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Posted 2/26/2013 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
I am looking to get yet another opinion, and am hoping to find a great GI in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Does anyone know of one, or better yet how to find a good Dr. (as opposed to a not so good one?) Thanks!
Posted 2/26/2013 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
ARM,

I thought you see Dr. Shaheen? I also thought he was suppose to be one of the best GI doctors? I'm just wondering.

Posted 2/26/2013 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
ARM
In Florida you can go on the state web page and check out their education, credentials, complaints etc., and insurance claims, even reading the court filed papers ( patient identifying data removed)., fines paid .
Suggest you check your states records for each doctor you are considering. (I'm assuming you are in the states--if not, I apologize)
Posted 2/28/2013 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Pat Fill.

Hi Doggbones. I am with Shaheen, but am a bit uncomfortable. I am 29 yrs old, had GERD for 5 years, and have abnormal tests with esophageal hypomotility and hypomotile LES. Despite this Shaheen says 'if your worried about cancer, don't be", and that since I don't have Barrett's now, I probably won't ever have it.

I just can't be comfortable with that. You know, I am a white male, and I read a study where among those with GERD for over 15 years or something, the majority had Barrett's. I have had it for five years, so I don't know how he is so comfortable telling me not to worry about cancer.

I am in email contact with a few other doctors (because I am so frustrated with my condition), and they all say the same things: The risk of cancer is so low I should just let it go, my GERD isn't more serious than other people's despite the anatomical defects that are a part of it, that surgery shouldn't be undergone to help with cancer risk, but for other reasons (i.e. quality of life), etc.

Meanwhile studies show symptom duration and severity correlate to cancer in GERD patients, and I am a white male, and my esophagus doesn't work right, and I am only 29 and five years into this. So to me it is incomprehensible that I 'shouldn't worry about cancer'. I have a wife that I want to take care of, a kid on the way, and all this stuff...and I am told not to worry.

I don't know what I am going to do, but I am looking hard at surgery now. I was told my esophageal hypomotility isn't a strong counter-indication for surgery, so at this point I am ready to roll the dice and do it. Otherwise I'll just be suffering on and off symptoms throughout every day, and be worried about cancer.

In my mind, I couldn't imagine reaching age 80 or 90 still suffering GERD and not having gotten cancer by then, you know? I just don't get it. My Dr's say don't worry, but I want to live a long life to be able to protect my family and its like these people just don't get it.

Since I rambled a bit maybe you can tell I am a bit on edge lately... devil
Posted 2/28/2013 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Plus, Dr's say so many people suffer from GERD, but so few get cancer, that the risk is low. But I think that everyone gets lumped together...the guy who gets GERD from eating sausage once a week is considered a 'GERD sufferer'. Meanwhile I am getting symptoms every day of the week.

So I don't buy this 'low risk' claim. I think that people like me are probably at a much higher risk. But again, Shaheen said 'if you are worried about cancer, don't be'. So who the hell knows. It is incomprehensible to me...but I don't run a University hospital Center on Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing and specialize in Barrett's and cancer. So who the hell knows. I don't know. But I am uncomfortable just doing jack year after year and piling on years of symptoms that will stay with me and maybe increase my risk forever.
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