This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi,
I called the general number. BUT I got a call just now from Beth just earlier scheduling me for Oct 21.

So, it doesn't sound like they were able to fit me in Sept.

Could they see less than 90/month?? It doesn't make sense.

Great news SofiaK - how are you feeling now that you have an apptment?

May I ask when your initial call was? Knowing that and the fact that you were 25th on the list could help the rest of us obsess a bit more about where we are on the list. Also, if you don't mind, do you know if you'll be treated in the hospital (if you have insurance) or the clinic.

Thanks!

I am there on August 20th and received a call the other day getting some final info from me. During the conversation I asked how they were doing out there. The response was that they recently performed # 100. Not sure if that meant Siskin just did # 100 or as a team they have done 100. Or was this #100 at the hospital or the off site clinic. In any case we should remember that this is in addition to their regular duties.

Obviously a lot will be on my mind but if I remember I will ask about how many are completed each month at each location.

OK. I spoke with Dr Siskin on May 27, 2010. I'll be treated at the clinic.

I'm excited. I wish it was easier to get this done and sooner for everyone. I was 25th in line and I couldn't be squeezed-in for Septermber.

It just doesn't make sense to me. If they're treating 100 patients per month, does anyone understand how this can be???

because some ppl have to be in the clinic and some can be done in the hospital there may be more than one list.

I am pretty sure that someone answered the question of how many Dr. Siskin's group was doing per month in FlashHack's thread. Can't remember what the number was though!

I received a call from Albany today and was scheduled for the procedure. I will have the procedure at the hospital because I have insurance. I have Medicare so I was immediately approved for the procedure.

Here is my time line. Hope this helps:

First call to Albany was on May 28th.
First call back from Albany was on June 4th.
Email received on July 6th.
Scheduling call back was on August 11th.
Scheduled appointment for Oct 12th.

Doctor will call to do the phone consultation in a few weeks.


Good luck to all,
Chris...

Thank you Chris.

Guider

BTW, Chris, congratulations are in order. Sorry that I missed that.

Guider

Thanks everyone, for posting your timelines. It helps fill the wait time.

vivavie wrote: I will also take this opportunity to mention that I take offense when people that went oversea are call "stupid" or whatever word used! The real pioneers are the ones that pursued it a year ago right after Zamboni published. I am forever grateful of them because I would have never found out about it. But people that took a chance, had the guts to travel to poland, bulgaria (..) last winter and spring are the ones that brought back the evidence and created the numbers that in return created the demand and then the momentum! Otherwise do you really think that more and more doctors would be setting up shop?????

And now we cannot get treated here because we have been "modified" elsewhere and doctors don't want to take responsability for others. Now we have problems with stents that if not treated quickly it won't be possible to open again and we have to go back in line. Months or a year wait will be too late for me!

So yes I am frustrated and NO I am not stupid. I just never give up, very stubborn and determinated even if sometimes I have the blues... I am not sure that every one on this panel can say as much!

Sorry, maybe this is just me, but some of us are still waiting to be treated for the FIRST time around. So, forgive me but please don't tell us about frustration. I think you have to see it this way.... At this point we are still trying to prove that venoplasty is safe & beneficial to those with MS, which I truly believe that it is. Now you are asking someone to take an additional risk and treat again causing additional stress (possibly) to veins, which we know are more delicate than arteries. So now, not only are they expected to prove to the masses that this is truly a safe procedure (with all the negative things in the media & by other countries doing studies to disprove the theory), now they are expected to prove that second & third treatments are safe - something that maybe they know less about. Is that fair to these professionals. What about this.... my loyalty has been to physicians in North America because I have a concern about follow-up treatment & re-stenosis. I feel I need to be able to return to the doctor I rec'd treatment from - this has to be doable for me. Why should I have to wait longer for a doctor here to deal with the results of someone who elected first to travel overseas. You ask, why are more & more doctors setting up shop??? Maybe because there are many people in the USA that are pounding the pavement looking for IR's and spreading the word & teaching reputable doctors about CCSVI and MS instead of booking a flight overseas. Those are the people I am grateful to because the USA is as local as I can get. Like I say, sorry.... maybe this is just me & yes... I am having a bad day or maybe I wouldn't be this vocal.

I am sure that deep deep deep down you are a very nice person:)

pvns2005 wrote:I received a call from Albany today and was scheduled for the procedure. I will have the procedure at the hospital because I have insurance. I have Medicare so I was immediately approved for the procedure.

Here is my time line. Hope this helps:

First call to Albany was on May 28th.
First call back from Albany was on June 4th.
Email received on July 6th.
Scheduling call back was on August 11th.
Scheduled appointment for Oct 12th.

Doctor will call to do the phone consultation in a few weeks.


Good luck to all,
Chris...

Congrats Chris this is very exciting news, all the best to you. Thank you so much for your timeline as well. I feel this is very helpful for those of us who are still anxiously waiting for our call and also wondering where they are on the list. If people have the time and don't mind I would ask all who receive appointments from now on to provide the same info. I will certainly post my info (someday) when my call comes in. I'm a June 1st who will be treated in the clinic as I'm coming from Canada.

Good luck Chris and to all who have received appointments and all of those anxiously waiting.

screening in North Dakota

http://www.timescolonist.com/health/cli ... story.html

Donnchadh wrote:Unfortunately, I had a bad experience with Albany. When they found out that I had 2 venoplasty procedures already, Dr. Siskin declined to treat me or even to see me. He apparently is concerned about following anyone else's prior work (he specifically referred to those MSer's who "foolishly went to Poland").

He also stated that his practice has performed 120 procedures as of 9 August 2010 and has an amazing queue of 1500 potential patients waiting for their turn.

Bottom line, if you had an earlier procedure done by someone other then Albany you might want to inquire upfront if they will treat you or not before waiting.

And if you are just entering their queue you will have a lengthy wait ahead of you.

This is in no way a comment on their medical services, skills, or results: I didn't get that far with them.

Donnchadh

My heart goes out to you Donnchadh. I've read so many reports of people having to have it done due to restenosis/failure, so to be given this kind of news is awlful. I hope you find the right doctor to treat you!