Am I Being Ripped Off? Please Advise.

[julie5914]

Hey guys, I respect my doctor a lot and like that she doesn't quit until you are better, but I am little suspicious about some things. I wanted to get your advice and see if you had heard of any of these companies, people or things.

I have been gluten-free 6 months and CF 2 months. I went in yesterday to tell her how much better I felt since going CF and have her run the celiac panel again to see if the antibodies are down. I also wanted to ask her about my muscles being so sore all the time, with just minor exercise. She ordered some normal tests, celiac panel, ANA, ferritin and CBC, all of which were being rechecked because they were off before.

The stuff I am wary about are the tests she wants me to order that insurance will not cover. They are from Great Smokies, which I know is a reputable lab, but it seems like she wants to sell them. Maybe I am just getting the wrong vibe. I've already ordered a stool test at $200, and the results were not as bad as I thought. No yeast, had some lactobacillus, but didn't have any of the other 2 beneficial bacterias. I had all three of the bad bacterias present (haemolytic strep, haemolytic e. coli, and serratia odorifera). The lab rated these as not a problem because they weren't large numbers, but she said they should be nonexistant.

She also wants me to order at $200-$500 saliva hormone test from great smokies. I just can't afford it right now.

More worrisome: She was trained in functional medicine by Jeffrey Bland, PhD. Bland created functional medicine and has been fined by the FDA a few times for selling diet products, making unsupported claims, etc. He has owned 2 different companies to sell his products out of, and only doctors trained by him can order the products; patients can't. So even though, I was telling the doctor how much better I felt, she was saying that I needed to order this Ultra Clear Plus stuff from her for $70 for a month supply to detox my system. She also prescribed some enzymes and suggested I buy and take Bifidus probiotics from vitacost.com.

Is this Bland/functional med stuff ok, or is the office just getting a kick back for every bottle of Ultra Clear Plus they sell? Do you think they get a kick back for every lab test they sell? They seem to be advertising the various tests in the waiting room. I feel guilty to even be questioning her because she has been so nice and helpful, but I just wanted to get some other opinons. This Bland guy is on quackwatch.com.

Thanks!

[lonewolf]

I don't know the answer to all your questions, but I do know that my Naturopathic doctor had me take Ultra Clear Plus and it helped a lot with joint pain and and a few other symptoms. It is expensive, but I would take it. Also, the guy on quackwatch.com has been sued and ordered by a judge to stop his slander of alternative doctors.

Is your doctor a naturopath?

Liz

[tarnalberry]

I would be skeptical of her trying to sell stuff from her own facility. There's the appearance of a conflict of interest there, and a really good doctor would avoid that. I'm not saying to give her up yet if you've been otherwise fairly happy with her treatment, but keep aware, and continue to be your own advocate. See how she responds when you say no, and see how she responds when you say that you can't afford it and need to look into another alternative. My basic feeling on this one is "I'm skeptical, but she may be of some use." :-/

[AmandaD]

IS this doctor with a healthcare system or in private practice? is this doctor an actual m.d?

Hey guys, I respect my doctor a lot and like that she doesn't quit until you are better, but I am little suspicious about some things. I wanted to get your advice and see if you had heard of any of these companies, people or things.

I have been gluten-free 6 months and CF 2 months. I went in yesterday to tell her how much better I felt since going CF and have her run the celiac panel again to see if the antibodies are down. I also wanted to ask her about my muscles being so sore all the time, with just minor exercise. She ordered some normal tests, celiac panel, ANA, ferritin and CBC, all of which were being rechecked because they were off before.

The stuff I am wary about are the tests she wants me to order that insurance will not cover. They are from Great Smokies, which I know is a reputable lab, but it seems like she wants to sell them. Maybe I am just getting the wrong vibe. I've already ordered a stool test at $200, and the results were not as bad as I thought. No yeast, had some lactobacillus, but didn't have any of the other 2 beneficial bacterias. I had all three of the bad bacterias present (haemolytic strep, haemolytic e. coli, and serratia odorifera). The lab rated these as not a problem because they weren't large numbers, but she said they should be nonexistant.

