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Need Doctor In San Jose/bay Area California

amymm

By amymm
in Doctors

Recommended Posts

amymm Newbie
amymm
Posted

Hello everyone. I'm looking for a doctor in San Jose, California who's well-versed in Celiac. I need one who won't take one look at me, looking very well-nurished and show me the door!

I've read mixed reviews on this board regarding Dr. Gary Gray at Stanford. Anyone care to give me their advice? I'm willing to drive a ways-but not too far.

I don't think I'm a clear-cut easy to diagnose case, so I need someone willing to listen and dig deep to find answers.

Any help appreciated!

Amy, San Jose, California

  • 2 weeks later...
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Mindy35 Apprentice
Mindy35
Posted

Hi, I am in Lodi, Ca and I drive to Stanford to see Dr. Pyle. She is great! She is very attentive. My first appt. with her took 2 hours so she could answer all of my questions. I think that is the longest a doctor has paid attention to me.

Hope this helps.

amymm Newbie
amymm
Posted
  • Author

Thanks so much. Do you have Celiac? I have already been tested, over 5 years ago and nothing was found. I want to find a doctor to take me seriously-as I don't look malnuorished! Was it easy to get an appointment with her?

Thanks again

Amy, San Jose

Rachel--24 Collaborator
Rachel--24
Posted

I tried to get an appt. with Dr. Pyle and was told she does not see anyone who is not biopsy proven Celiac so I could only schedule with Dr. Gray. In the end I found an excellent Dr. elsewhere so never saw Dr. Gray. You would also need a referral and records (having to do with referral) before they will schedule you. I was with Kaiser previously and it was gonna be a huge process to get my records from the GI doc and he also wouldnt refer me because they were concerned that insurance might bill them.

dlp252 Apprentice
dlp252
Posted

I'm going to seen a GI on the 20th for a pre-consult for a colonoscopy. My Internist wants me to tell him about my gluten intolerance. If he turns out to be knowledgeable I'll post back.

  • 3 weeks later...
dlp252 Apprentice
dlp252
Posted
I'm going to seen a GI on the 20th for a pre-consult for a colonoscopy. My Internist wants me to tell him about my gluten intolerance. If he turns out to be knowledgeable I'll post back.

I'm quoting myself, lol. I saw the GI yesterday who seems very promising. I should mention that I went to see him for a colonoscopy preconsult, so it wasn't directly about Celiac, but my Internist wanted me to mention it to him (by-the-way, the Internist didn't find the gluten intolerance either).

First of all the doctors I've seen in this group (Internist, Ear/Nose/Throat, Audiology and now GI) actually listen to you (even if it seems they aren't, lol), and they put everything into the computer, which every other doctor in the Group has access to. All the results of the tests they run are in there too. So if one doctor prescribes something, or diagnoses something, all the other doctors can pull up your chart and see it. So the GI already had a history of my self-diagnosis of gluten intolerance and the fact that my sinus problems are improved since going gluten-free (thanks to the ENT who put that in the record). I said something about not being diagnosed in the traditional way and he said he thought the dietary test was a valid method. Wow. Okay, cool.

He also didn't scoff at my Enterolab report...I don't know that he agrees that it is a valid method of testing, but he didn't scoff or discount it completely.

But, here's what really made me think he might know his stuff. He said we could do a blood test to test for Celiac, and I said that I had been gluten free since November and he said "hum, it probably won't show anything then, but we can take it for a baseline reading." Huh. Great! :)

Since I'm already scheduled for a colonoscopy he said we could do an endoscopy the same day to look for damage to my esophagus from GERD, and he said while he was in there he could take some biopsies to check for villi damage, even though it probably won't show anything. Wow again.

He thinks I have IBS and GERD but those would be in ADDITION to the gluten intolerance. The last comment he made was about taking a fiber supplement because he doesn't think I am getting enough from fruits and veggies, so he said I should take Benefiber, which he thinks is safe for people with gluten intolerance. Okay, I'm sold, lol. (P.S. I don't know for a fact that Benefiber is or isn't safe for Celiac, but just the fact that he mentioned it floored me, lol.)

