FrankTalk.org

Have come to the decision that Dr Eid is my first pick for my surgery. I have a Tele-Medicine visit scheduled with him later this month. Looking for some input from others that have traveled long distance for this procedure:

I am 1,000 miles from New York. We hate airports and flying. Has anybody driven long distance after surgery? Would probably stay in NY for extra few days post surgery. Even it took us 2-3 days to drive back home, would prefer this. We do have an SUV that I could lay down in if necessary. Would also consider getting a hotel room away from the city, (cheaper), and stay for longer period of time. The thought of using a hotel for a recovery room is a little scary.

In the event of any issue post surgery concerned about following up with a local urologist. Would feel kind of like taking a Bentley to a Toyota dealer for service? Or if the better qualified local Doctors would even accept me as a patient, not wanting to deal with another Doctors work? I don't have an issue with travel back to NY from time to time if needed, more concerned in the event of an emergency and someone here locally messes with something Eid has done and ends up making things worst.

In the event of getting an infection, how long does that typically take to show up? I've read some posts that can also typically be treated with proper antibiotics and not require a trip back to surgeon.

Levine in Chicago would be my second pick. He is just 4.5 hours drive from me. I have in person visit scheduled with him later this month. But don't want to make my decision based on distance. Want to go with the best possible surgeon no matter how far I have to travel.

Any input appreciated.

I like your idea of renting away from the city for several days.

traveler wrote:Have come to the decision that Dr Eid is my first pick for my surgery. I have a Tele-Medicine visit scheduled with him later this month. Looking for some input from others that have traveled long distance for this procedure:


(edited down for focus)

Want to go with the best possible surgeon no matter how far I have to travel.

Any input appreciated.

Thanks for trusting us with your question and welcome to the forum, traveler.

I live in Alaska and was considering flying to the East Coast for surgery with either Dr Kramer or Dr Eid. Both were surprizingly generous via email with my decision-making and researching processes. Kind humanitarians, both.

The surgeon I eventually chose won me over with his attitude and willingness to accept me as an integral and participatory member of my medical care team. Also, his dedication to his craft (something Dr. Eid commended to me.)

My chosen surgeon told me, "You will be overflying a lot of good surgeons if you go to the East Coast."

As for follow up care. I found out that lots of the implant surgeons are familiar with quite a few of the others in their profession. A polite query to Eid might get you a small list of qualified doctors near you that Eid would be willing to refer you to for any follow up needs. Can't hurt to ask.

Gt1956 wrote:As for follow up care. I found out that lots of the implant surgeons are familiar with quite a few of the others in their profession. A polite query to Eid might get you a small list of qualified doctors near you that Eid would be willing to refer you to for any follow up needs. Can't hurt to ask.

Yes, true.

The first surgeon to whom I was referred (a local urologist who performs the procedure a couple dozen times a year and who did not generate my enthusiasm for his bedside manner) was willing to provide follow-up care for my implant performed by Dr. Kramer.

Fortunately a recently-assigned surgeon figuratively and literally fell into my lap before I had to resort to that contingency.

Here are a couple of threads (it is a good idea to have read through a few years of past posts when you have a question as it has already probably been asked and answered in the past and some of the answers to a current thread may be slow in coming or not ever come at all, as the members who had those answers might be absent) that discuss some of the issues of concern here.

Backup Doctors
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7890

Continuity of Care - How Important?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8236&p=60367

I would strongly recommend renting a comfy place for the first few nights. It was only on day 5 for me when I felt like getting in a car (everyone’s different)

traveler wrote:Have come to the decision that Dr Eid is my first pick for my surgery. I have a Tele-Medicine visit scheduled with him later this month. Looking for some input from others that have traveled long distance for this procedure:

I am 1,000 miles from New York. We hate airports and flying. Has anybody driven long distance after surgery? Would probably stay in NY for extra few days post surgery. Even it took us 2-3 days to drive back home, would prefer this. We do have an SUV that I could lay down in if necessary. Would also consider getting a hotel room away from the city, (cheaper), and stay for longer period of time. The thought of using a hotel for a recovery room is a little scary.

In the event of any issue post surgery concerned about following up with a local urologist. Would feel kind of like taking a Bentley to a Toyota dealer for service? Or if the better qualified local Doctors would even accept me as a patient, not wanting to deal with another Doctors work? I don't have an issue with travel back to NY from time to time if needed, more concerned in the event of an emergency and someone here locally messes with something Eid has done and ends up making things worst.

In the event of getting an infection, how long does that typically take to show up? I've read some posts that can also typically be treated with proper antibiotics and not require a trip back to surgeon.

Levine in Chicago would be my second pick. He is just 4.5 hours drive from me. I have in person visit scheduled with him later this month. But don't want to make my decision based on distance. Want to go with the best possible surgeon no matter how far I have to travel.

