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Looking for best Surgical facilities
Thu, 12/15/2011 - 11:10Topic: Surgery and Devices
Hi All,
About two months ago I finished all necessary pre-operative testing needed to determine if I was a candidate for surgery. My epileptologist sent me to the local Neurosurgeon here in Tampa (Dr. Fernando Vale) and the Nuerosurgeon wasn't very confident that surgery would help with my seizures. I went back to my epileptologist and he indicated all the data shows him that surgery is my best option and that I should go see another Nuerosurgeon. He pointed me to Mass. General Hospital in Boston, NYU, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. or Yale. I am trying to decide where to go for the second opinion and was hoping someone might have insight on any of these facilities (or any others on the East Coast or Midwest) and the Nuerosurgeon(s) at these facilities?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
Comments
Re: Looking for best Surgical facilities
Submitted by pfincher on Fri, 2011-12-16 - 13:50
Hi SBERRA,
Thanks for your input. I will definitely check out these doctors. I have had Complex Partial Seizures since I was 20 (now 42). I have been playing with medications (Dilantin, Topamax, VimPAT, keppera) for the last 22 years but have never been able to completely control them. My Neurologist finally sent me to an epileptologist last year. He immediately brought up surgery based on the types of seizures I have. Hopefully this is the answer. How has your recovery gone? Are you getting back to normal?
Paul
Re: Looking for best Surgical facilities
Submitted by sberra01 on Thu, 2011-12-22 - 15:17
My recovery has gone extremely well. I have not had any seizures. I am still on my medication though and for the first time in a long time they are working. I currently take 600mg of vimpat per day and 400 mg of topiramate. Again I wish you luck with your decision. I plan to be back to work as of Jan 6th. I felt like I could go back sooner but I am very lucky that my employer allows me this time off to recover.
Re: Looking for best Surgical facilities
Submitted by sberra01 on Thu, 2011-12-15 - 12:47
Hi Paul, I just had surgery for my seizures in October..yep, just a little over 2 months ago. I went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. My neurosurgeon was Dr. R.W. Marsh--great guy, and the Neurologist I had there was Dr Gregory Cascino--super guy as well. What can I say about Mayo. They are suppose to be the best right? I luckily have not had any problems. I was having complex partial seizures since I was 18, I am now 44.Surgery was my only option as medication seemed to no longer be controlling them. Good luck with your choice. It's a very hard decision..one I wish I had made sooner. Good luck with everything!!
SBERRA
Hi Paul, I just had surgery for my seizures in October..yep, just a little over 2 months ago. I went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. My neurosurgeon was Dr. R.W. Marsh--great guy, and the Neurologist I had there was Dr Gregory Cascino--super guy as well. What can I say about Mayo. They are suppose to be the best right? I luckily have not had any problems. I was having complex partial seizures since I was 18, I am now 44.Surgery was my only option as medication seemed to no longer be controlling them. Good luck with your choice. It's a very hard decision..one I wish I had made sooner. Good luck with everything!!
SBERRA