Looking for gastro and allergist that accept my insurance!

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Forum -> Children's Health

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amother

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 1:45 pm

Hi, I need to find an allergist and gastro in the NY area that accepts medicaid insurances (such as americhoice) for my son. Any recommendations for a gastro that is great with reflux issues, and an allergist who really knows his stuff in regard to food allergies? ... TIA!!

Cookies n Cream

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 1:47 pm

http://brooklyngi.com/

amother

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 4:35 pm

I used a Dr. Graciela Wetzler in Maimonidies hospital. I didn't really like her personality but she does know her stuff well. I think the number is 718-283-8260. Good luck

el2cg

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 7:07 pm

dr wetzler or dr narwal in Maimonides excepts americhoice

MommyZ

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 7:13 pm

For reflux I would call Dr. Moshe Traube (Morris) at NYU and ask for a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist.

manhattanmom

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 7:13 pm

el2cg wrote:

dr wetzler or dr narwal in Maimonides excepts americhoice

You mean "accepts"

Also,
can you check your insurance's website?

allergypro

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 7:40 pm

We use Dr. Wetzler for a gastro, and Dr. Marcus for an allergist. I am very happy with both, and they both take americhoice.

csb

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 8:37 pm

I used Dr. Jelin for gastro from brooklyn hospital as recommended by the pediatrician, but only had to go once so cant really say much about the office, etc. but he seemed to know what he was doing.

ra_mom

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 9:30 pm

We use Dr. Wetzler at Maimonides and we are BH very very happy with her.
We used Dr. Greifer at Schneider's (she's in Bensonhurst once a week) once or twice before that. She came highly recommended, much more so than Wetzler, and I'm sure she helps others but we didn't like her. She accepts such insurance.

The allergist we use is Dr. Ehrlich in the city and he is amazing. See if Dr. Ehrlich accepts your insurance.

Mommy3.5

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 9:59 pm

Dr. Kaplan or Dr marcus, take americhoice, both are allergists

HAPPYMOMMY

Tue, Jun 08 2010, 10:36 pm

We are extremely happy with Dr. Wetzler. I've been using her for several kids for several years.

Amother, I'm curious what you didn't like about her personality? We found her to be very kind and devoted as well as knowledgeable. (When my son was hospitalized under her care she was especially devoted and on top of things.)

The only drawback is the loooong wait time.

pitchkal

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 12:17 am

I used dr. Wetzler too, however did not like the way she spoke in such a "by the way" tone of voice.
Though she is known to be good!

mimala

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 1:20 pm

I used Melanie Greifer. She is supposed to be tops for reflux. I was very happy. I have HIP Medicaid though, not sure if she accepts Americhoice. I assume she does. She has an office in Williamsburg and in Schneiders Childrens Hopsital. 718) 470-3430. Sorry I dont have the Brooklyn #.

amother

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 1:42 pm

Thanks so much for all the replies!! In regard to allergists: Ra-mom, Dr Ehrlich doesnt accept my insurance unfortunately... The allergists I have seen are Dr Klein and Dr Friedman, they are both fine kind allergists, but I am not sure either of them is the best match for me and my child.... Mommy3.5 and Allergypro, I would love to find out more about Dr Marcus and Dr Kaplan! I am hoping to find a doctor who works to solve an issue for you, as opposed to someone where you feel you have to keep probing and questioning to get information out of them... Can you post their phone numbers? How is the wait time by these 2 offices? .... In regard to gastro doctors: I have seen Dr Griefer, and she was quite nice and appeared to be competent, but she said that in order to figure out what is causing my son's reflux, she would give him general anesthesia and then scope him while he was sleeping. I am not comfortable with that as a first resort.... It seems so invasive.... No?

Mommy3.5

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 3:06 pm

In that case I suggest Dr. Kaplan, she is with Schneider's children hospital in Brooklyn. She really spends the time with you. I use both for different kids for different reasons, But Dr Kaplan is really much better when it comes to listening and solving the problems.

ra_mom

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 7:50 pm

amother wrote:

If the doctor suspects reflux they usually start with medication, and see if that helps and corrects the issue, because the meds are pretty straightforward and not harmful bH. If the meds don't work and if the issues still persist, or if there are other additional issues that they are looking for, then they scope.
Who thinks the issue is reflux? You or the doctor?
If it's the doctor and she won't give meds before she scopes, then get a second opinion.

And btw, you should see an ENT because VERY often the ENT can see the reflux when going down the child's nose with a camera (no anesthesia - just a numbing spray - takes 3 minutes total.)

That's how my dd was diagnosed (after she started the meds already, and after she was already scoped (endoscopy did not show reflux.)

amother

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 8:26 pm

Thanks so much for the info, Ra-mom! I know that my son has reflux because he was diagnosed by an ENT. He has been on and off Prevacid for over a year, as the doctors we have seen seem to think that after being on Prevacid for a few months a child should be cured of reflux, and therefore we should stop giving it. Our pediatrician says that since the reflux always recurs when we stop with the Prevacid, we should bring him to a gastro and test him and see what is behind the reflux. He says that at 2 years old he should not have reflux anymore-?? In my humble opinion, I think we should continue with the Prevacid- no stopping every few months- I dont see why we cant do that, and skip the invasive tests...

ra_mom

Wed, Jun 09 2010, 8:33 pm

amother wrote:

Being on Prevacid does NOT cure reflux. There is no cure for reflux. But MOST children grow out of reflux by age 2 (whether they were treated with meds or not).
My daughter did not outgrow it. She suffered in silence since she was a newborn and wasn't even diagnosed until she was 2.5.
What about going back to the ENT for a trip down your child's nose again?

Maybe see Dr. Wetzler? I'm not saying that she won't want you to do an endoscopy, but see what she has to say.
My daughter did have an endoscopy over a year ago. But now Dr. Wetzler is sending her for a sonogram to see why she still has reflux. (She said that most probably it's because her stomach is high, or something like that, but she wants to see for herself.)
Dr. and I both know that dd still has reflux, because of the symptoms. No need to retest to see.
The thing I like about Dr. Wetzler is that she is not satisfied until she gets to the root of the problem, unlike Greifer.
Wetzler keeps us on our toes with tests, which I am thrilled about because there are other issues besides for reflux, and everyone is in the dark, and only Wetzler is concerned and taking the symptoms seriously. She wants dd to be healthy, like we do.

amother

Thu, Jun 10 2010, 2:12 am

Dr Wetzler sounds great. It is unfortunately quite hard to find a doctor that takes your concerns very seriously and works hard with you to solve them, and who looks at the whole picture instead of focusing on bits and pieces without connecting the dots... But that is the kind of doctor I like... Thanks Ra-mom! Good luck with your daughter!

ra_mom

Thu, Jun 10 2010, 12:24 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you! Smile

You too with your child!
And good luck with the waiting at Dr. Wetzler's office. That's the downside of using her. Sad

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