For those who have been to Vanderbilt:

[lalalisa]

Hello!

Today my hematologist mentioned sending me to Vanderbilt (if insurance will cover it). I am wondering what your experiences were like their?

Some of you have mentioned that you were their for a lengthy period of time for testing. At this point I have had numerous tests including a tilt table test and have an accurate diagnosis, I am really not interested in a lengthy series of tests because I'm truly afraid that it would take me months to bounce back from them. Is it possible to go their and be seen for specific things such as blood volume without being admitted for numerous days? (just more of a normal dr's visit?) (I guess I've gotten the picture that when you go their you are a "guinea pig" and I'm really scared of that! - even though I realize some testing is profitable)

Any insight concerning Vanderbilt would be helpful!

Do any of you have favorite or least favorite Dr's their?

Thanks again for any info!

Lisa

[Ernie]

Hi,

This is probably not what you want to read but it is my experience. I went there as a guinea pig and certainly felt like one. I did not get to have any test that were agreed upon when I was invited and I never received any report. I was there for 2 weeks. For me, it was it was a total lost of time and money. It took me many weeks to get back to my baseline. I don't want to ever go back.

If you pay (or your insurance) you may have better treatment.

Ernie

[lalalisa]

Ernie,

Hello! I appreciate your honesty, thank you! I'm sorry this was such a bad experience for you.

I was reading on their website tonight and noticed that they have an "inpatient research unit" and then an "outpatient clinic". I'm wondering if the clinic is a place where I could be seen in a short amount of time and still get some answers?

Thanks again,

Lisa

[Sunfish]

hi lisa -

sadly enough i don't know one clinic, research center, doctor, etc. where everyone has had a good experience. a shame but just the truth of the matter. i'm not at all discounting others' experiences but my time at vanderbilt was overall a good one. i had a decent idea of what was going to happen before going but this only happened b/c i bugged them with TONS of questions ahead of time. i was there as a research patient and thus was a bit of a guinea pig but got a lot out of it personally as well. for me the issue of it wiping me out wasn't a huge thing b/c i was essentially bedridden before going; in other words i was desparate, so while the trip & testing was exhausting, i was willing to do anything that had any hope of bringing improvement. i had thought about applying previously but wasn't wiilling/able/desparate enough to follow-up b/c while i was struggling with symptoms i wasn't at as low of a place. i will also add that follow-up from vandy has not been grand; they're just not set up for it. i had follow-up that was pretty good for the first month but then that was about it. but i'm still glad i went. my lengthy description of my time there is at:

http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtop...bilt+chronicles

in terms of the clinic you mentioned, you're right that they do have an outpatient clinic. i believe you need a referral but am not certain about what testing is or can be done on an outpatient basis. i know that there's a waiting list but am not sure how lengthy it is. i don't personally know anyone who has been to vandy solely as an outpatient so can't help you much in that regard. if you're persistant though with phone calls & questions with them you should be able to find out. the website is quite up-to-date as it was just redone entirely this may.

hope this helps,

:-)melissa

Edited August 19, 2005 by Sunfish

[OCsunshine]

Lisa,

I'm not sure I will be of much help as I don't know much about the tecnicalities of bv testing and I know nothing about Vanderbilt.

My thought was this- are you planning to enter Vanderbilt as a new patient and sign on with a new doctor there and have him start from square one? It sounds like that's what you are trying to avoid.

In my experience (with doctors and places like Hopkins), I find that it's best to stick with my 'favorite' doctor (ie, the one that is the best advocate for me and is truly out there to help me and seek answers, not just brush me aside or use me as a guinea pig). When I need something outside of his expertise or ability, he will "send me" somewhere and give strict specific instructions to the new doctor or medical institution. That way I'm not just handed over and tossed about. I get into the hospital/research facility, they do as they're told (my doctor keeps a close watch and tight communication with whoever I'm going to see) and then when the procedure/test is done, I go back to my regular doctor to deal with whatever they found.

Does that make any sense? Again, I don't know how Vanderbilt works so this may not be much help. I hope you can get the accurate bv test that you need and take those results back to a trustworthy doctor.

Sincerely,

Rachel D

At this point I have had numerous tests including a tilt table test and have an accurate diagnosis, I am really not interested in a lengthy series of tests because I'm truly afraid that it would take me months to bounce back from them. Is it possible to go their and be seen for specific things such as blood volume without being admitted for numerous days?