› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Newcomer need Dr advice in LA area. URGENT
- This topic has 30 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 5 months ago by
JustMeInCA.
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- January 4, 2015 at 9:47 pm
Recently diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma. A brain tumor was found in the cerebellum and CT showed multiple nodules and a large mass in my lungs. After lung biopsy I was diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma and referred to Dr. Omid Hamid in St. Johns medical center. Does anyone have any experience with this Dr or any recommendations to another oncologist? I hear good things about this melanoma center but Dr. Hamid has only 2.5 stars out of 4. Any advice at all? Please help.
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- January 4, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Hi Sherman,
I have been a patient of Dr. Hamid and I have always found him and his staff exceedingly competent. He is not the most friendly and comunicative Melanoma Doc in LA (that probably goes to Dr. O'Day) but he knows his stuff. I would guess that he only has 2.5 stars because of his manor, rather than his compentence.
If you're shopping around for melanoma drs in LA. Also check out the Angeles Clinic http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/SpecialtyCenters/MelanomaSkinCancer/tabid/19288/Default.aspx
and
Beverly Hills Cancer Center http://www.bhcancercenter.com/
I think USC Norris Caner Center also has a Melanoma Center http://keck.usc.edu/en/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Department_of_Dermatology/About_the_Department.aspx
I have been to both the Angeles Clinic and the Beverly Hills Cancer Center. And you can't go wrong with either. Dr O'Day's a top notch researcher and an all round nice guy. Personally, I like the Angeles Clinic office staff better than the BHCC, but everytime I go to BHCC I remind myself that I'm not there for their office staff.
Hope this helps,
Fellow Southern Californian.
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- January 4, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Thank you so much for your reply. All of this is so confusing and I feel like there isnt much time. The location of the brain tumor is in a very dangerous place and I was told I can not be on the steroids that I am taking for it for too long. I am happy to hear that you find Dr. Hamid competent. It is a little unsettling to see those kind of reviews. I have been reading a lot about Dr. O'Day and Dr. Ribas. I will see about getting another appointment with them. Thanks again for your help
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- January 4, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Thank you so much for your reply. All of this is so confusing and I feel like there isnt much time. The location of the brain tumor is in a very dangerous place and I was told I can not be on the steroids that I am taking for it for too long. I am happy to hear that you find Dr. Hamid competent. It is a little unsettling to see those kind of reviews. I have been reading a lot about Dr. O'Day and Dr. Ribas. I will see about getting another appointment with them. Thanks again for your help
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- January 4, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Thank you so much for your reply. All of this is so confusing and I feel like there isnt much time. The location of the brain tumor is in a very dangerous place and I was told I can not be on the steroids that I am taking for it for too long. I am happy to hear that you find Dr. Hamid competent. It is a little unsettling to see those kind of reviews. I have been reading a lot about Dr. O'Day and Dr. Ribas. I will see about getting another appointment with them. Thanks again for your help
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- January 4, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Hi Sherman,
I have been a patient of Dr. Hamid and I have always found him and his staff exceedingly competent. He is not the most friendly and comunicative Melanoma Doc in LA (that probably goes to Dr. O'Day) but he knows his stuff. I would guess that he only has 2.5 stars because of his manor, rather than his compentence.
If you're shopping around for melanoma drs in LA. Also check out the Angeles Clinic http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/SpecialtyCenters/MelanomaSkinCancer/tabid/19288/Default.aspx
and
Beverly Hills Cancer Center http://www.bhcancercenter.com/
I think USC Norris Caner Center also has a Melanoma Center http://keck.usc.edu/en/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Department_of_Dermatology/About_the_Department.aspx
I have been to both the Angeles Clinic and the Beverly Hills Cancer Center. And you can't go wrong with either. Dr O'Day's a top notch researcher and an all round nice guy. Personally, I like the Angeles Clinic office staff better than the BHCC, but everytime I go to BHCC I remind myself that I'm not there for their office staff.
Hope this helps,
Fellow Southern Californian.
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- January 4, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Hi Sherman,
I have been a patient of Dr. Hamid and I have always found him and his staff exceedingly competent. He is not the most friendly and comunicative Melanoma Doc in LA (that probably goes to Dr. O'Day) but he knows his stuff. I would guess that he only has 2.5 stars because of his manor, rather than his compentence.
If you're shopping around for melanoma drs in LA. Also check out the Angeles Clinic http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/SpecialtyCenters/MelanomaSkinCancer/tabid/19288/Default.aspx
and
Beverly Hills Cancer Center http://www.bhcancercenter.com/
I think USC Norris Caner Center also has a Melanoma Center http://keck.usc.edu/en/Education/Academic_Department_and_Divisions/Department_of_Dermatology/About_the_Department.aspx
I have been to both the Angeles Clinic and the Beverly Hills Cancer Center. And you can't go wrong with either. Dr O'Day's a top notch researcher and an all round nice guy. Personally, I like the Angeles Clinic office staff better than the BHCC, but everytime I go to BHCC I remind myself that I'm not there for their office staff.
