What endo do you recommend in Colorado?

• By BrennaMichelle
• Reply 3657576
• December 29, 2012 at 1:58 am
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I am scheduled to see Dr Sarapura at University of Colorado Denver. I was referred to her by a friend that adores her!

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3658015
• December 29, 2012 at 9:44 am
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I see the Endo's at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. The docs there are really wonderful. My docs are Dr. Mark Bridenstine and Dr. Michael McDermott. The reason that I love these docs is that they are very thorough and leave no stone unturned. If I have further questions they are really great in communicating with me via email, which is great so you are not spending time waiting to get a phone call back.

Other docs in the endo clinic which I know of are Dr. Joshua Klopper and Dr. Chip Ridgway. I know about these docs by going to the local support group in Denver. Dr. Klopper frequently visits our group answering questions we have and I believe he will be at the next meeting which is Jan 21. If you would like more information about the meetings just let me know.

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3667667
• January 2, 2013 at 1:18 am
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Thank you both for your suggestions! To jemcat85- I would LOVE to go to the support group!! Unfortunately I will be radioactive on the Jan date but would love to go to the next one! I have been looking for a support group but haven't found anything. I live in Summit County but come down to Front Range for everything so I will coordinate a meeting with doc appts/errands. :) please let me know the info. Happy New Year!

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3667818 · In reply to 3667667 by MtnMommi
• January 2, 2013 at 6:38 am
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Here is the info on the support meetings:

Held every 3rd Monday of each month at the Montclair Recreation Center and the address is: 729 Ulster Way Denver, CO 80220

You can also go to the ThyCa website and it has the information there as well:

http://www.thyca.org/sg/co_denver.htm

Happy New Year to you as well!

• By moonstara
• Reply 3671997
• January 3, 2013 at 2:54 pm
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Thanks for your help, I will check that out :)

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3685308
• January 8, 2013 at 12:07 am
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Thank you! :)

• By hope2be
• Reply 3706090
• January 14, 2013 at 8:55 pm
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Nice to see some fellow CO folks here! I am from Alamosa, so a 3-4 hour drive for most of my care. I was just diagnosed with follicular thyroid cancer and am trying to decide if I want to continue with current endo or drive an hour more to Denver area, so these suggestions are appreciated.

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3709078
• January 15, 2013 at 7:33 pm
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FYI....... for those who want to attend the Denver support group the meeting date for January has been changed to Monday, Jan 28th same time at 7:00 pm, due to the Martin Luther King Holiday and also it will be the 25th of February due to the holidays (it normally is the 3rd Monday of the Month). The meeting for January, Dr. Klopper will be coming and discussing the various VARIANTS of Thyca. In February we will be having a speaker from Integrative Medicine discussing with our group about the benefits of acupuncture, massage, good nutrition ect. during your cancer journey. Hope to see others there!

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3711353
• January 16, 2013 at 2:21 pm
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Thank you for the meeting update info. I will try to come for sure! I am getting RAI today. Waiting at hospital bc my doc has screwed so much up with this whole process! Not doing necessary bloodwork or sending necessary paperwork to hospital. She also told me there were just 2 hospitals (both in Denver) who did RAI. So I got to Parker Hospital today (2&1/2hr drive one way), where I found out the nuclear medicine doc is just 20 min drive from my house! He works remote over the phone here. Do things REALLY need to be this difficult?!? Switching docs for sure after the scan!!! This has been a nightmare on top of a nightmare!

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3711694 · In reply to 3711353 by MtnMommi
• January 16, 2013 at 4:31 pm
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Wow, it sounds like it is time for a switch! Hope that your RAI goes well for you. Hugs!

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3712153
• January 16, 2013 at 7:14 pm
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Thanks jemkat85! I just got home a little while ago from getting RAI (for the first time), and a ton of blood work. It is a rather strange experience having to stay away from everyone but yet I feel fine. Haven't had any side effects so far besides being tired from driving so much over the last few days. This whole journey has been a bit strange. Just trying to get through it and past it hopefully sooner than later! :) I will let you know if I can make it to the meeting on Jan 28. Will you be going? Would be great to meet you and other people in similar situations.

