I tried to post the information about this forum on the PAH site quite some time ago, but to no avail. I am glad Karl was able to get his post on because you are right, without him we would not know his success story and others he has steered towards this forum and a chance for a better life. I do have one question of those that have had treatment with Dr. Grekos. Since the stem cells are administered through the pulmonary artery and this is rather invasive, I am assuming that the treatment is done in a hospital. Can anyone please tell us which one as I think this is important to know about the facility as well as the doctor. As nasty as Tijuana is, the hospital where I first got treatment was small, but nice. It was in a residential area. Also, what is the situation with oxygen? Do they provide it or do you need to bring your own if needed?
Travels to Bangkok., etc
- Thread starter Buddy74
- Start date
Hospital in Dominican Republic
My procedure with Dr. Grekos was done in the hospital in Santo Domingo. I think it was the metropolition Hospital. They acted just like we would do in the states. They have Oxygen, sterile procedure (in a special room) and a special nurse to take care of you before and after the procedure. They do it just like a cardiac cath in US. the cheif cardiologist was there along with 4 other Dr's. That excedes what I would expect in the US. I went to the lab earlier in the day for blood work. Was hooked up to an IV prior to the procedure. Being a RN I saw nothing to be concerned about.
Judy3
Had tx in DR Oct.28,2008
My procedure with Dr. Grekos was done in the hospital in Santo Domingo. I think it was the metropolition Hospital. They acted just like we would do in the states. They have Oxygen, sterile procedure (in a special room) and a special nurse to take care of you before and after the procedure. They do it just like a cardiac cath in US. the cheif cardiologist was there along with 4 other Dr's. That excedes what I would expect in the US. I went to the lab earlier in the day for blood work. Was hooked up to an IV prior to the procedure. Being a RN I saw nothing to be concerned about.
Judy3
Had tx in DR Oct.28,2008
Hi: I read Karl's post and took the "beat you up" statement as being meant to be tongue in cheek.
Through someone on this web-site who was kind enough to e-mail with information on Dr. Grekos and his procedure I have made contact with Dr. Grekos office and have been to one of his seminars. I have one major factor in my favor in that I live in Ft. Myers Florida a rather short distance from The Bonita Springs and Naples offices of Dr. Grekos and his team. I have spent much time looking at stem cells as a potential help. I have stage three Ischemic Cardiomyopathy and which has impaired my breathing and put me into the "shut-in" category of life. It is a slow death! My ejection fraction is twenty.
My experience so far with Dr. Grekos has been most pleasant to this point. Their Director of Patient Services has been quite responsive and I have submitted all the required hospital and surgical records regarding my condition to them. It is my intention to have the Stem Cell done in Santo Domingo,the Dominican Republic as soon as they set a time and date. I met with Dr. Grekos and the COO of Regoncyte (their company) at a seminar and they were quite forthcoming. I have an appointment with Dr. Grekos on April 15..The cost is quite expensive but time is not on my side and I hope my ultimate results are positive. I believe they will be. My choices are limited. I will keep you informed regarding my procedure and the events that surround it. My thanks to this web-site and my gratitude also to the kind woman who set me on the path to Dr. Grekos and who is a poster on this web site. I wish you all good fortune in your endeavors. You are all pioneers in the true tradition!
Bud
Through someone on this web-site who was kind enough to e-mail with information on Dr. Grekos and his procedure I have made contact with Dr. Grekos office and have been to one of his seminars. I have one major factor in my favor in that I live in Ft. Myers Florida a rather short distance from The Bonita Springs and Naples offices of Dr. Grekos and his team. I have spent much time looking at stem cells as a potential help. I have stage three Ischemic Cardiomyopathy and which has impaired my breathing and put me into the "shut-in" category of life. It is a slow death! My ejection fraction is twenty.