Hope this helps,
Fellow Southern Californian.
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- January 5, 2015 at 5:12 am
Another part of your treatment team are or will be the neurosurgeon, the radiation oncologist, or both. If you're not being referred to UCLA already, they have (according to this list) the #7 ranked neurosurgery practice in the country, out of hundreds. They'd be a great place for a second opinion and/or any neurosurgery or radiation oncology to the brain.
Here in SF, for my second (and so far last) brain surgery in 2011, I was treated at UCSF, which, similar to UCLA, has a prestigous neurosurgery practice, #5 ranked on that list. My first brain surgery and radiation treatments were elsewhere. From my experience, where I went for both neurosurgery and radiation treatment can make a huge difference.
Good luck getting to where you need to be with this. I'd want to move fast too. I went from detection of the brain tumors to the surgery at UCSF in 8 days, and Gamma Knife 16 days after that.
– Kyle
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- January 5, 2015 at 5:12 am
Another part of your treatment team are or will be the neurosurgeon, the radiation oncologist, or both. If you're not being referred to UCLA already, they have (according to this list) the #7 ranked neurosurgery practice in the country, out of hundreds. They'd be a great place for a second opinion and/or any neurosurgery or radiation oncology to the brain.
Here in SF, for my second (and so far last) brain surgery in 2011, I was treated at UCSF, which, similar to UCLA, has a prestigous neurosurgery practice, #5 ranked on that list. My first brain surgery and radiation treatments were elsewhere. From my experience, where I went for both neurosurgery and radiation treatment can make a huge difference.
Good luck getting to where you need to be with this. I'd want to move fast too. I went from detection of the brain tumors to the surgery at UCSF in 8 days, and Gamma Knife 16 days after that.
– Kyle
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- January 5, 2015 at 5:12 am
Another part of your treatment team are or will be the neurosurgeon, the radiation oncologist, or both. If you're not being referred to UCLA already, they have (according to this list) the #7 ranked neurosurgery practice in the country, out of hundreds. They'd be a great place for a second opinion and/or any neurosurgery or radiation oncology to the brain.
Here in SF, for my second (and so far last) brain surgery in 2011, I was treated at UCSF, which, similar to UCLA, has a prestigous neurosurgery practice, #5 ranked on that list. My first brain surgery and radiation treatments were elsewhere. From my experience, where I went for both neurosurgery and radiation treatment can make a huge difference.
Good luck getting to where you need to be with this. I'd want to move fast too. I went from detection of the brain tumors to the surgery at UCSF in 8 days, and Gamma Knife 16 days after that.
– Kyle
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- January 5, 2015 at 10:32 am
Hi Sherman! It looks like you've already gotten great advice which I can't really improve on but it might be nice for you to hear confirmation that you're looking at top doctors. I have heard of all three on your list as being top notch and I have seen Dr. O'Day and I have an extremely high opinion of him. He's very good at giving you his undivided attention and really listens and responds thoroughly to your questions and concerns.
I have not seen Dr. Ribas but I have heard lots of great things about him and I believe he is with UCLA? If so, considering what Kyle has said Dr. Ribas might be a really good choice for you. I also have a good friend that is an OR nurse and has worked in several hospitals and she tells me UCLA is the best that she's worked in.
Best of luck to you!
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- January 5, 2015 at 10:32 am
Hi Sherman! It looks like you've already gotten great advice which I can't really improve on but it might be nice for you to hear confirmation that you're looking at top doctors. I have heard of all three on your list as being top notch and I have seen Dr. O'Day and I have an extremely high opinion of him. He's very good at giving you his undivided attention and really listens and responds thoroughly to your questions and concerns.
I have not seen Dr. Ribas but I have heard lots of great things about him and I believe he is with UCLA? If so, considering what Kyle has said Dr. Ribas might be a really good choice for you. I also have a good friend that is an OR nurse and has worked in several hospitals and she tells me UCLA is the best that she's worked in.
Best of luck to you!
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- January 5, 2015 at 10:32 am
Hi Sherman! It looks like you've already gotten great advice which I can't really improve on but it might be nice for you to hear confirmation that you're looking at top doctors. I have heard of all three on your list as being top notch and I have seen Dr. O'Day and I have an extremely high opinion of him. He's very good at giving you his undivided attention and really listens and responds thoroughly to your questions and concerns.
I have not seen Dr. Ribas but I have heard lots of great things about him and I believe he is with UCLA? If so, considering what Kyle has said Dr. Ribas might be a really good choice for you. I also have a good friend that is an OR nurse and has worked in several hospitals and she tells me UCLA is the best that she's worked in.
Best of luck to you!
