I´m considering asking for a 2nd opinion from one of the experienced US doctors, possibly dr. Cognetti. Could anyone tell me more or less how much a doctor there asks for to review scans without insurance? I'm going on 10 years with all these symptoms, and I'm fed up with this. I saw the most ES experienced doctor here in Spain almost a year ago. He didn't actually give me a diagnosis, after first confirming that it was ES, so I was a little discouraged after seeing him. He did say that ES most likely is what is causing the pain I'm experiencing, maybe not all of my symtomps (he thought a few were anxiety related). He also didn´t recommend surgery since the ligaments are not 100 % calcified and the styloids are just on the limit (ca. 3.1 cm and 3.6cm). I´m not sure where to go from here, but I know I need to get something done!
Hi Nenufar. I don't know how much it costs to get an opinion from Dr. Cognetti, but I wanted to tell you that your styloid lengths can definitely cause problems.
There have been forum members that had symptoms from "shorter" styloids . Mine were around 3.5 and 3.6 cm and they caused me a lot of misery. The angle of the styloid is important too because it can cause shorter styloids to hit various nerves etc.
Also, it seems that some of the more experienced Eagles doctors are starting to recognize that shorter styloids can cause problems. Dr. Samji, who is one of the most experienced doctors in the US now considers operating on syloids if they are 2.5 cm or longer, if I understand correctly.
If you end up having problems trying to get to the US, one option would be to print out some information about shorter styloids causing symptoms and bring it to the doctor in Spain.
Thank you, Heidemt. The doctor I saw seemed to believe that my symptoms most likely are caused by the ossification/calcification of my styloids/ligaments. Over the years I´ve had just about every test and bloodwork done, and all have come back normal (except for slighly elongated styloids and some calcificaton). Apart from some neurological symptoms my main discomfort is the sensation of having a stick of some sort wedged in my throat on the left side 24/7 and the feeling that it´s about to snap or get stuck on something every time I swallow/move tounge. I also have constant cervical pain/stiffness, and sharp pain to the ear, jaw and eye at times, and constantly feeling bad or that something is happening with me. The past year I have also had twitching and a feeling of weakness and pain that come and go in arms and legs. That might be totally unrelated, though. My neurologist seem to think that is caused by anxiety since bloodworks, mris of spine/neck/head and emgs all have come back normal.
Anyway, the ES specialist her in Spain told med that he recommended to wait with surgery until they grow longer and more calcified. He said that he could do surgery, but since the styloids are not very long he could not do the intraoral route ( I got the impression that he prefers this), and if he had go go through the neck he said he might not even find the ligaments since they are not 100 % calcified. I don´t know know, but to me it sounds a little odd... But this is a good doctor with very good bedside manners. I asked him in October, via his secretary, if he was willing to do the surgery if I wanted to give it a shot, but he never came back to me. I´m not sure if that is a no. That is why I´m now considering a 2nd opninion from a US doctor, and possibly to do surgery over there (depending on the prices...) if they consider ES to be the cause of my pains. I´m always in some sort of pain and constantly worried. It´s an exhausting situation all together! Thank you so much for getting bak to me, Heidemt! I might consider dr. Samji too, even though a flight to the eastcoast would be closer for me.
I understand why you're thinking about a US doctor. Can you call Dr. Cognetti's office and ask about how they deal with out-of-country patients and what the costs are? Drs Cognetti and Samji both get lots of patients from all over and I think they both have procedures in place that are pretty good.
Most of your symptoms sure sound like Eagles. I think it would be interesting to get the surgery and see how many of them go away.
It is definitely an exhausting situation! It's hard to be in pain all the time. Especially when you have to work so hard to try to get it fixed.
I just had another thought too. Have you tried the doctors in England?
