Re: Not so new member/ Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia

Posted March 9, 2011 · March 9, 2011

I had an HM with a dor at Jefferson, in Philadelphia. The surgeon, Dr Cjonaki,

did a good job on the surgery but is a member of Jefferson's culture. That

culture thinks patients are like children who should be quiet, not ask

questions, and do as they are told. TJU is like a factory and they will not

share test results with patients without a big fight. " They're our property " is

what I was told.

The x-ray department goes out of their way to degrade patients and you can

forget looking at your studies or films without having a lawyer call first.

You'd think my surgeon would care, but she didn't seem to think it was any of my

bussiness.

Dr. Richter and the x-ray department at Temple were the opposite. He actually

sent me a letter after our appointment summarizing what we discussed. That's a

first for me. I'm going to do annual followups with them.

Things are way better for my swallowing, but they are not normal. I do take

prilosec daily and often experience GERD symptoms late at night or an hour o two

before getting up.

Dan

Sent from my Samsung Epicâ„¢ 4G

Capone <rebeccacapone@...> wrote:

>--what kind of treatment did you receive--and where-- from Boston

>

>________________________________

>From: Hoffman <rp518dan@...>

>achalasia

>Sent: Wed, March 9, 2011 10:23:20 AM

>Subject: Re: Not so new member; but finally have diagnosis

>

>Â

>The clear consensus of this group is, of course, that you really need to make

>sure you are dealing with an experienced surgeon who does a lot of myotomies.

>

>Less of a consensus is baloon dilation vs. Myotomy. Dr. Richter, my doc

>now, who is very good, wrote a couple of papers you could find on this groups

>page. He cites studes showing that the older dilations were not effective as

the

>new ones which are giving good results.

>

>Dan

>

>suekw71 <suekw71@...> wrote:

>

>>Good morning everyone,

>>

>>I started having difficulty swallowing a few years ago. I've had the

>>tightness/pain in chest for a long time. The cardiologist did all sorts of

>>tests, could find nothing. They put me on prilosec which did nothing. Finally

>>that chest pain went away and then the swallowing problems began. It wasn't

>>often (and at the time I ate a LOT) so I did nothing. Then the choking began.

It

>>seems about a year ago the choking got bad enough that I've stopped eating

>>dinner, eat mostly soup for lunch and have dropped quite a bit of weight.

>>

>>I did a Barium swallow and have the classic Bird's beak. The doctor sent me to

a

>>GI specialist who immediately said surgery. He didn't say what kind, I just

>>assumed the HM because that's what I had been reading about.

>>

>>I'm not sure if I should just take him at his word, research more ... and I'm

>>not sure where to go for information. My insurance also wont cover the

hospital

>>I've been to for all my other things, so I'm not sure what doctor or hospital

to

>>go to.

>>

>>I've lurked on these forums for quite some time now as I was trying to pay off

>>medical bills last year so I didn't pursue a doctor visit until this year, but

>>now that i have a diagnosis of Achalasia, I thought I " d post...

>>

>>Any help/ideas/advice are most welcome.

>>

>

Posted March 10, 2011 · March 10, 2011

thanks --and good luck--do you have a copy of the report Dr. Richter wrote

on treatment choices---I would like to read it--thanks, from Boston

________________________________

From: Hoffman <rp518dan@...>

achalasia

Sent: Wed, March 9, 2011 12:09:01 PM

Subject: Re: Not so new member/ Jefferson University

Hospital, Philadelphia

Â