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- January 5, 2015 at 8:42 pm
I currently go to Dr Hamid and find when extremely conservative. He is very personable and absolute very good at what he does. I suspect the bad ratings is because he is Iranian (I believe). Dr Faries (who is the head of the John Wayne cancer center) was my surgical oncologist and now Dr Hamid is now my medical oncologist. I can't think of a better team. They both work very closely together and I feel blessed to have them. I think he'll tell you if another MD might be better for you, he is very blunt (maybe another reason some folks don't like him). Also realize, he is at a teaching facility, so there will be other doctors with him.
Good luck to you!
Mary
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- January 5, 2015 at 8:42 pm
I currently go to Dr Hamid and find when extremely conservative. He is very personable and absolute very good at what he does. I suspect the bad ratings is because he is Iranian (I believe). Dr Faries (who is the head of the John Wayne cancer center) was my surgical oncologist and now Dr Hamid is now my medical oncologist. I can't think of a better team. They both work very closely together and I feel blessed to have them. I think he'll tell you if another MD might be better for you, he is very blunt (maybe another reason some folks don't like him). Also realize, he is at a teaching facility, so there will be other doctors with him.
Good luck to you!
Mary
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- January 7, 2015 at 2:33 am
Thank you all so much for your advice. We saw Dr. Hamid today and he said the tumor in the brain must come out. He spoke with Dr. Chirag Patel and Dr. Zach Barnoud both neurosurgeons. They wanted us to check into the ER at cedars right now to prep for surgery to remove the tumor tomorrow morning. This is obviously extremely overwhelming and a lot to process. We knew the tumor had to come out but wow this is fast. I haven't even had time to look up these Drs. Does this seem right? Has anyone else experienced this type of rush?
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- January 7, 2015 at 2:33 am
Thank you all so much for your advice. We saw Dr. Hamid today and he said the tumor in the brain must come out. He spoke with Dr. Chirag Patel and Dr. Zach Barnoud both neurosurgeons. They wanted us to check into the ER at cedars right now to prep for surgery to remove the tumor tomorrow morning. This is obviously extremely overwhelming and a lot to process. We knew the tumor had to come out but wow this is fast. I haven't even had time to look up these Drs. Does this seem right? Has anyone else experienced this type of rush?
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- January 7, 2015 at 9:35 am
I'm rather late to chime in, but sometimes I think fast is much better, as it leaves you rather dazed and with no time to worry too much. My father had something very similar happen with his heart — took him in for an angiogram, and they wouldn't let him go home. He was admitted immediately and had a sextuple bypass the next day. It was over — and he was fine — before I even had much chance to worry! I'm sure it's a scheduling nightmare for them, so if they want to do it, I would trust them. Sending you prayers and good wishes. Please let us know how it goes.
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- January 7, 2015 at 9:35 am
I'm rather late to chime in, but sometimes I think fast is much better, as it leaves you rather dazed and with no time to worry too much. My father had something very similar happen with his heart — took him in for an angiogram, and they wouldn't let him go home. He was admitted immediately and had a sextuple bypass the next day. It was over — and he was fine — before I even had much chance to worry! I'm sure it's a scheduling nightmare for them, so if they want to do it, I would trust them. Sending you prayers and good wishes. Please let us know how it goes.
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- January 7, 2015 at 9:35 am
I'm rather late to chime in, but sometimes I think fast is much better, as it leaves you rather dazed and with no time to worry too much. My father had something very similar happen with his heart — took him in for an angiogram, and they wouldn't let him go home. He was admitted immediately and had a sextuple bypass the next day. It was over — and he was fine — before I even had much chance to worry! I'm sure it's a scheduling nightmare for them, so if they want to do it, I would trust them. Sending you prayers and good wishes. Please let us know how it goes.
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- January 7, 2015 at 2:33 am
Thank you all so much for your advice. We saw Dr. Hamid today and he said the tumor in the brain must come out. He spoke with Dr. Chirag Patel and Dr. Zach Barnoud both neurosurgeons. They wanted us to check into the ER at cedars right now to prep for surgery to remove the tumor tomorrow morning. This is obviously extremely overwhelming and a lot to process. We knew the tumor had to come out but wow this is fast. I haven't even had time to look up these Drs. Does this seem right? Has anyone else experienced this type of rush?
-
- January 5, 2015 at 8:42 pm
I currently go to Dr Hamid and find when extremely conservative. He is very personable and absolute very good at what he does. I suspect the bad ratings is because he is Iranian (I believe). Dr Faries (who is the head of the John Wayne cancer center) was my surgical oncologist and now Dr Hamid is now my medical oncologist. I can't think of a better team. They both work very closely together and I feel blessed to have them. I think he'll tell you if another MD might be better for you, he is very blunt (maybe another reason some folks don't like him). Also realize, he is at a teaching facility, so there will be other doctors with him.
Good luck to you!
Mary
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