HAS ANYONE BEEN TO UCLA? FOR THERE TMJ? HELP PLEASE!
Hi Everyone,
I am so sick and tired http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tired.gif of wasting my money going from dentist to dentist paying out so much money to them for them to tell me my TMJ is to chronic for them to help me! I know it is chronic thats why I need help!
The doctor gave me a refferal to UCLA and said they would be able to help me just for the first visit for them to look me over is $350,and that does not incluced anything! I am just so upset http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/confused.gif and really dont know what to do! Does anyone have any input on this?
I know a lot of you dont live in California but was wondering have any of you gone to a collage for help with your TMJ and had them actually help you?
They are suppose to have a deptment for TMJ called (Orofacial pain & Oral Medicine) I havent try this school but try another and they were really mean to me and that was a wasted $400 dollars for 5 mins of the doctors time!
Hi there!I live in Cali also.UCLA has some of the top doctors.They are very knowledgable.When all of my TMJ started(or I should say 10 months later when they started diagnosing me),they briefly mentioned that down the road somebody might send me there.I haven't gone yet.I know exactly how you feel about all the appointments.I have been to somewhere between 60-80 in about 1 year.I've been to different types of doctors,chiro,acupuncture,oral surg,dentists(3 or 4 different ones)......and many more.Thousands of $$$$ out of pocket.If you are interested,I am going to check out a place called Head,Neck,TMJ Pain center in my city.I don't know why I didn't go already.They SPECIALIZE in our problem.(I know why-I'm sick of forking out the money)I'm doing one thing at a time.Right now I'm trying physical therapy.I'm not sure if you would want to look into this TMJ center in Orange County.I am going to in a couple weeks.
[This message has been edited by uscoastiewife (edited 05-15-2003).]
Thanks you guys, for replying back, seem like to many people dont want to, but I understand, they probably dont know what to say to me, and everyone on here thats knows me knows I have been though hell and back!
I guess I will save up the money and try them out, hopefully they will be able to help me! I have just spent so much money I cant afford these $400 visit for a hole 5 mins of the doctors time! Hopefully when I go they will have caring doctors there that understand my pain and that will actually help me!
I feel like giving up at times because it is like a never ending cicrle that I fell I will never get out of...
thanks again for the replys
Starr
[This message has been edited by thisstarr (edited 05-16-2003).]
Thanks for the support and being here! I am only 23 and have been dealing with this pain for over 6 years so sometimes I just break down and cry because I cant take the pain anymore, I guess we all do this, it is just so hard to go day by day sometimes, or act like your ok when your not, I cant do the things I use to love to do! I really appreciate you being suppotive and replying back to me! thanks again
Take care,
Starr
[This message has been edited by thisstarr (edited 05-17-2003).]
Hey Starr, I would love to cry but I am afraid that it will hurt more then it does. I keep hearing about UCLA also from both of my pts, and my dentist. My old tmj specialist said that there are only 5 specialist in this state, do you know if that is true? I will probably end up at UCLA also. At 11:30 today I have an appointment with a new specialist named Dr. Fort in Culver City. I will tell you how it goes.
USCoast,
Hey did you go to the head, neck, and tmj pain office yet???? I am curious. If it is worth going to maybe I will give it a shot. The name sounds good.
One part I don't understand is the moey situation. Alot of teh doctors are making us pay up front and then billing are insurance later. do they not realize that if all of them do this their patients will be adding more stress to them (financially). We are also not just talking about a few hundred here and there we are talking about alot of hundreds everywhere. Do they think that we are made of money???? I do know that we will get the money back, but in what month? then it is a constant fight to get everything approved by the insurance. Our policy is we pay 20% no matter what it is. Our pt is actually running out of visits- we are still working on this.
Heather
Hi Heather!That is sooooo true!They get the money up front and then bill insurance!My insurance (military insurance) doesn't cover most TMJ visits.Imagine that!
After I try physical therapy a few times(which I just got taken care of through insurance...finally)I am going to go to that place.It is on Beach Blvd. in H.B. You are in the beach cities in Southern,CA also,right?Isn't that great?That name says it all.I am getting my hopes up,since it's a special place that deals just with our problems!TMJ is in the name,so they must have some knowledge,right?I know the phone #,but that isn't allowed on here,right?I'll check back here after I put my little one to sleep.Still awake and no nap this afternoon,either!
Hey USCoast,
That is cool, I am relatively near by H.B. (30-45 min) it depends on traffic. My husband is building a bridge over there where the 405 and the 55 meet. I can't find anything online about the place, but I will call information for the #. I am really interested in finding out what actually they do. Do you know if it is like going to another specialist?
Heather
Originally posted by HRevero: Hey USCoast,
That is cool, I am relatively near by H.B. (30-45 min) it depends on traffic. My husband is building a bridge over there where the 405 and the 55 meet. I can't find anything online about the place, but I will call information for the #. I am really interested in finding out what actually they do. Do you know if it is like going to another specialist?
Heather
Your hubby an Ironworker?Just curious because my long-term relationship before my husband was an Ironworker out of Local 433 and was on bridges all the time.
USCoast,
No he is an engineer. He is suppose to be a civil engineer but with his current job he is a construction engineer. He is like a big kid in a giant sand box. He always comes home and tells me about the toys he gets to use. One of teh biggest kicks he gets is when a crane will move out of his way or stop for him.
How are you holding up today?
Heather
Hi Everyone
Sorry it has taken forever for me to get back to you guys, I have been in a lot of pain lately and really stressed out!
