Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

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...
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


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.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,329
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    klkarius
    Newest Member
    klkarius
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.