So, after all that if you still need the name of a doctor let me know and I'll PM you.

amymm Newbie
amymm
Posted
  • Author
I'm quoting myself, lol. I saw the GI yesterday who seems very promising. I should mention that I went to see him for a colonoscopy preconsult, so it wasn't directly about Celiac, but my Internist wanted me to mention it to him (by-the-way, the Internist didn't find the gluten intolerance either).

First of all the doctors I've seen in this group (Internist, Ear/Nose/Throat, Audiology and now GI) actually listen to you (even if it seems they aren't, lol), and they put everything into the computer, which every other doctor in the Group has access to. All the results of the tests they run are in there too. So if one doctor prescribes something, or diagnoses something, all the other doctors can pull up your chart and see it. So the GI already had a history of my self-diagnosis of gluten intolerance and the fact that my sinus problems are improved since going gluten-free (thanks to the ENT who put that in the record). I said something about not being diagnosed in the traditional way and he said he thought the dietary test was a valid method. Wow. Okay, cool.

He also didn't scoff at my Enterolab report...I don't know that he agrees that it is a valid method of testing, but he didn't scoff or discount it completely.

But, here's what really made me think he might know his stuff. He said we could do a blood test to test for Celiac, and I said that I had been gluten free since November and he said "hum, it probably won't show anything then, but we can take it for a baseline reading." Huh. Great! :)

Since I'm already scheduled for a colonoscopy he said we could do an endoscopy the same day to look for damage to my esophagus from GERD, and he said while he was in there he could take some biopsies to check for villi damage, even though it probably won't show anything. Wow again.

He thinks I have IBS and GERD but those would be in ADDITION to the gluten intolerance. The last comment he made was about taking a fiber supplement because he doesn't think I am getting enough from fruits and veggies, so he said I should take Benefiber, which he thinks is safe for people with gluten intolerance. Okay, I'm sold, lol. (P.S. I don't know for a fact that Benefiber is or isn't safe for Celiac, but just the fact that he mentioned it floored me, lol.)

So, after all that if you still need the name of a doctor let me know and I'll PM you.

I would love the name of the doctor. Thanks

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dlp252 Apprentice
dlp252
Posted

Hi Amy, I decided to post it here...I guess that's okay. His name is Sanjay Ramrakhiani (pronounced ram-rock-eee-an-eee), with Camino Medical Group. A co-worker of mine recommended him for the colonoscopy so I was pleasantly surprised that he seemed to have the right things to say about Celiac--it was a nice bonus.

ETA: My next course of action if this didn't/doesn't work out is the clinic that Rachel goes to.

Also forgot to mention his office is in Sunnyvale.

amymm Newbie
amymm
Posted
  • Author
Hi Amy, I decided to post it here...I guess that's okay. His name is Sanjay Ramrakhiani (pronounced ram-rock-eee-an-eee), with Camino Medical Group. A co-worker of mine recommended him for the colonoscopy so I was pleasantly surprised that he seemed to have the right things to say about Celiac--it was a nice bonus.

ETA: My next course of action if this didn't/doesn't work out is the clinic that Rachel goes to.

Also forgot to mention his office is in Sunnyvale.

Donna-thanks so much for in the name. I will keep him in mind when I'm ready to see another doctor

Amy

Rachel--24 Collaborator
Rachel--24
Posted

Donna,

How funny! I just saw the same GI doc today. When I changed insurance and got out of Kaiser I went to camino medical group since my mom goes there and I went there when I was a kid. I got a referral to the GI cuz of my c-diff dx and also cuz my grandmother died of colon cancer at 45 and I've never had a colonoscopy yet.

I really liked him (cant say his name though). I didnt go there because of Celiac but we talked about it. Personally. I dont believe I have Celiac but he pretty much told me the same thing as my last GI and my HealthNow doctor....he said that since my bloodtest was 2 weeks into the diet and my biopsy 6 months into the diet...there is no way to know for sure. He thinks I could have Celiac but he said it doesnt matter what I choose to call it and it doesnt matter what the results of the test are. The main thing is that I improved from the diet. Even though I'm still having problems he said clearly gluten wasnt good for me and when something is not good for you you need to avoid it...regardless of what the tests say. OK...I can agree with that.

He wanted to order the full panel but I told him its kind of pointless since I've been off gluten almost 1 year now. He wanted to order it anyway. I told him the one test I'm really interested in is the total IgA since that was never run. I only had Anti-gliadin IgA and tTG (IgA).

