Re: Specialist in Atlanta or Bend oregon-NOT TRUE ANON!!!!!
From: Kim (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Sep 27 21:09:43 2002
Suzanne -- Perhaps there will come a day when I'll be willing to board a
plane and travel to Oregon -- it has nothing to do with frequent flyer
miles, but rather terror of airplanes since I was a child. I had such a
long recovery for my lap, I can't even fathom having another surgery right
now. A 45 minute drive home felt like pure Hell. 3 weeks after lap, and
still more than a 10 minute drive was excruciating. I don't think
physically I could withstand a 5+ hour flight, even if I could get it cheap.
And I can't imagine leaving my entire family a country behind, as I have a
child, and who would watch her while I did this if my husband came with me?
It's so frustrating. I wish I could find a specialist with such a wonderful
track record somewhere closer to home. You would think that just outside
the capital of the US there would be just one specialist! Anyway, I guess
until the pain has me completely paralyzed and with no other options, I will
still be able to find excuses to stay on the right coast and hope someone
comes along before I need to make a decision. Thanks so much for the
information about Dr. R. I'm keeping a file on him, just in case I need it
in the future. Kim
>----- Original Message -----
From: "suzanne" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ENDO" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 8:58 PM
Subject: Re: Specialist in Atlanta or Bend oregon-NOT TRUE ANON!!!!!
> I too had a positive experience with Dr. Redwine. For me it has been
> almost 3 years endo & pain free - life is bliss! In terms of the monies
> involved for surgery in Bend, it is all dependent on your particular
> insurance plan. You would want to check into that and also contact Dr.
> Redwine's office for advice.Yes, Dr. Redwine does accept insurance. The
> only insurance he does not accept is Medicare.
>
> Because the disease of endometriosis surgery is "usual & customary"
> based in many insurance the same amount charged for a tubal ligation.
> This is a very unfortunate classification for women with endo. In the
> majority of cases, endometriosis is a tedious, often-lengthy surgery.
> Chances are your case is more extensive than this and may cost
> additional money.
>
> Specialist care in many diseases and medical condition do require travel
> to the doctors who best treat that disease, and endometriosis is
> included in those diseases. I think it is a shame that regular ob/gyn
> are even allowed to treat this disease lacking the proper education
> about the disease and lack the surgical skills needed. I would leave
> the disease of endometriosis for the specialists.
>
> Mostly what I can tell you is that I never thought I would be able to
> have a pain free life, but after seeing Dr. Redwine that has been a
> reality. I feel it has been worth every penny I have had to investment
> in my well-being. So when I thought there was no way I would be able to
> see Dr. Redwine as I was on HMO and had become reliant on letting my
> insurance company make the decisions for me - it all turned out better
> than I imagined. I did have a "major brand" insurance company and St.
> Charles Medical Center was considered a provider. I was able to make
> payments on additional costs and the amount my insurance paid was
> credited to my account.
>
> The EA has a frequent flyer program that can provide travel expenses to
> a specialist - you should look into this also. And you are able to
> deduct your medical expenses, including medical travel costs on your
> income tax provided it is a certan percentage of your yearly income.
>
> Regardless of all this I must say that I am glad to have quality of life
> again - and that includes normal bathroom habits, sex without pain,
> energy and mobility, and able to awake each day happy and healthy.
> suzanne
>
> At Fri, 27 Sep 2002, Kim wrote:
> >
> >Mindy -- Could I ask approximately how much your surgery cost? I'm
having
> >trouble paying my out of pocket max of $1000. I don't know that I ever
> >could have saved 75% of my total cost to have surgery done. Why doesn't
Dr.
> >R accept insurance? Or why doesn't he require a smaller down payment and
a
> >financing on the rest? Or am I confusing the issue, and the hospital
> >charges, anesthesia, etc. are outside the total he requires the 75% on?
