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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/18/2008 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I've been away from the forum for quite a while - I guess that's good though, I've been coping well enough not to need support? Just juggling too many things lately it seems; by the time I get home from a 12 hour day of staring at the computer, the last thing I want to do is stare at another one. ;-)

I've been gone so long I should kind of reintroduce myself, I guess. I've got Crohn's, was diagnosed 5 or 6 years ago (I'd have to go pull records). A couple years after that I was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis associated w/ Crohn's. I've been through various treatments, and what's working for me now is Pentasa, Methotrexate, and Remicade.

I've had several insurance changes over the last few years - job changes, my partner's job changes, and my company changing carriers. Because of that I've had to jump around from one Rheumatologist to another. (thankfully my GI is working with me, even though they're 'out of network' for BCBS right now)

So in January when my employer switched to BCBS, and the Rheumatologist I was seeing (but didn't like) didn't take it, I discovered my previous one that I REALLY like (Dr. Richard Merriman, Arthritis Centers of Texas) DID accept BCBS. So I switched back to him, and went through all the hoops to get my Remicade infusions at his office.

So that's worked out well for me until last week when I arrived for my infusion only to discover Dr. Merriman had unexpectedly retired and closed his practice due to health issues. I really liked him, and he was the only reason I would drive from Frisco to downtown Dallas in the middle of a work day for my infusion.

All that to get to this point. ;-) I'm just wondering if anybody on this forum lives in, and/or receives infusions in the Plano area. I bought my first house up here in November, and I work up here - basically everything I do is in the Plano area. So now that my only reason for going to downtown Dallas for Remicade is gone, I'd like to find a Rheumatologist AND Remicade infusion center closer to home.

I have a follow-up with my GI today (who is also downtown Dallas, but I love him and will only switch when I have to); I'll be asking him as well - I just thought I'd check here too.
Posted 6/18/2008 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
Look at DHAT.com they have an infusion center in Plano that I go to every 8 weeks. They have different locations in the metroplex for docs and I really like the group.
Posted 6/18/2008 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
DFW, I live in South Grand Prairie so I don't know much about Plano, except that I have a sister that lives up there, but I would think they would have an infusion place around Presbyterian Hospital or maybe Medical Center.
Posted 6/18/2008 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
I've noticed quite a few people from the DFW metroplex around this forum. We should have a little get together and meet each other. How about it?
Posted 6/18/2008 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
DHAT... I think my first GI was part of that group. Didn't like him at all LOL. The GI I'm with now is the one I went to for a second opinion on something, and I liked him so much I switched.

So I'm not looking to switch GI's - just Rheumatologist. I'll ask my GI this afternoon about a DHAT infusion center option....

RE: a get-together, I'd be game. I think they have some kind of support meetings at Presby, don't they? I used to get my infusions there (Dr. Persley's office), before switching back to Dr. Merriman (rheumy) in Jan.
Posted 6/18/2008 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
I use Dr Schiller out of the DHAT group, one of my co-workers just got dignosed with UC in Oct of last year and is using a different doc out of the same group. If you look at their web site it gives multiple locations. I see my doc at Baylor Downtown, but the infusion center I go to is at Bush and Coit.

I know that Schiller dignosed my husband in 5 mins when his previous GI could not for 17 years. So even though he has a very dry sense of humor, he is very good at what he does. Even the nurses at the hospital agree about his sense of humor, but they also agree about him being good at what he does. I know that he goes to a lot of conventions and such to stay up with the latest research.

As far as meeting, I would love to, but how about something a bit more fun than a support meeting. I am not sure how many of us are from DFW, but I would love to put faces to the names.
Posted 6/19/2008 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
I used to go through DHAT in Plano last year.  Jennifer is the infusion nurse and she is great!  They are attached to the Plano Medical Center right on Coit.  I used to see a DHAT dr. and am now with Persley (whom I love) but she is out-of-network for me (BCBS).  She is trying to get me back on remicade again and we are trying to work it through a rhematologist in Dallas she connects with so it will be in-network for me.  Now, if I can just get it approved again . . .

Posted 6/19/2008 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I liked Dr. Persley too. I had to leave that infusion center b/c of BCBS, that's when I went to Dr. Merriman. darn insurance... lol

My GI didn't quite understand the burden of a 45 minute drive (downtown) and then an hour plus drive home in rush hour traffic (the Plano/Frisco <--> downtown Dallas situation). He thinks I should give the new doc at Arthritis Centers of TX a chance. I'm sure he's good, I just don't want to have to drive all the way down there.

Well I just talked to the folks at ACT - they have a Richardson office which is much closer, so I've moved my appointment to a Dr. Willis in that office. (http://actmd.com/locations.shtml) I hope I like him. At least this won't involve having to jump all those insurance hurdles again since it's the same group or whatever.
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