Introducing the Ask-a-Doctor Brain Tumor Forum

[Med Help]

Hi,

MedHelp is pleased to announce the opening of our new Ask-a-Doctor Brain Tumor forum. All questions will receive a personal answer from Michael Lim, MD from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Johns Hopkins is a new partner of MedHelp's and we're thrilled to be able to bring you this forum. The forum is located at: http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/269

MedHelp

[mrsriccardo]

I hope this is not considered redundant, as I posted on another thread before seeing this.  I was operated on twice in November 2007 for an Ependymoma and subsequent operation to reduce pressure from brain bleading.

We are moving to Florida, and I must find a new hospital if I need to be operated on again, and certainly a RadioOncologist to monotor me via MRI as my NYC hospital is doing.  I have not been able to get a recommendation from the New York hospital -- seems they are reluctant to do that outside their circle.

I am in a double bind - not being able to fly back to NY for treatment, not able to be seen by a Florida hospital or doctor since I was operated on less than 6 months ago.

My husband and I are panicking.  What can we do to get the best help available?  Please give some advice.  Is this common -- not to be able to have another facility take over my care, even if all records and previous MRIs are forwarded.  Please help me.

[lizziecee]

Hi - although I have no personal experience of brain tumours (I have breast cancer), my twin brother died of an inoperable brain tumour, and live in England, I do have very close friends in Tampa, Florida. living in a senior's golf community about 20 miles inland from Tampa. The male friend was dx with non-small cell lung cancer 7 yrs ago, dx stage IV terminal and had his right lung removed. Advised to "get his affairs in order". He is an enigma, as his doctors call him.

He did not get better at the local hospital after the lung removal, and his wife changed their medical insurance and he was seen at the H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Hospital (allied with the University of South Florida) in Tampa.  They dx the cancer had spread to his left kidney, which was removed, along with the adrenal gland. He went into rehab for 4 weeks and flourished, travelling twice to England and Spain to see us.

This past year the cancer had spread to his left lung and he has just finished stereotactic radiotherapy, in a body and face mask - only the 4th patient in the US with one lung to have this. I flew from England to support his wife during the kidney removal and spent many days at Moffitt - his treatment was exemplary, although to date it has cost some $3m.  He has some 9 different doctors on his case, as he now has 4 tumours on his parathyroid, which we are praying are not malignant.

My friends cannot speak too highly of the treatment at Moffitt - I can give you their e-mail address if you wish to contact them as they are now ambassadors at the hospital for stage IV cancer patients. Not sure if my e-mail address will go through this site, but here is a try: tedark at aol.com.  Use the ampersand instead of at.

Take care,
Liz in Cornwall, England.

[margate]

My mother recently died bc of brain tumour ..she had malignancy in breast two years back and her one breast was removed ...before the death she got cysts at various places of her body and finally in the barin and than she died...bfore getting these cysts she was extremely worried bc of some family problems...#
now i m worried tht has she taken any thing so much personally tht she suffered from ths problem..is it true tht too much worries results in brain tumour?????????plz reply

[margate]

My mother recently died bc of brain tumour ..she had malignancy in breast two years back and her one breast was removed ...before the death she got cysts at various places of her body and finally in the barin and than she died...bfore getting these cysts she was extremely worried bc of some family problems...#
now i m worried tht has she taken any thing so much personally tht she suffered from ths problem..is it true tht too much worries results in brain tumour?????????plz reply