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3712198
• January 16, 2013 at 7:32 pm
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hope2be- Nice to meet you too, and yes it's really nice to know other CO folks on here! :) I am happy to help you if I can, so please let me know. I was just diagnosed with Papillary Thy Cancer in Sept 2012, then thyroid & some lymph nodes removed in Oct 2012, and just had RAI today (along with Thyrogen the last 2 days and the Low Iodine Diet). I recommend that you definitely find a good doctor even if you have to drive far (which I assume you will have to) bc it will make things so much easier for you. My doctor has been a nightmare during this whole process, but thankfully I had a wonderful surgeon, a wonderful nuclear med doc, and wonderful hospital staff to help throughtout the process. I will be finding a new doc as soon as my scan is done (next week) and I get the results back. It's bad/scary enough having to deal with this cancer journey, you don't need to have a difficult doctor too.... or one who cuts corners or is not informed on your situation. Also, I totally share your driving issues bc I used to live in Crested Butte for 8 years and now Silverthorne. No endos here either, so I have to go to Denver. Good luck to you in your journey and keep your chin up! :)

• By Cheryl65
• Reply 3713647
• January 17, 2013 at 9:32 am
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Hi all! I'm north of Calhan on the eastern plains and I too am glad to talk to others. My endo is very abrupt and I have only been seen twice in the last nine months. I don't know if that is normal for these specialists, but the last time I was in the office they griped about having to do another blood test (it was only the 2nd one since my surgery in April) so I didn't think it was to much to ask for. I don't feel that good a lot of the time and am thinking that I should find a different doctor. Also no scans or ultrasounds have been suggested until after a year from the surgery date since I declined the RAI. I wonder if that is normal, too. I thought I would be scheduled for a WBS even though I didn't have the RAI. Should I have been? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3714379
• January 17, 2013 at 12:58 pm
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Hi Cheryl65! Welcome to our CO group! :) Sounds like you also need to find a new doc/endo. I am in the same boat and will be switching soon, after my scan and results come back. Do not feel bad about switching if you do not think your doc is doing the necessary work for you. If you have a strange or concerned feeling, follow that! If I were you, I would DEFINTIELY want at least an ultrasound or two if you did not do the RAI, scan, etc. I don't think they can do the scan without the RAI, but not sure... maybe there is a different type of scan with out RAI, or just the ultrasound monitoring. I am doing this all for the first time right now (just had RAI yesterday), but researching everything as much as I can. I do know for women who are pregnant and they find suspicious thyroid nodules or cancer, they will monitor it by ultrasound for awhile until they can do surgery/treatment post pregnancy. Sounds like what they should do for you too. I am currently in isolation from RAI, so I will be researching the docs I have been referred to now. Here are a few docs including the ones recommended above by our CO groupies here. :) Thanks everyone!
- Dr. Sarapura @ CU Denver
- Dr. Haas (Referred by our family doc who we really like, I am not sure if she is an endo or internist though.)
- Endos @ CU Aurora: Dr. Mark Bridenstein, Dr. Michael McDermott, Dr. Klopper
- Dr. Steve Osa (Referred by my Reproductive Endo who we like a lot. Our repro endo says this doc will monitor you carefully and run "tight ship" with blood work, etc. He works with him a lot for other patients and they both have to be very prompt and thorough when doing fertility treatments/monitoring.)
Also, going to the support group that jemkat85 mentioned above would be a great place to compare notes with people and possibly ask docs questions (I have not been to a meeting yet). I am hoping to go to the next meeting.
How far is Calhan from Denver? Or where you live? I guess us rural folks just have to get used to driving to the city for the docs... and Costco! :)
Good luck to you!

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3715547 · In reply to 3712153 by MtnMommi
• January 17, 2013 at 7:58 pm
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MtnMommi I plan on being there at the January meeting and it would be great to meet you too! I hope that you can make it, if not hopefully at the Feb meeting date. Take care................

Kathy

• By MtnMommi
• Reply 3715636
• January 17, 2013 at 8:34 pm
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Yes, would be great to meet you too and others also! I will let u know if I'm able to make it. Talk soon, Kristin

• By hope2be
• Reply 3773410
• February 4, 2013 at 4:43 pm
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Does anyone have an endo in CO who might support a hospital stay for RAI?

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3773592 · In reply to 3773410 by hope2be
• February 4, 2013 at 5:41 pm
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Hope2be, not sure if the Endo's at University of Colorado Hospital, where my Endo's are do allow for this, but you could give them a call to find out. Their number is 720-848-2650. Let them know your situation and ask. Do you have children at home? I know some people just don't have the option of having separate bathroom/room during the isolation period and so some facilities will allow for a hospital stay. I had my RAI in another state, but I'm sure there is a facility in CO that would support an inpatient stay if you need it. Good luck in your search!

• By onedayatatime3512
• Reply 3789937
• February 9, 2013 at 4:49 pm
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Hi all I'm in pueblo and I've been seeing a cancer doctor in co springs at the RMCC. I to have been looking for endo. My MD has sent all my stuff to two endo's here and it's been a couple of months and they have not called me. It's really stressful trying to find a good doctor.
Hugs
Onedayatatime3512

• By jemkat85
• Reply 3790040 · In reply to 3789937 by onedayatatime3512
• February 9, 2013 at 5:30 pm
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@onedayatatime3512 you can see my previous comments of recommendations for Endo's. I would try the Endo's at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. They are absolutely amazing! I can never say enough good things about them. Try giving them a call 720-848-2650. Best of luck in your search!