> >That would probably be do-able, as long as he would or could work out of
a
> >hospital covered by your insurance. I'm not trying to be argumentative,
so
> >please don't take it that way. I'm just really curious. I'm sure at
> >sometime in the future I'm going to have to make my own decision about
going
> >through surgery again, and I know that my dr is not inclined to remove
deep
> >bowel lesions. So I don't think it would be wise on my part to press him
if
> >he's uncomfortable with it. Dr. R., from all I've read and heard others
> >say, seems to be the best of the best for endo surgery. So I'd like to
> >fully understand how the money stuff works. Then all I have to do is
figure
> >out how to get to the West Coast from the East Coast without an airplane!
> >lol!!
> >
> >Kim
> >
>> >>----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Mindy" <mjmanke@yahoo.com>
> >To: "Multiple recipients of list ENDO" <endo@mail.medispecialty.com>
> >Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 11:02 AM
> >Subject: Re: Specialist in Atlanta or Bend oregon-NOT TRUE ANON!!!!!
> >
> >> Dr. R in Bend Oregon requires 75% up front and you can make payments
on
> >> the rest. They will bill your insurance company as a courtesy and will
> >> refund you the money or apply it to your balance. So yes,they do work
> >> with your insurance. I got a portion back from my insurance company.
> >>
> >> And no, many people have numerous laps b-cuz they either have very
> >> aggressive endo or the surgery was not done correctly...meaning ALl of
> >> the endo was not removed.
> >>
> >> I had my surgery 1.5 years ago with Dr. R and I have not had any endo
> >> related problems, and most importantly no pain related to endo! My
> >> periods are a piece of cake :-)
> >>
> >> I think your opinion was unfair. It was not your experience based on
> >> FACT, just your opinion.
> >>
> >> I like how you said your doc is controlling the disease with Lupron. I
> >> am glad you acknowledged that Lupron will not cure (nothing really
does)
> >> nor is it a long term solution for most people. As soon as I stopped
> >> the drug, the pain came back. Read the archives, you will see that is
> >> the case for most people.
> >>
> >> Dr. R is not a money hungry doc....he could have been an obgyn making
> >> tons of money, but he decided to dedicate his career to helping people
> >> like us. I think his charge is not unreasonable. Now hospital charges
> >> are unreasonable, but his charge is not. And please do not refer to
> >> Doc's like him as docs preying on us....that is just wrong. There are
> >> doc's out there who are not legitimate, but do your research and talk
to
> >> others who have seen the doc you are considering. That is what I did
> >> and it took me 4 months to choose Dr. R....NO REGRETS!
> >>
> >> Maybe you should consider seeing him. I know in my heart that he is
the
> >> best option for us. And please base your opinions on your experiences,
> >> not what you believe to be true.
> >>
> >> Mindy :-)
> >>
> >> >At Wed, 25 Sep 2002, anonymous wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >Hi- I talked w/ the Doc's office in Bend, OR approx. 6 months ago. A
> >> >woman from an endo support group recommended him. The problem. he
> >> >wants money up-front and will not deal w/ your ins. co.
> >> >My current endo specialist does not agree w/ excision (SP)! surgery
> >> >because both surgery involving cutterage, lazor and endo can cause
> >> >adhesions to which can pain for the rest of your life. It also can
> >> >cause a vicious circle of adhesions / endo - pain and multiple
> >> >surgeries. That is why you hear of so many women having SO MANY LAPS!
> >> >Women like most of us who have endo are so desparate to have close to
a
> >> >normal pain-free life that we will do almost anything. I think
doctors
> >> >more than know this and we become their prey. Watch for greedy money
> >> >hungry doctors. My doc is trying the surgery and is doing his best to
> >> >control the disease w/ Lupron.
> >> >However; since I have only had 1 lap to diagnose endo. I am curious
why
> >> >my doc is being that careful and avoiding the surgery. I know he
feels
> >> >that the surgery could cause more damage but 10 months of Lupron hasnt
> >> >done much. I need to get some relief somehow and get off the drugs so
> >> >that I can attempt to conceive.
> >> >This is why I seek a second opinion. Anyone know of a good doc
besides
> >> >Dr. R in or near WA state???
> >>
>
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