She also wants me to order at $200-$500 saliva hormone test from great smokies. I just can't afford it right now.

More worrisome: She was trained in functional medicine by Jeffrey Bland, PhD. Bland created functional medicine and has been fined by the FDA a few times for selling diet products, making unsupported claims, etc. He has owned 2 different companies to sell his products out of, and only doctors trained by him can order the products; patients can't. So even though, I was telling the doctor how much better I felt, she was saying that I needed to order this Ultra Clear Plus stuff from her for $70 for a month supply to detox my system. She also prescribed some enzymes and suggested I buy and take Bifidus probiotics from vitacost.com.

Is this Bland/functional med stuff ok, or is the office just getting a kick back for every bottle of Ultra Clear Plus they sell? Do you think they get a kick back for every lab test they sell? They seem to be advertising the various tests in the waiting room. I feel guilty to even be questioning her because she has been so nice and helpful, but I just wanted to get some other opinons. This Bland guy is on quackwatch.com.

Thanks!

[CMCM]

Hey guys, I respect my doctor a lot and like that she doesn't quit until you are better, but I am little suspicious about some things. I wanted to get your advice and see if you had heard of any of these companies, people or things.

I have been gluten-free 6 months and CF 2 months. I went in yesterday to tell her how much better I felt since going CF and have her run the celiac panel again to see if the antibodies are down. I also wanted to ask her about my muscles being so sore all the time, with just minor exercise. She ordered some normal tests, celiac panel, ANA, ferritin and CBC, all of which were being rechecked because they were off before.

The stuff I am wary about are the tests she wants me to order that insurance will not cover. They are from Great Smokies, which I know is a reputable lab, but it seems like she wants to sell them. Maybe I am just getting the wrong vibe. I've already ordered a stool test at $200, and the results were not as bad as I thought. No yeast, had some lactobacillus, but didn't have any of the other 2 beneficial bacterias. I had all three of the bad bacterias present (haemolytic strep, haemolytic e. coli, and serratia odorifera). The lab rated these as not a problem because they weren't large numbers, but she said they should be nonexistant.

She also wants me to order at $200-$500 saliva hormone test from great smokies. I just can't afford it right now.

More worrisome: She was trained in functional medicine by Jeffrey Bland, PhD. Bland created functional medicine and has been fined by the FDA a few times for selling diet products, making unsupported claims, etc. He has owned 2 different companies to sell his products out of, and only doctors trained by him can order the products; patients can't. So even though, I was telling the doctor how much better I felt, she was saying that I needed to order this Ultra Clear Plus stuff from her for $70 for a month supply to detox my system. She also prescribed some enzymes and suggested I buy and take Bifidus probiotics from vitacost.com.

Is this Bland/functional med stuff ok, or is the office just getting a kick back for every bottle of Ultra Clear Plus they sell? Do you think they get a kick back for every lab test they sell? They seem to be advertising the various tests in the waiting room. I feel guilty to even be questioning her because she has been so nice and helpful, but I just wanted to get some other opinons. This Bland guy is on quackwatch.com.

Thanks!

Sorry, but all this stuff would really ring warning bells with me.

[julie5914]

She's not an MD, she's a DO, and I've actually sung her praises on this board before. I suppose she is a bit naturopath, although she will prescribe some things. She doesn't want to prescribe anitbiotics and hates the pill - wants to do things naturally as much as possible. I think I like that about her, but I suppose natural stuff is harder to get in traditional ways, so any way that I get it is going to be weird to be. I have told her I needed to hold off of on those labs both times, and she is ok with waiting, not pushy at all, just interested in results. I was mostly worried about the Bland thing.

She also sent me an e-mail after I posted this asking about a doctor that I mentioned that also does functional medicine and is much closer to me (she is in another state). She is interested in working with him to get me better since I could visit him easier and get the things I need from him. So I guess I shouldn't be too worried. I'm glad to see that someone else has been told to use the stuff and that it helps. I will continue on and keep you posted! (And quit visiting quackwatch!)