translab Nov 2013 House Clinic.  Post-op no permanent facial or other issues.  Tongue much improved.  Great result!!