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Anyone In Central Pa Know Of Knowledgable Doctors?

frustratedneicey

By frustratedneicey
in Doctors

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frustratedneicey Apprentice
frustratedneicey
Posted

Hi. Last week I went for a follow-up with my GI for the first time in a year since I was DX with Celiac. Last year, I thought he may be a little unsure about Celiac, but last week it was confirmed. He looked at me like I was an idiot when I told him how sensitive I am to cross-contamination,etc. He didn't understand how I could be so sensitive. What is going on here? How can doctors treat patients for something they obviously know nothing about?? Are there any good doctors (GI) in my area?? (Central,southern PA)

Denise

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happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

I would suggest contacting the Harrisburg support group and asking for references from them. (I don't live in H-burg anymore, but have heard good things from my mom (not celiac-just supportive of me) about the group there.)

Open Original Shared Link

this dr at hershey med center has "celiac disease" listed as one of her clinical interests. Just from knowing the area, I would have to think she or someone at hershey med would be knowledgable-has such a great reputation. hope this helps.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

One of the doctors that belongs to the Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster actually HAS celiac disease. I'm not sure which doctor it is though. Try www.rgal.com. I hope this helps. This is where I go and they are VERY willing to work with you on testing and other things. Nice people.

Mahee34 Enthusiast
Mahee34
Posted

Dr. Paul Thomas in Hanover, PA is wonderful. He's very knowledgeable about celiac disease and a wonderful doctor!

frustratedneicey Apprentice
frustratedneicey
Posted
  • Author
Dr. Paul Thomas in Hanover, PA is wonderful. He's very knowledgeable about celiac disease and a wonderful doctor!

Thanks! I live in Jacobus, so that's only 20 minutes away!!

Denise

  • 2 months later...
Claire Collaborator
Claire
Posted

I live in south central PA. My experiences have been so so bad that I have to suggest (in jest of course) that you would be better off trying the local vet. The horses and cows around here get better treatment than we seem to be able to get from our regular doctos. If they are not hopelessly ignorant then they are hopeless arrogant - sometimes both.

If you find a good one - I would love to know his name. Or her name as the case may be.

Good luck. Claire

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

I see a doc at Hershey Med, not a GI...my family doc here told me right off the bat she thought I had celiac. I ended seeing her when I became fed up with the 1st doc I saw. Anyway, I described to her how I was getting sick, when, and how quickly and she told me all about celiac.

I did leave the Med Center to see a GI, and only because I am an employee here and at the time I was working in the lab and I didn't want people in my business (I know there is privacy and all but you still have nosy people and let's face it what we go through when we are sick is not something you just broadcast). Anyway, I went out of here to do my colonoscopy and general GI, I was not too thrilled with the guy I was seeing...he made some comments about celiac that I didn't choose to enjoy, and he called people with IBS crazy. So in Sept I had to have an endo done due to some issues I was having and I choose to come back to the Med Center and have it done and I had a comfortable time, they really took care of me. I do not see a GI here because I am in control now, I have gluten free 2 years and feel so much better. I see my family doc once a year to get bloodwork drawn, I just recently saw her due to allergies (non food) and she said this was the best she ever saw me. If the need arises I would probably see a GI here, plus it is convienent with work and all. So I hope this helps. I do work for the Med Center but...not all their docs are nice, I have had some "winners". I guess you will have that everywhere.

By the way, when I saw my doc, she said she is seeing alot more celiac cases coming through as well. She said it seems like it is becoming alot more common so we may see alot more options in the near future.

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Lauren M Explorer
Lauren M
Posted

My hometown (Gettysburg) is in south-Central PA as well. For me, it is worth the drive to see Dr. Fasano at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. I went to Hershey and didn't have a positive experience. I liked my GI doctor as an individual, but she just didn't know enough at ALL about celiac disease. (Must note though, she was not the doctor the previous poster suggested).

Best of luck, it can be difficult when you don't live in a big city, but it sounds like there are plenty of good suggestions from others. Of course my vote goes for Dr. Fasano, but if there is a good doc in Hanover, that sounds great! Good luck!!

- Lauren

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

Lauren-the place you went in Baltimore, is that where the big celiac clinic is? I read alot of great things about that place.

Lauren M Explorer
Lauren M
Posted
Lauren-the place you went in Baltimore, is that where the big celiac clinic is? I read alot of great things about that place.

Yup! The Center for Celiac Research- Open Original Shared Link

Dr. Fasano is the one working on the drug that will hopefully enable us to eat whatever we want! He is great - probably one of the most well-respected international authorities on celiac disease.

- Lauren

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    • AlwaysLearning
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      EXACTLY! I was asked yesterday on my LAST video call with Standford and I stated exactly yes absolutely this is why I need the name! One, get proper care, two, not get worse.Im falling apart, stressed out, in pain and just opened email from Stanford stating I was rude ect.I want that video reviewed by higher ups and see if that women still has a job or not.Im saying this because I've been medically screwed and asking for help because bills don't pay itself. This could be malpratice siit but im not good at finding lawyers
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      If you're just starting out in being gluten free, I would expect it to take months before you learned enough about hidden sources of gluten before you stopped making major mistakes. Ice cream? Not safe unless they say it is gluten free. Spaghetti sauce? Not safe unless is says gluten-free. Natural ingredients? Who knows what's in there. You pretty much need to cook with whole ingredients yourself to avoid it completely. Most gluten-free products should be safe, but while you're in the hypersensitive phase right after going gluten free, you may notice that when something like a microwave meal seems to not be gluten-free … then you find out that it is produced in a shared facility where it can become contaminated. My reactions were much-more severe after going gluten free. The analogy that I use is that you had a whole army of soldiers waiting for some gluten to attack, and now that you took away their target, when the stragglers from the gluten army accidentally wander onto the battlefield, you still have your entire army going out and attacking them. Expect it to take two years before all of the training facilities that were producing your soldiers have fallen into disrepair and are no longer producing soldiers. But that is two years after you stop accidentally glutening yourself. Every time you do eat gluten, another training facility can be built and more soldiers will be waiting to attack. Good luck figuring things out.   
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