My experience so far with Dr. Grekos has been most pleasant to this point. Their Director of Patient Services has been quite responsive and I have submitted all the required hospital and surgical records regarding my condition to them. It is my intention to have the Stem Cell done in Santo Domingo,the Dominican Republic as soon as they set a time and date. I met with Dr. Grekos and the COO of Regoncyte (their company) at a seminar and they were quite forthcoming. I have an appointment with Dr. Grekos on April 15..The cost is quite expensive but time is not on my side and I hope my ultimate results are positive. I believe they will be. My choices are limited. I will keep you informed regarding my procedure and the events that surround it. My thanks to this web-site and my gratitude also to the kind woman who set me on the path to Dr. Grekos and who is a poster on this web site. I wish you all good fortune in your endeavors. You are all pioneers in the true tradition!
Bud
Just as a point of information. Today I went to my pacer clinic to have my implant of last Friday checked out. I have known that a man who is being treated by the same clinic and heart system had a Stem Cell procedure done in Bangkok not too long ago. I had heard that the results were positive and that his EF had moved from 20 to a high of 40 and he was doing well and I am told he was almost euphoric. Unfortunately I heard today that his EF had dropped recently back to 20. Total despair! I remember a clinical study where some individuals in the study were given a lesser dose of stem cells as part of the protocol. Does anyone have an idea why his procedure provided such short term results? It seems to me that possibly not enough stem cells were provided into his heart; however, this is just conjecture these procedures are fairly new, but I wonder if there is an answer? It must be quite difficult for him to go from Joy to Despair. I also understand that another individual who is being treated by Florida Heart Associates doctors its allied pacer clinic has had the procedure done in the Dominican Republic. If so I hope to talk with this individual.
Have a great day, and remember..nothing happens unless you make it happen.
Have a great day, and remember..nothing happens unless you make it happen.
I also think you should submit this to "Ask the Doctor", but I am just curious....
How long was it until this patient saw improvement in his EF, and then how long until it got bad again?
Travel to Dominican Republic is looking really good right now, with all the trouble in Bangkok. I realize this is an issue among the Thai factions, but I would not feel comfortable there right now, even if it calms down.
The Thai are some of the nicest, warmest people I have met in my travels. I realize they mean to be no threat to foreigners, but I had issues getting out of the Bangkok airport when it was fully open, and would not want to experience it during riots or if it gets closed again!
I have chalked up my "run-in" with Karl as a misunderstanding, and, as I do for everyone on this forum, I wish him (and you) the very best. I hope to continue discussion with him that will focus on other issues.
I did not mean for you to actually think I would come after you. (where-ever u are located) I have dedicated my life to helping people not hurtingg them. Shall we hug and make up?
Judy3
Absolutely!
Let's drop it and move on toward treatment legalization
and all the good things that may lie ahead.
I am getting confused (probably because of a stroke) with so much information about where I should go for treatment on my heart. In a nut shell can you recommend a clinic / hospital for stem cell therapy anywhere in the world. I will be moving back to Europe, but I want the best.
You mention Theravitae which I believe are associated with Vescell who quote $44,990 on their web site for stem cell heart therapy at the Bangkok heart hospital. I contacted the hospital directly and was quoted $20,000 to $30,000. Just goes to show you that despite what a lot is said about costs etc, it can be a total rip off in so many cases. With quotes from $15,000 upwards, how can anyone justify quotes from $15,000 to $44,900 and then $64,000 for essentially the same work! Unless I am being naive, the difference in the main is mainly how the cells are reintroduced into the body. Is there really a justifiable difference between $15,000 and $64,000? As I have already stated, you get a triple by-pass with all that entails for $15,000.
It may not be quite as simple as how the cells are delivered, but as you are finding out, some clinics are much more profitable than others. On the other hand, do not dismiss pre and post treatment care, delivery (as you already mentioned), the facility where the treatment takes place, the time involved in treatment, the quality of the doctors, hotel and other travel related items that may be included, etc.
As more competition enters the "ring", this will give us more choice. Many doctors and CEO's are working to keep treatment affordable. Seek them out and give them your business. There is no reason that costs are so high at some clinics, other than demand allows them to be that way.
As more competition enters the "ring", this will give us more choice. Many doctors and CEO's are working to keep treatment affordable. Seek them out and give them your business. There is no reason that costs are so high at some clinics, other than demand allows them to be that way.