Any input appreciated.

Good morning Traveler,

I traveled to Dr Eid from New Hampshire. I took a local bus to NYC & spent a week there all alone. My wife is visually impaired & I didn't want her to go any extra anxiety.

I decided to go to NYC because of his expertise & I felt some of the doctors in Boston didn't have the bed side manner. I do not regret my decision.

I hope this helps!

Junior

Good luck to you traveler. My post is not an attempt to sway you a different way of thinking. I strongly believe all good medical care is based on the doctrine of informed consent, and the more info you have the more informed you will be, albeit too much info can be confusing. Still, it’s important to know.

Eid was never an option for me due to insurance. Kramer was. I had hit my catastrophic cap for year on health insurance. It was going to be free. I had plenty of Southwest Airlines points for an AUS-BWI round trip. Several in fact.

I never got to talk to the Doctor. Seems like I talked to everybody in his clinic except him. Nobody was unpleasant. It was just nobody was overwhelmingly helpful. I guess to them folks traveling across the country was no big deal. To me, the patient, it was a very big deal.

I interviewed two more or less local guys, one in Temple TX at the Scott and White Clinic (they’re regional, well thought of, and tied to a medical school) and the other in Austin. I made a conscious and informed decision to do it closer to home.

I want to stress: what was right for me might not be right for you. Somebody is gonna be cutting on your junk. I get the idea of the best being desirable.

I did want to also emphasize after care is not without importance and having the doctor close by in not without a lot of benefits. No, I had no complications. But having the doctor 60 miles away made life easy. I got totally superior follow up care. Multiple return visits, whenever I wanted them to see me or talk to me. Individualized instruction on how to pump, how to deflate, and how to avoid discomfort while doing so. The surgeon has a PA who himself strikes me as tops in his class, and he would teach me more in 45 minutes than I could have achieved in two weeks of at home fumbling.

Before you get it done, probably in NYC, try as hard as you can to coordinate for follow up close to home. I think the follow up contributed as much if not more to my decent outcome as the surgeon’s skills. Nor do I have any complaints about those despite him not having his name in lights on BroadwY.

traveler wrote:Have come to the decision that Dr Eid is my first pick for my surgery. I have a Tele-Medicine visit scheduled with him later this month. Looking for some input from others that have traveled long distance for this procedure:

I am 1,000 miles from New York. We hate airports and flying. Has anybody driven long distance after surgery? Would probably stay in NY for extra few days post surgery. Even it took us 2-3 days to drive back home, would prefer this. We do have an SUV that I could lay down in if necessary. Would also consider getting a hotel room away from the city, (cheaper), and stay for longer period of time. The thought of using a hotel for a recovery room is a little scary.

In the event of any issue post surgery concerned about following up with a local urologist. Would feel kind of like taking a Bentley to a Toyota dealer for service? Or if the better qualified local Doctors would even accept me as a patient, not wanting to deal with another Doctors work? I don't have an issue with travel back to NY from time to time if needed, more concerned in the event of an emergency and someone here locally messes with something Eid has done and ends up making things worst.

In the event of getting an infection, how long does that typically take to show up? I've read some posts that can also typically be treated with proper antibiotics and not require a trip back to surgeon.

Levine in Chicago would be my second pick. He is just 4.5 hours drive from me. I have in person visit scheduled with him later this month. But don't want to make my decision based on distance. Want to go with the best possible surgeon no matter how far I have to travel.

Any input appreciated.

There was a surgeon in Indianapolis mentioned last week. Is that closer to you? Dr AlexTatum.

In the event of any issue post surgery concerned about following up with a local urologist.

I flew from NC to NY for surgery with Dr. Eid. and stayed 7 days post-op to ensure no issues and to learn how to inflate/deflate properly before travelling back. I could have had surgery with a local uro who claims to do 2-3 a week but decided against it.

Regarding post-op follow up (barring any issues) you only need to have two stiches removed 14 days post-op. A general surgeon can do this—and many people do this themselves. Aside from that there is no need for follow up. Now, in the statistically unlikely event you get an infection then you should fly back to Dr. Eid who has a full protocol to handle the situation. I WOULD NOT go to a local uro.

Actually, I went back to my local uro for my yearly follow up and she said Eid did a beautiful job. But, when I asked her questions about using a VED afterward and other (what I thought were) general questions, she said “talk to Eid, he did your surgery”

I recommend having the surgery with Eid and staying at the Affinia across the street from the surgery center until you leave. You can find a cheaper place further away prior to surgery.

Also, I was on my own the entire time and was fine. Only needed a medical chaperone to walk me across the street. Pain was extremely manageable and swelling/bruising was minimal. Please PM if you like.