Hi Everyone...I am back again...Still seeking the best doctor for Rob, since he is losing Dr. Myers after having been treated by him for 5 years +. We have had very good consults with Dr. Nancy Dawson at Georgetown University Hospital and Dr. Mario Eisenberger at Johns Hopkins. We liked both and have a follow up appointment with Dr. Dawson in December. But since we know that Dr. Dawson is probably going to retire in the next couple of years, we would very much like to connect with a doctor in northern Virginia to which we are currently in the process of relocating (Leesburg area.). In our last phone consult with Dr. Myers, he indicated that due to a tending rise in Rob's PSA and Bone Specific Alkaline Phosphate, he believed that Rob's PC may be about to move forward into the bone, but Drs. Dawson and Eisenberger disagreed, saying that they were minor fluctuations and his last scan was stable (Dr. Eisenberger even said that the Alkaline Phosphate was not that significant an indicator.). Dr. Dawson said in our consult with her that she did not like to change the protocol of patients coming from other doctors, at least not initially. Dr. Eisenberger was in favor of Rob coming off of a great deal of the triple blockade treatment that Dr. Myers has had him on for the last three years. He felt that a good deal of it and some of the supplements he is on were not necessary nor doing any good and were the cause of Rob's physical and mental fatigue. Sooooo, we are in a tough situation....losing Dr. Myers and getting messages from other doctors that are confusing and moving to a new area. I am very hopeful that there is a doctor in NVA that might be a good fit for Rob. So far, in my research I have read about Dr. Donald Trump with INOVA, who it seems is highly regarded. Do any of you have personal knowledge of Dr. Trump, or does anyone know of another exceptional PC doctor in the area of NVA? I very much appreciate all past help that you have given me and will certainly appreciate any that you have to offer now--either about a doctor recommendation or Rob's medical condition/treatment. Thank you, in advance, and may God care for you and bless you. b
NVA PC Doctors: Hi Everyone...I am back... - Advanced Prostate...
NVA PC Doctors
May I ask - which Dr. Meyers is this? Of Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, MN?
Donald Trump is now President of The USA...I doubt he has time to treat PCa patients...recommends a quart of Gator Blood a month
You may want to consider Dr. Michael Carducci. He's a Hopkins medical oncologist who clinics at Sibley in DC on Thursdays.
Thanks, Yost....Your reply is mutely appreciated....I will check into Dr. Carducci.
Take care, Blessings, b
Dr Trump was the director of the Roswell Park Cancer center in Buffalo NY, He has done a lot of research on Vit D. "Dr. Trump is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. His clinical interests include the treatment of genitourinary cancers, including prostate, bladder, kidney and testis.", Dr Trump is 72 years old, Just a speculation that he may retire soon, I think I would be looking for an Oncologist at a Major teaching Hospital, one who specializes only in Prostate Cancer, here is some info on Dr Carducci, he is 56 years old. urology.jhu.edu/michaelcard...
Dan
Thanks, Dan....I appreciate your adding to my knowledge about Dr. Trump and I do understand and agree with the points your made about seeking a younger and more specialized doctor. Dr. Carducci was mentioned to me earlier, and I will use your link to begin checking him out. Thanks so much for your input! Take good care and be blessed, b
I think you're absolutely doing the right thing by trying to find a top doctor, but I don't have a suggestion for one. Looking up Dr. Trump (at first I thought you might be making a joke - which is what Gus was doing), I see that he is a specialist in prostate and other genitourinary cancers and has long experience - both good things. I also searched pubmed for Donald L Trump and got 137 hits. He was the last named author in a fair number of them, which often means that he was the "principal investigator", the person who directed all the work. Very often a guy in that position comes up with ideas for research and gives them to associates who do the actual lab or clinical work - enabling the PI to effectively work on many more projects.
I also did a pubmed search on Mario A Eisenberger and got 111 hits. So he too is no slouch when it comes to cancer research. In a Google search, I found that he seems to practice in Washington DC as well as Hopkins Hospital. Some doctors will spend part of the week in one office and part in another. So maybe he's available to you without having to drive to Baltimore.