Another member on this site checked with Dr. Cognetti & Dr. Samji for the cost of ES surgery. Dr. Cognetti charges about $30,000 (U.S.) Dr. Samji's price for cash paying patients was less than half of that ($10-12,000 - I think). The caveat here is that Dr. Samji will only do one side at a time if you have bilateral ES whereas Dr. Cognetti might do both at once (don't know this for sure). If he does, then his price though higher would only be charged once. Dr. Samji would charge you twice and you'd have to come back a second time if your ES is bilateral.
Isaiah 40:31 said:
Another member on this site checked with Dr. Cognetti & Dr. Samji for the cost of ES surgery. Dr. Cognetti charges about $30,000 (U.S.) Dr. Samji's price for cash paying patients was less than half of that ($10-12,000 - I think). The caveat here is that Dr. Samji will only do one side at a time if you have bilateral ES whereas Dr. Cognetti might do both at once (don't know this for sure). If he does, then his price though higher would only be charged once. Dr. Samji would charge you twice and you'd have to come back a second time if your ES is bilateral.
HOLY CRAP!!! I sure would go bankrupt 100 times over if I was charged anything for medical in Canada....How do ppl pay for that...or is there medical care in the states....I just never understood the medical system there...
We have health insurance in the US. When I had two surgeries with Dr. Samji, I didn't have to pay anything. With some of my other surgeries, I ended up paying about $500 for items that weren't completely covered by insurance.
Most people in the US have medical insurance that pays a chunk of the medical bills that a person generates.There are many insurance companies and types of plans. Part of a person's salary from work is usually deducted to help pay for the insurance plan offered by the company that person works for. For people who don't work and can't afford insurance the government offers a healthcare package that the government pays for. Interstingly, the insurance companies require doctors who accept their coverage to adjust their fees to what the insurance company says a particular medical service is worth. The insurance will pay a percentage of that value & the patient pays the remainder. Doctors often charge more than insurance will pay in order to make sure they get the maximum benefit from the insurance company when it does pay then reduce their fee to what the insurance company allows so the patient doesn't have to pay the larger amount. Many hospitals and doctors give significant discounts to patients who pay cash & don't use insurance. This description is probably confusing but it should help you get the idea of how our system works.
Wow - great description!!
Isaiah 40:31 said:
Most people in the US have medical insurance that pays a chunk of the medical bills that a person generates.There are many insurance companies and types of plans. Part of a person's salary from work is usually deducted to help pay for the insurance plan offered by the company that person works for. For people who don't work and can't afford insurance the government offers a healthcare package that the government pays for. Interstingly, the insurance companies require doctors who accept their coverage to adjust their fees to what the insurance company says a particular medical service is worth. The insurance will pay a percentage of that value & the patient pays the remainder. Doctors often charge more than insurance will pay in order to make sure they get the maximum benefit from the insurance company when it does pay then reduce their fee to what the insurance company allows so the patient doesn't have to pay the larger amount. Many hospitals and doctors give significant discounts to patients who pay cash & don't use insurance. This description is probably confusing but it should help you get the idea of how our system works.
Thanks Isaiah. I haven´t contacted any U.S doctors yet. I will look into both Dr. Samji and Dr. Cognetti, though. I have a private insurance that would reimburse an 80 % of the expences, so I think it would worth it! Still, it would be much easier and cheaper to do the surgery in Spain with the Barcelona doctor. I will probably contact him again. A French member on here, Maxence, just saw him, and he is willing to do his surgery. I think we have similar cases, with styloids around the same length and mine are, in addition, calcified. Maybe I need to insist more...
Isaiah 40:31 said:
Another member on this site checked with Dr. Cognetti & Dr. Samji for the cost of ES surgery. Dr. Cognetti charges about $30,000 (U.S.) Dr. Samji's price for cash paying patients was less than half of that ($10-12,000 - I think). The caveat here is that Dr. Samji will only do one side at a time if you have bilateral ES whereas Dr. Cognetti might do both at once (don't know this for sure). If he does, then his price though higher would only be charged once. Dr. Samji would charge you twice and you'd have to come back a second time if your ES is bilateral.