Achalasia Specialists in the Midwest

[Guest guest]

Been reading a lot of the emails here. I need your help in figuring

out who the real experts are in the Midwest area. Particulary, I'd

like to know who has had experience at the IU Med Center and also the

Univ of MI. I live in Ft. Wayne, IN and feeling overwhelmed with

just being recently diagnosed with the disease.....where to go, what

to do. Right now, what I am doing is dictated by insurance (an HMO)

because I just can't go where I want to go.....which is the Cleveland

Clinic.

A couple of you have responded directly to me about IU and also Univ

of MI, and I thank you. I was just wondering if there are others out

there that have had experiences with these two.

I am a 45 years old. My symptoms began in 2003 with off and on chest

pains. After ruling out problems with my heart, I was told I just

had acid reflux. Swallowing problems began about a year ago and so I

went to a GI doctor where I had a scope done. Scope was perfectly

normal and I didn't show any signs of reflux, so they told

me " stress " caused my symptoms. About two to three months ago, the

swallowing problem worsened and so I went back. This time I had a

barium swallow done, showing a stricture. Did the manometry test,

and now my GI doc suspected achalasia or some form of it. Doc

referred me to Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion with a GI doc

there. Insurance first did not authorize and wanted me to go to IU

or U of M. They couldn't schedule me sooner so my GI doc here

appealed and insurance finally approved the Cleveland Clinic appt.

There I was diagnosed by Dr. Shay with achalasia. He recommended

either dilatations or surgery.

Anyway, my insurance wants me to now go to IU or U of M for

treatments. I really want to go back to Cleveland Clinic.

I have an appt with a Dr. Pickens, a thoracic surgeon at U of

M. Supposedly, he's very familiar with the disease. I go for

consultation tomorrow, 9/11.

If I'm not happy with him, I will appeal to my insurance to approve

for me to go back to CC and see Dr. Rice....but I need to prove my

case.

So if you have anything that would help my case, please let me know.

I am considered in the early stages as my esophagus has not dilated,

but my symptoms have definitely worsened.

Thanks so much!!!

[Guest guest]

Stress to your Ins the fact this is such a rare disease you must be

operated on by a specilaist and that would mean someone like Dr RICE

whom has done over 300 + myotomies.If you dont get with a

specialist, and they screw you up, it requires additional surgery

and a much longer stay in the hospital and lots more fees to be in

ICU.That should make them wanna send you to the right DR the first

time! Good luck

Tonia

>

> Been reading a lot of the emails here. I need your help in

figuring

> out who the real experts are in the Midwest area. Particulary,

I'd

> like to know who has had experience at the IU Med Center and also

the

> Univ of MI. I live in Ft. Wayne, IN and feeling overwhelmed with

> just being recently diagnosed with the disease.....where to go,

what

> to do. Right now, what I am doing is dictated by insurance (an

HMO)

> because I just can't go where I want to go.....which is the

Cleveland

> Clinic.

>

> A couple of you have responded directly to me about IU and also

Univ

> of MI, and I thank you. I was just wondering if there are others

out

> there that have had experiences with these two.

>

> I am a 45 years old. My symptoms began in 2003 with off and on

chest

> pains. After ruling out problems with my heart, I was told I just

> had acid reflux. Swallowing problems began about a year ago and

so I

> went to a GI doctor where I had a scope done. Scope was perfectly

> normal and I didn't show any signs of reflux, so they told

> me " stress " caused my symptoms. About two to three months ago,

the

> swallowing problem worsened and so I went back. This time I had a

> barium swallow done, showing a stricture. Did the manometry test,

> and now my GI doc suspected achalasia or some form of it. Doc

> referred me to Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion with a GI doc

> there. Insurance first did not authorize and wanted me to go to

IU

> or U of M. They couldn't schedule me sooner so my GI doc here

> appealed and insurance finally approved the Cleveland Clinic

appt.

> There I was diagnosed by Dr. Shay with achalasia. He recommended

> either dilatations or surgery.

>

> Anyway, my insurance wants me to now go to IU or U of M for

> treatments. I really want to go back to Cleveland Clinic.

>

> I have an appt with a Dr. Pickens, a thoracic surgeon at U

of

> M. Supposedly, he's very familiar with the disease. I go for

> consultation tomorrow, 9/11.

>

> If I'm not happy with him, I will appeal to my insurance to

approve

> for me to go back to CC and see Dr. Rice....but I need to prove my

> case.

>

> So if you have anything that would help my case, please let me

know.

> I am considered in the early stages as my esophagus has not

dilated,

> but my symptoms have definitely worsened.

>

> Thanks so much!!!

>