HREVERO: Yes please tell me if you end up going to UCLA for treatment and if they help you, I am so tired of wasting my money$$ the last guy said my TMJ was to chronic for him to deal with it so he refeer me there, I just have to save up so I can go!
I went to Loma Lina for my TMJ, they claim they help people, it was a bunch of bull, the doctor was a jerk, would ot give me anything for pain and only spent 5 mins with me and for $350 that was not worth it! They were so rude and didnt help me one bit! I left in tears, because I thougght they were going to help me! It was a wasted $350 dollars and thats how much it is at UCLA too! Well let me know how your appointment went and if you end up at UCLA, aalso I would llike to know if they will help you! I cant afford to go right now, my insurance does not cover the fee at all
USCOASRIEWIFE: If you find a good specialest that helps you PLEASE let me know, I am so sick of dentist/ specialest telling my me TMJ is to chronic to deal with! I live in Upland out by Ontario if you have ever hear of it! please let me know
Thanks guys for responing to me, I appreciate it so much!
I hope we can all find relief, let me know if any of you find a good guy to help you out!
Hey Star-
I went to a specialist in Culver City neamed Dr. Edward Fort and I think he is really good. He gave me a treatment plan and he was very informative. I get confused really easy with the medical mumble jumbo but this guy spoke to me with respect and understanding. His secretary was also really nice (they are married). He also loaded me up with papers to understand my current situation. The conssultation was $325 and I really think it was movey worth spent. He spent a solid 2 hours asking me questions and actually giving me answers. There was ton of paperwork but the cool thing about it as you fill each paper out he reads it. Then when he is talking with you he goes over all of the papers. He also bascially writes down your whole conversation. He really took the time to anaylaze. The one cool thing that I really liked is the first question he ask me :" Do you know what is wrong with you?" Of course my response was "Yes, I have tmj!" But thne he asked my "Do you really know what that means for your case?" I mentioned my symptoms but he took the rest of the time to answer that for me regarding my problem with tmj. The last specialist kept telling me about everyone else that he has treated, not this guy.
Dr. Fort is not on the internet but you could probably call information and they can send you stuff.
Heather
In an earlier post I stated that Dr. Larry Moore was at UCLA, I'm pretty sure that is correct, however I just remembered that Dr. Felenfeld is at UCLA as well. They are both great and I would go. I have not presonally seen them but have talked to Felenfeld on the phone and have known a few people that have gone to UCLA. I know of a lady who comes down from Northern Calif to UCLA for treatments. I have been to UCLA for tests, for my tmj's, that's it.
Sharri
Sharbear:I dont remember your earier post, but I have been so forgetful I must of over look it,Im sorry, you had to repost again for me!
I wish I would of saw the post!
Well this gives me hope that you know someone who has gone to UCLA and has had good treatment and nice doctors that understand! I was just scared it was going to be like when I went to Loma Linda Unitversary(sp)It cost me $350 for a 5 min visit with a very rude doctor that told me to stop crying and my pain wasnt as bad as I said it was,they treated me badly and didnt care one bit!! So I never went back!
REVERO:Culver ciry I think is really really far from me but I appreciate you telling me about the doctors there, I think I am going to try out UCLA if that does not work then I will try out your doctor! Thanks for being here I appreciate it very much!
Take care,
Starr
[Edited to remove cuss words. "Badly" is better. Thanks - Well-come Moderator]
[This message has been edited by Well-come (edited 05-25-2003).]
No problem Starr,
I'll post whtever you need as many times as long I see the questions I help you out. Let me know if you ever need the names again. Good luck at UCLA.
Sorry about your bad luck at Loma Linda. I have had Doctor's like that before. They just look you in the eye and make you feel like it is all in your head, like your making it al up or something.
Please let me know how it goes for you.
Sharri
I live in Santa Barbara and I have had the same problem. My job is monitoring clinical pharmaceutical trials and I have been to UCLA a lot for that reason but the only thing I know about UCLA is that students work on your teeth.....maybe it's differnet for TMJ. I too have forked out money for different doctors, chiros, massages, etc. TMJ is not covered by most insurance co's., both health or dental. I have a complicated situation because I have had 2 rear end car accidents and 3 cervical disks fused w/ a titanium plate.....I thought this was the cause of a lot of my pain after the surgery but it is actually TMJ. I found a dentist in SB who is doing tomograms and making a bionator for me this week to realign my jaw....$1000.00 out of my pocket and maybe more. He specializes in this and has studied w/ other well known TMJ experts. I'll let you know....
I know exactly what you all mean when in pain. Anyway, I have been to UCLA oralfacial pain. However, I dont think they are really that good as compared to some of the other specialists in California. There are couple of good one such as the White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles and the Craniomandibular Disorders & Maxillofacial Orthopedics/Orthodontics in Orange county.
Convervative treatment should be done instead of surgery, depending on your conditions of course. In my case, I wish that I did not go through the surgical procedure to remove the disc. In addition, beside the splint, which is typical for most TMJ treatment, you may want to talk to the doctor to find out what they would do once the splint treatment is completed to stabilize your conditions. Not many are able to do this with full analysis and examination of your x-ray. Good luck
Sorry for bringing up an old topic, but is Dr. Fort (in Culver City) a neuromuscular dentist? Also, what are the updates on his treatment...any success/complaints? Thanks!
HAS ANYONE BEEN TO UCLA? FOR THERE TMJ? HELP PLEASE! 
please!
