How far would you drive for a good GI?

I live in upstate NY in a my small city 4 hours north west of NYC, and all the GIs here seem to have a one track mind.... humira, humira, and more HUMIRA.  They think that any other treatment is totally worthless, and biologics are the only way to go.  By the way they seem to push these drugs, I almost think they are getting a commission from the drug company for each person they put on the drug. 

Matter of fact, one GI even said that ascol and pentassa are nothing but a scam and are 100% worthless for dealing with crohns.  He also said diet and food have absolutely nothing to do with managing the disease or it's symptoms, and the only way to put crohns in complete remission is HUMRA.  He was even so bold as to say, if you got on humira, you will be able to eat anything you ever wanted to eat, and never never again have to worry about pain or discomfort.

My question is, if you found a good GI who you liked and felt comfortable with, how far would you drive to see him.  One hour,,,two hours,,,three hours,,,,?  Does anyone here drive a long ways to see thier GI?

I drive 2 hours to see my GI and I drove 2.5 to see my surgeon. When I was in grad school, I drove 5 hours home to see my same GI until I got so busy that I couldn't take off the time to come home. Both are great...I'd drive 10 hours to see him if I had to. My GI is the only doctor that I've felt 100% comfortable and confident with and one of the few doctors that I felt really listened to me.

I drive 1 hour each way to see my GI....I did try a couple GI's in my town but really I just didn't feel comfortable discussing all my issues. I will stick with the same one as long as I can.

A good GI doc? Since we have none of those here, I'd drive 2-4 hours easily. I just don't think my insurance would cover it.

I think it's different in the UK, as folks usually go to doctors that are in their local borough. Funding is a potential problem if they don't, as PCTs - which are responsible for budgets - can kick up a fuss if a hospital patient is from outside that hospital's catchment area. Also, what happens if you need to go into hospital? It's almost impossible getting a coherent treatment plan when your GI is part of the hospital, let alone when he or she is hundreds of miles away: it doesn't bear thinking about.

Anyhow, it's about a 20-minute drive to my hospital. I'd drive a few hours for a GI that was absolutely amazing, but that's just in theory: in reality it wouldn't happen. My current GI is actually quite good, but the situation with the IBD nurse has become a highly awkward one :-/

We drive 1 1/2 hours. would love to be closer but aren't and afraid of the local GIs. Know someone who drives 8 hours to Mayo.

Just wanted to warn you, you may not get a different answer if you go farther to another doctor. Pentasa iand asacol have been proven to be ineffective in Crohn's.

Hey, CaseMonster, we can't be far apart! I'm in the Saginaw area. I've always figured 12 hours to Mayo tho. Do you go below the lake or above? UP or Chicago? We usually go around Chicago, overnight in Rockford then finish to Mayo the next day. We drive straight thru coming home. Who do you see in Gastroenterology? I'm w/Dr Tremaine.

CDMom, there are some here who will disagree w/you that Pentasa and Asocol being ineffective and/or proven ineffective. There ARE those of us who respond very well to one or the other. I am one who responds well to Pentasa. The combination of Imuran and Pentasa has kept me in symptomatic or total remission for the last 14 years. Imuran alone can't quite cut the mustard. I've scaled back on the Pentasa from time to time and symptoms will start up again, go back on the Pentasa and the symptoms disappear.

Granted, the current "love affair" is w/the biologoics. They are 'stronger' but also have more side effects, more serious side effects. And they cost one hale of a whole lotta money. I suspect the more milder cases of Crohn's are the best responders to Pentasa and Asocal and the more severe the disease the stronger the medicines needed.