Need Recommend for NYC area doctor
May 18, 2008 3:52 PM Subscribe
My daughter in Brooklyn NY needs a recommendation for excellent pulmonologist, or appropriate specialist. She has a full med plan, but needs to home in on one or two good specialists whose offices will say: "OK. Here's your appointment for very soon!!" She finds it difficult to get communication going with offices that don't take her anxiety about her condition very seriously. Namely her current internist.
She was born and raised in Seattle, and is now 35. She has since early childhood battled asthma and bronchial related distresses. Never yet at any critical crisis or hospital inpatient. Now she has moved to Brooklyn NY with her husband and baby. She is slogging around for over two months now with a cough, and just lately combined with bronchitis. (But note: it is not clearly because of NY dust and/or mold, etc., since she has had different lingering periods of disease in Seattle and Michigan, as well.) Has been taking those spray inhalers for most of life, too.
She needs an excellent pulmonologist (or some other appropriate specialist). Seems her internist general type doctor is not very alert or interested. Perhaps she should get in at a teaching hospital... and a doctor who can cut through patient bullshit (my daughter tends to be a bit feisty and inarticulate: often thinks she knows it all, sorry to say). Someone to get tests made so as to hopefully rule out bigger diseases and to recommend paths for getting over this obdurate, longlasting problem. (Her mom... my exwife... died youngish of multiple myeloma that centered on the lungs, and lupus to boot. I think we are now fairly worried that daughter has inherited lung disabilities of some sort.) If you can recommend, pls. give a bit of your reasoning. Hopefully will be someone within, or just on rim of, metro area.
She was born and raised in Seattle, and is now 35. She has since early childhood battled asthma and bronchial related distresses. Never yet at any critical crisis or hospital inpatient. Now she has moved to Brooklyn NY with her husband and baby. She is slogging around for over two months now with a cough, and just lately combined with bronchitis. (But note: it is not clearly because of NY dust and/or mold, etc., since she has had different lingering periods of disease in Seattle and Michigan, as well.) Has been taking those spray inhalers for most of life, too.
She needs an excellent pulmonologist (or some other appropriate specialist). Seems her internist general type doctor is not very alert or interested. Perhaps she should get in at a teaching hospital... and a doctor who can cut through patient bullshit (my daughter tends to be a bit feisty and inarticulate: often thinks she knows it all, sorry to say). Someone to get tests made so as to hopefully rule out bigger diseases and to recommend paths for getting over this obdurate, longlasting problem. (Her mom... my exwife... died youngish of multiple myeloma that centered on the lungs, and lupus to boot. I think we are now fairly worried that daughter has inherited lung disabilities of some sort.) If you can recommend, pls. give a bit of your reasoning. Hopefully will be someone within, or just on rim of, metro area.
Dr. Sydney Stein is both an internist and pulmonologist. He's always listed in New York Magazine's Best Doctors feature as an outstanding internist. I saw him when I lived in New York. He spends time with you in his office after the exam, is gentle and friendly but also direct and intelligent.
posted by orsonet at 5:24 PM on May 18, 2008
posted by orsonet at 5:24 PM on May 18, 2008
if she wants a teaching hospital, beth israel near union square is a good one. i've been happy with methodist hospital on 7th avenue in park slope. she may not need a teaching hospital (although that's usually a recipe for better care) but a doctor within a hospital system may make it easier for her to tranfer to other specialities as her condition warrants.
good luck!
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:23 PM on May 18, 2008
good luck!
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:23 PM on May 18, 2008
Six months ago, I left Brooklyn largely in part of my breathing problems there. I lived there in misery for two years. Prior to living there, I ran three times a week and had never been told I had asthma. In Brooklyn, I got colds that lasted two months with watery lungs and got winded walking down the street. The first year I thought it was because of the dusty concrete factory we lived near. But the second year it was worse.
After a great deal of research, I concluded it must have been what many people suggested it was--cockroach feces. The bugs are everywhere you go. Everytime we left the city for vacation I was fine but we'd go home and the shallow breathing came back. Now once again, I live in DC again. Despite it's ratings for bad air quality, I can breathe fine here and run whenever I want.
The origin of your daughter's illness may not be Brooklyn but I imagine it is not helping her any.
Having said that, my pulmonologist was Chaim Berstein. 3131 KINGS HWY STE D10
BROOKLYN, NY 11234 Phone: (718) 252-3590
He was a nice guy and he listened. Glad I don't need him anymore.
posted by i_love_squirrels at 9:13 AM on May 19, 2008
After a great deal of research, I concluded it must have been what many people suggested it was--cockroach feces. The bugs are everywhere you go. Everytime we left the city for vacation I was fine but we'd go home and the shallow breathing came back. Now once again, I live in DC again. Despite it's ratings for bad air quality, I can breathe fine here and run whenever I want.
The origin of your daughter's illness may not be Brooklyn but I imagine it is not helping her any.
Having said that, my pulmonologist was Chaim Berstein. 3131 KINGS HWY STE D10
BROOKLYN, NY 11234 Phone: (718) 252-3590
He was a nice guy and he listened. Glad I don't need him anymore.
posted by i_love_squirrels at 9:13 AM on May 19, 2008
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Also, given the family history of lung cancer you might consider asking for a referral to the High-Risk Lung Assessment Program at Columbia University Medical Center.
posted by nicwolff at 4:22 PM on May 18, 2008