Does anyone have feedback on any stomach doctors (gastrointestinal doctors) in the area? I've located two practices that seem OK, but would like to know who you've used. The ones I found were Johnston Area Gastroenterology (now called Jordan & Associates Gastroenterology) in Smithfield and Cary Gastroenterology. Thanks in advance. BRH
I enjoyed the experience with Jordon, especially the part where they told me my diet should be more geared to meat than to vegetables. :cheers:
Look up Dr. Morris Pollock. He's probably the best (at least one of the top) gastro docs in Raleigh. One of his colleagues, Dr. Dixon McKay, is also a very good.
Did they push tests? I'm going to be self-pay, so I'd like to avoid the expensive diagnostics as long as possible.
I had my procedure with the Johnston one, had no issues whatsoever and would/will go back. I don't know whether or not they push tests, I was refered to them for what I needed. They cut me loose pretty quick once we got to the bottom of the issue.
I have to agree!! http://www.wakeendoscopy.com/physicians/battaglino.html I was having stomach problems, ran the entire gambit of tests through my primary care physician.... they saw gallstones on the ultrasound they sent me for. Ok, rip out my gallbladder. Less than 8 weeks later and a trip to the ER because all the same symptoms were returning, I requested a referral to a gastroenterologist (sp?). They referred me to Dr. Battaligno at Wake Endoscopy and that was the route I should have requested before surgery to remove my gallbladder. I met with his PA Jill, she is so well versed and educated, she was great. I brought with me all my films and reports, she looked at them and said that 90% of all adults have gallstones, it doesn't mean you have a sick gallbladder that needs to be removed :?. Well...too late to get that gallbladder back! She set me up for an upper-endoscopy, and the actual diagnosis for my probs was "mild gastritis". A prescription for Prevacid and I'm just fine most days, unless I eat anything really really spicy or acidic. Dr. Battaligno was really wonderful on the day of the upper-endoscopy, I'm sure DH can chime in on this as he probably talked to him a little more since I was out of it after the procedure. I have recommended this practice and Dr. B to several other people, none have had complaints. Since the OP is paying for this on her own, is it a less expensive office visit to meet with a PA instead of the surgeon for the initial consult and exam? If it is, I would not hesitate to give a great reference for Jill.
I don't remember hardly anything about my procedure, LOL. The doc said they ended up giving me double the usual dose of anesthesia to get me "out". Poor DH ended up having to dress me to get me home. :lol: Apparently the same thing has happened a couple other times I've needed to be put out, I once woke up on the operating table during a surgery, tube down my throat, the whole 9 yards. Good times!!!:? I be sure to tell the docs now that I am not a cheap drunk. :jester:
I don't remember anything either, I remember Dr. B talking to me for a few minutes while they got everything ready and then the nurse added something to the IV and I was gone... My throat wasn't even that sore until later that night, I was hungry though... made DH stop at IHOP on the way home! I think DH said it took them about 30 minutes to get me to wake up... i really don't remember much of anything until being taken out in the wheel chair.
tassy, a similar story about my wife's gallbladder. Her OB/GYN sent her to a surgeon over beside Rex. He looked at her gallbladder with just an ultrasound and was ready to do surgery on her the next day. That night, I looked him up at www.ncmedboard.org and found he had a public file and had botched at least one surgery. We cancelled that morning, even though his office personnel was none too happy about it. We went to another surgeon with whom she had used before. They ran the nuclear scan (HIDA, I believe) and the gallbladder was functioning. She even was called and questioned by her insurance company about why she cancelled the surgery under the assumption that the first surgeon had a correct diagnosis. I'd encourage anybody to get a second opinion BEFORE having their gallbladder removed and not to proceed upon just a diagnosis from just an ultrasound. One thing I will say about Dr. McKay (the gastro doc I mentioned previously) he was very thoughtful regarding my wife. She was having problems during that particular time and he ran his tests and found nothing wrong with her gastro tract. He even called her up a few weeks later to ask how she was doing and had she discovered the problem yet. How thoughtful for a specialist to call a patient like that rather than simply wash his hands with the matter. He won a lot of points with me upon hearing that! He and Dr. Pollock's office are no Atrium Drive over off Blue Ridge FWIW.
It will be difficult to diagnose your problem without tests. How do you expect them to diagnose the problem without tests? Dr. Sachdeva @ Wake Endoscopy Center is excellent. 919-783-4888 or 800-491-7236.
Having been through what I went through, i would rather go straight to the gastro-specialist and pay for a upper-endoscopy. Than have had to pay (even with ins. after deductibles) for the ultra-sound, a CTscan, and a trip to the ER with yet another ultra-sound and more tests. Thats alot of money to pay out of pocket for what turned out to be a pretty simple diagnosis in my case. I hope for the OP that hers is as simple to get diagnosed. In the future, before I let my primary care phys. send me off for any big diagnostic tests (CTscan, Ultrasound or MRI, etc)... I will ask for a referral to a specialist first and let them determine if those diagnostic tests are necessary. DH and I have both found that if the primary care dr. sends you for one of those, alot of times they are not covered by ins. BUT, if the specialist deems them necessary after a eval. & consult., then insurance will pay for it.