He actually had never heard of the total serum IgA for Celiac and he didnt intend on ordering it *but* unlike my previous arrogant doctors who didnt like to be *told* anything...he called the lab right then and there to ask about the test. It ended up taking awhile for them to get it all figured out but in the end I got the full Celiac panel w/ the total IgA. :)

He was very nice, he listened, he was cooperative and he was thorough. I cant complain. I mentioned my Enterolab results and he said he's had other patients who have gotten the stool tests (I'm assuming he's thinking of you) and he does not believe in them. He said there is no evidence that they are valid and he simply doesnt believe in them. That doesnt surprise me at all...I would have been more surprised if he told me something different. Oh well...overall it was a good visit...I didnt get into all my lingering problems cuz basically I just wanted to get scheduled for the colonoscopy. I'm still counting on HealthNow for the other stuff.

He told me the C-Diff could have just been there w/out making me sick. He said since I didnt have any change after the antibiotics he thinks it wasnt making me sick. He just said it was good that I took the antibiotics because at some point it could have caused problems if it wasnt now. I still dont know if the c-diff is gone...I have to retest next week. All I know is I feel the same as before I took the antibiotics.

Anyways I would recommend him to anyone looking for a GI...he was very nice. :)

dlp252 Apprentice
dlp252
Posted
Donna,

How funny! I just saw the same GI doc today. When I changed insurance and got out of Kaiser I went to camino medical group since my mom goes there and I went there when I was a kid. I got a referral to the GI cuz of my c-diff dx and also cuz my grandmother died of colon cancer at 45 and I've never had a colonoscopy yet.

I really liked him (cant say his name though). I didnt go there because of Celiac but we talked about it. Personally. I dont believe I have Celiac but he pretty much told me the same thing as my last GI and my HealthNow doctor....he said that since my bloodtest was 2 weeks into the diet and my biopsy 6 months into the diet...there is no way to know for sure. He thinks I could have Celiac but he said it doesnt matter what I choose to call it and it doesnt matter what the results of the test are. The main thing is that I improved from the diet. Even though I'm still having problems he said clearly gluten wasnt good for me and when something is not good for you you need to avoid it...regardless of what the tests say. OK...I can agree with that.

He wanted to order the full panel but I told him its kind of pointless since I've been off gluten almost 1 year now. He wanted to order it anyway. I told him the one test I'm really interested in is the total IgA since that was never run. I only had Anti-gliadin IgA and tTG (IgA).

He actually had never heard of the total serum IgA for Celiac and he didnt intend on ordering it *but* unlike my previous arrogant doctors who didnt like to be *told* anything...he called the lab right then and there to ask about the test. It ended up taking awhile for them to get it all figured out but in the end I got the full Celiac panel w/ the total IgA. :)

He was very nice, he listened, he was cooperative and he was thorough. I cant complain. I mentioned my Enterolab results and he said he's had other patients who have gotten the stool tests (I'm assuming he's thinking of you) and he does not believe in them. He said there is no evidence that they are valid and he simply doesnt believe in them. That doesnt surprise me at all...I would have been more surprised if he told me something different. Oh well...overall it was a good visit...I didnt get into all my lingering problems cuz basically I just wanted to get scheduled for the colonoscopy. I'm still counting on HealthNow for the other stuff.

He told me the C-Diff could have just been there w/out making me sick. He said since I didnt have any change after the antibiotics he thinks it wasnt making me sick. He just said it was good that I took the antibiotics because at some point it could have caused problems if it wasnt now. I still dont know if the c-diff is gone...I have to retest next week. All I know is I feel the same as before I took the antibiotics.

Anyways I would recommend him to anyone looking for a GI...he was very nice. :)

WOW, how weird, lol! I've heard so many people lately recommend Camino--people at work, people at church, my cousin, lol. My colonoscopy/endoscopy is on Monday, I'm anxious to see what it all shows. I haven't received a report yet on the exact tests they did with the Celiac panel, but I'm betting since he told you he hadn't hear of the IgA, that it wasn't run on me. I've asked them to send the report anyway. The internist said I don't have C.Diff, but I'm thinking I may have H.Pylori, we'll see.

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