MD Anderson in Houston

christine4life
christine4life Member Posts: 15
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Does anyone have any advice on scheduling appointments at MD Anderson or any specific doctor that we should try to see?  How long does it normally take to get an appointment there?  Thank you!

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #2
    I don't

    but I know others here who go there, and are happy. 

    I guess I just had to have my say in your new thread image.

    Sue - Trubrit

  • christine4life
    christine4life Member Posts: 15
    #3
    Trubrit said:

    I don't

    but I know others here who go there, and are happy. 

    I guess I just had to have my say in your new thread image.

    Sue - Trubrit

    Thanks Sue!

    Thanks Sue!

  • AleciaP
    AleciaP Member Posts: 2
    #4
    MDA Houston doctors

    Hi. I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer just over a year ago. I just finished treaments and done with surgeries. MDA was a blessing to me and my entire family. My oncologist was Dr. Sunil Patel (Katy regional center) and my surgeon was Dr. Craig Messick (sugar Land and Main Campus) and I can not recommend them highly enough! 

    When I first tried to get an appontment I was told it would be three weeks before anyone could see me, but my husband called and raised Cain until they got me in in two days! He charmed and threatened and carried on until they relented and found an appointment for me. :)

    God bless you and your family and good luck!

  • Cazz
    Cazz Member Posts: 106
    #5
    MDA

    As I live in California, it took two to three weeks to get all of my reports, scans etc. over to them, complicated by the fact that I had to have a new biopsy done because we didn't have enough tissue left to send them the slides they required.  Once everything was in order they gave me an appointment date about three weeks out, which I needed to be able to get reasonable air fare etc.  We stayed at the Jesse Jones Rotary House, which is incredibly convenient, being attached to the hospital.  Being metastatic anal squamous, I was asking to see Dr Cathy Eng, who is running a clinical trial I wanted to get into.  If you are looking for a second opinion or new patient appointment it may be easier and take less time to get in.  I'm sorry but I don't know any other doctors there, but I am sure somebody will have recommendations for you.

    Good luck - maybe I'll see you there next week!

  • MjLow
    MjLow Member Posts: 1
    #6
    I went there 2 years ago and

    I went there 2 years ago and I LOVED it!!  I felt so safe there I wish I could move down there.  I highly recommend Dr. Christopher Garrett, even though he can not be my full time Dr. he still tells my oncologist his opinions and keeps track of what is going on with me.

    Getting the appointment there was so easy, just called the number for new patient visits and talked to a wonderful lady whose name I can not think of at this moment but she was the only person we had to deal with the whole time we were getting scheduled-  the really know what they are doing there, please go if you can!

  • Buddy2013
    Buddy2013 Member Posts: 17 Member
    #7
    MDA

    Herman Cain (presidential candidate in 2008) was treated there for colon cancer.  His oncologist was Dr. Cathy Eng.  

     

    I highly recommend Dr Thomas Aloia for surgical oncology.  I've met some of his other patients and they said he came highly recommended to them as well.

     

    You must be persistent with the "schedulers".   Sometimes multiple phone calls are needed but stay on it and be persistent.  

    It is an excellent hospital and well worth the effort to get the right doctor.      

     

    From my first call to them to my appointment date was 2 weeks.  It was well worth the wait.   They are the best at what they do.

     

    They have people there that are assigned as 'patient advocates'.      They are assigned to you once you have an appointment.    They can be very valuable resources for questions or just to help you with any issues you may have with the administrative operations.

     

     

  • Buddy2013
    Buddy2013 Member Posts: 17 Member
    #8
    MDA

    sorry for the double post...

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #9
    MDA

    christine...  I went to and still go to MDA.  Such wonderful Doctors!  My internist called and scheduled for me.  It took about two weeks to get my appt but my doctor asked specifically for Drs Eng and Chang.  (Oncologist and surgen) and I was lucky enough to get Dr. Das for radiology.  I stayed at Rotary house for a week and then rented an "executive" appt.  as I was there for several months.  I will be four years out of treatment in October and am NED.  If you can get there. Believe you feel better.  Lorikat

  • christine4life
    christine4life Member Posts: 15
    #10
    Lorikat said:

    MDA

    christine...  I went to and still go to MDA.  Such wonderful Doctors!  My internist called and scheduled for me.  It took about two weeks to get my appt but my doctor asked specifically for Drs Eng and Chang.  (Oncologist and surgen) and I was lucky enough to get Dr. Das for radiology.  I stayed at Rotary house for a week and then rented an "executive" appt.  as I was there for several months.  I will be four years out of treatment in October and am NED.  If you can get there. Believe you feel better.  Lorikat

    MD Anderson

    Thank you all for your feedback!  We will definitely look at scheduling an appointment with MD Anderson if my husband does need chemo.  He is scheduled for surgery on 14 July and we are hoping that he is stage 1 and the surgery will be all he needs.  His MRI said that some of his lymph nodes were suspicious for metasis and the surgeon said there was a 50/50 chanice he might be stage 3 but we won't know for sure until after the surgery. If he needs chemo, he'd have to wait at least 30 days after surgery so it's good to know he could likely see an oncologist at MD Anderson by then.

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