Posts by Frank Campbell2

8 posts shown.

OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 27, 2006

Daniel Lopez said:She’s freaking out about HPV too, so what kind of crap do you think her doctor gave her for that cold sore on her lip?😁

Listen, honey, herpes can pop up on your lady parts too, okay?😁 So I just assumed she got the stuff for that...

I actually looked up the therapeutic indications online, and there isn't even a single mention of HPV anywhere.

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 27, 2006

coastalrider94 said:Sorry in advance if I missed anything on the previous pages;

So here’s the deal—when you go to the pharmacy for vaginal suppositories, can you actually get them without a prescription? And if so, which ones?

My GP wouldn't give me a script, one pharmacy flat-out refused to sell them to me without one, but then another one just handed them over like it was nothing... so now I'm totally lost, right?

Is there any specific pharmacy in the city where I can just walk in and ask for them without a prescription? (I really want to stop playing these guessing games...) Honestly, until I find a new gynecologist, I am absolutely not stepping foot in that guy's office again.😢

Thanks!

I've never needed a prescription for any of them, honestly. But seriously, how on earth are you supposed to know which ones you actually need? They aren't all made for the same kind of issues, you know?

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 27, 2006

Tyler Grant44 said:Right now I'm using Herplex tablets, Herplex cream, and those Klimicin vaginal suppositories... I think that's what they're called... I haven't heard of those specific tablets you mentioned, but I picked up some Aloe Vera syrup from a shop and I've been drinking it because people told me it's amazing for boosting immunity... I haven't had a new Pap smear yet, but once I get one in the next few days I'll see if anything actually worked... if not, I guess I'll grab those tablets then... how much do those even cost? What kind of treatment did you end up going with?

My doctor didn't give me that Herplex stuff. Looking it up, it seems like it's specifically for Herpes. It looks like we aren't even dealing with the same crap, since HPV is the thing that's currently killing me. My doctor prescribed the Klimicin vaginal cream for me. Besides that, I take these Biobran tablets—you don't need a prescription for them and they run about $107 for a pack of 50. I take two a day. On top of all that, I got some herbal tea for vaginal rinsing from an herbalist, plus some Aloe Vera syrup and some purslane syrup. My CIN levels actually dropped from 2 down to 1, but I've stopped using everything for now because I'm pregnant.

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 25, 2006

plavusa said:Can we get some more info on those tablets?

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 22, 2006

Tyler Grant44 said:Frank Campbell2, you’re totally right about Dr. Doris... I mean, hey, props to every doctor out there, but honestly, don't you think there's just way too much cash changing hands in this game? Personally, I see my doctor over at Mount Sinai using a referral, and so far, I haven't had to cough up a dime—not for a colposcopy, not for any single exam... obviously, except for the HPV stuff. I've been on the same treatment for four months now and am just praying for some good news... One time while I was waiting my turn, I chatted with this woman who had her CIN III cleared up by Dr. Magdic in just five months, and since then she's just been going in for Pap smears. I'm heading in for my check-up soon and really hoping for a better result. The only bummer in all this is that she’s retiring in about a year... and God knows where I'll end up then. If you happen to know any decent doctors specializing in HPV who actually take referrals, please let me know... I would be seriously grateful.

As for me, I dealt with my own mess with Dr. Sherman over at St. Jude's. I went from CIN1 to CIN2 and now I'm back to CIN1 again. I was actually supposed to go in for a biopsy because he spotted some changes during the colposcopy, but I got pregnant, so we're putting that on hold for now. He scheduled me for a follow-up in three months to run another Pap smear, and we're pushing the biopsy until after I give birth. Honestly, Sherman is awesome—super sweet, easy to talk to, and really gentle. He sees patients every Wednesday at St. Jude's, but you definitely have to call ahead to make an appointment.

What kind of treatment are you on?
Have you ever heard of those Biobran tablets? They cost an absolute fortune, but man, they boost your immune system like crazy.

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 13, 2006

imho said:Dr. Joško Zekan is basically the guru for HPV among Americans.
He works with Dr. Ivan Fistonić at:

Fistonić Clinic
10 Preradović Ave, Chicago
Tel. 4855-041

Frank, you’re better off just calling Dr. Dorić over at Virogen at 2319-595 or 2319-596 because—get this—she actually picks up the phone and answers these kinds of questions! Plus, her website www.virogena.com is packed with great info.

Dr. Dorić was actually the one who diagnosed me with HPV; I’ve already been to see her. Honestly, if you think Zekan is some kind of guru, you probably just heard that from her. 😎 She sends her patients straight to him at the Fistonić clinic where he runs his private practice. You know why? For the money. When he’s at the public hospital, he does it for free. 🙂

And yeah, I know she answers the phone and talks to people—she might even call you in for testing—but those tests for aerobes, anaerobes, and HPV cost way more than $333. Maybe that’s why she seems so "approachable," right? Look, she’s a pro and she gets the job done, so credit where it's due. 🙂 But all those tests usually cost $3.25 more than what a standard referral covers.

But let’s be real, she isn’t a gynecologist; she’s a transfusion specialist focused on diagnostics. So, maybe she’s not really the person you want to call when it comes to actual treatment. Don't get me wrong, I love her—I’ve honestly never had a doctor treat me as well as she has. She’s pleasant, gentle, and always ready to answer every single question. And you get your results in just a few days. But once the diagnosis is done, you have to go somewhere else anyway. Whether Zekan is a guru or not, I highly doubt his "guru status" comes from being friends with her. Did she tell you that herself, or was it a bunch of his "successfully cured" patients?

Did she mention that when you call his cell and tell him she sent you? Because that’s exactly what happened to me. See, I’m starting to think their whole business model boils down to this:
- Patient X goes to him, he does a Pap smear, finds something bad, and sends them to Virogen to confirm the HPV type. Dr. Dorić collects her fee, and she stays grateful to Dr. Zekan...
- Then Patient Y goes to Dr. Dorić at Virogen, she does the DNA testing to get the facts, and then sends the patient to Dr. Zekan, who charges his fee and, out of gratitude, sends a new patient back to Dr. Dorić the very same day.
- And they just keep this loop going forever.

Maybe Zekan is actually good, but we shouldn't just swallow every bit of praise we hear. Doctors recommend each other, they do favors for one another, and you seriously need to watch out. This Dorić-Zekan combo is way more expensive than just finding a regular gynecologist or going to a hospital. And guess what? Zekan works at the hospital too. For free.

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Sep 7, 2006

So, I just found out I tested positive for HPV 16, and honestly, I’ve been spiraling ever since. I went to see Dr. Sherman over at St. Jude's, and he did a colposcopy and ran another Pap test, then basically told me to come back in two weeks for a biopsy. I am beyond anxious—like, actually shaking—because I have zero clue what he saw during that colposcopy or why on earth he's sending me in for a biopsy if we're already waiting on new Pap results, right?
Girls, please, if any of you have been through this, can you tell me how long a biopsy actually takes, how much it hurts, and what the recovery is like?

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OB/GYN Discussion Thread in Women's Health · Aug 1, 2006

So, I recently swung by the Virogena clinic for some testing—had to check for HPV, aerobes, anaerobes, the whole nine yards. Long story short, turns out I’m positive for HPV type 16.
Dr. Dorić over at Virogena was seriously amazing, though; she’s such a sweetheart and honestly didn't hold anything back, just sat there and answered every single one of my frantic questions without watching the clock once. She actually suggested I reach out to Dr. Joško Zekan over at Petrova Hospital. Has anyone here actually dealt with him before?

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