As for Dr. Eisenberger's recommendation that Rob stop taking some of this medications and supplements, I have no idea whether he's right or wrong. He's certainly highly qualified, but so too is Dr. Myers. If you are considering Dr. Eisenberger's recommendations, one possibility is to remove just one medication or supplement at a time and see if there are any effects either on Rob's general well being, or on blood markers like PSA and alkaline phosphatase.
Best of luck.
Alan
Thanks so much, Alan for your thoughtful and complete response....I truly appreciate the research time you put in....I did not even know about pubmed...but now, thanks to you, I do! :). Dr. Eisenberger did not want to take Rob on as a patient...but said that he would be available for consult up the road, if needed. I think that I will continue to find out what I can about Dr. Trump and any other recommendations that come in, while we continue with Dr. Dawson until her retirement. God bless you and take good care of you, b
I have used Dr. Dawson and Dr. Myers together for the last five years and I am very pleased with both. I am G8, mCRPC and have gotten a lot better over that time.
Dr. Dawson has always shared a number of patients with Dr. Myers. She does continue his treatments, and is understanding of the use of supplements and off label drugs. And she is very competent at handling new developments.
Bob
Dear Bob...I cannot tell you how encouraging your message is!!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I hope that Dr. Myers might remain available for consult, if needed....though we have not actually heard such from him. I hope and I pray that you will continue to do well. Take good care...God bless and keep you, Thanks, again, b
Who did Dr Myers recommend; he typically tailors the recommendation with patient at last mtg?
Initially, Dr. Myers said he would recommend Dr. Nancy Dawson at Georgetown...but he said that he would wait until he saw the results of Rob's last bone scan and a DNA sequencing test, before making his final recommendation. The scan showed nothing new and the DNA test did not reveal any helpful info....however, Dr. Myers changed his recommendation to Dr. Ferrari, in NJ. As I explained to Dr. Myers, I felt that it would be very difficult for us to travel six hours to see a doctor, even now and could be become even more difficult over time. I felt that we should try to locate someone closer to home--which was and is the Richmond area of VA, but will soon to be northern VA...an hour closer, but still a stretch to see Dr. Ferrari, in NJ. Dr. Myers never shared with me why he recommended Dr. Ferrari....I know from my research that she is excellent. He did say that Dr. Dawson and Dr. Eisenberger are excellent doctors and up to treating Rob. I truly want Rob to have who he needs. But the physical and mental fatigue from the three years of a triple blockade and my own limitations make the thought of NJ pretty daunting. So, I am praying and searching for a doctor in/or much closer to NVA. Thanks for asking....I very much appreciate your response. May God bless and keep you, b
Dr Myers recommended both Dr Ferrari and Charles Drake in New York. I am now being treated by Dr Drake who is excellent. Since I live in Philly area, the travel is not an inpediment to me.
Thanks so much for your input! Yes, I know that both Drake and Ferrari are excellent doctors....I wish they were more easily accessible to us....I certainly am not entirely ruling them out....but hoping and praying that we may find a doctor closer that can take care of Rob, equally as well, due to the difficulty and toll I feel that having to travel long distances would exact upon Rob. Again, thanks for responding. Take good care. And God Bless! b
Did you think of getting the best MO that you are comfortable with and having a local MO work with him or her. Have your care coordinated between the two doctors. You see the local MO when you need to, and you see the the PCa expert MO every six months. The expert reads the local doctor's e-mail notes and test results and comments regarding treatment. You have a face-to-face meeting with the expert every six months. To each his own; however, it works for me.
Rich
Thanks so much for your reply, Rich. Yes, I have thought that we may need to do just what you have said. I am just trying to see if it is possible to find an MO that is closer that we can feel confident with. Right now, Dr. Nancy Dawson seems to be the one best suited for us....but I will not rule out, someone at a farther distance, with her or another MO treating Rob locally. I am trying to preserve Rob's quality of life, while preserving his life. Long distance travel, even just twice a year, would be a hardship on him....but it may be one we will have to face...... Still, though, I will continue to seek and pray and try to do what is the right thing for Rob. Once again, thanks to you for your input and support! Blessings and best wishes, b