Need Advice On What To Ask A Potential New Pcp

[Roda]

I have been wanting to change my PCP and just now got around to calling and setting up an "appointment" (more like a visit to feel the potential new doctor out) with a different family practice physician. I'm not sick and everthing is going well, but I need a good pcp that I can feel confident with. My current PCP I am not satisfied with and have not been since my symptoms started over 3 1/2 years ago. I know the obvious things like sick visits, rx, lab results, etc. but need advice on what to actually ask the doctor.

[Roda]

Well, I just winged it and went for an appointment this morning. I really liked this new doctor and her personality made me feel at ease. She was easy to talk to. I knew that she "got" celiac by a comment she made. She said something to the fact that I was lucky my blood work was positive and went on to say that there can be alot of false negatives, even in biopsy. I was impressed with that. I told her that I thought a good doctor was one who was humble enough to say they don't know everything and be willing and listen to their patients to help them figure it out. After alot more discussion, I feel like she is a good fit for me. I am going to try to get my husband to switch to her also. It will be nice to have a pcp that takes the time with you and listen, not just herd you in and out like cattle.

[Wolicki]

Roda, that's great! I had a similiar experience with a new PCP last week, an Osteopath. I simply asked how familiar he was with Celiac, and he only stopped citing examples when I told him "he passed." It is so comforting that my doc knows more about it than me! Yippeeee!

[breavenewworld]

hi Wolicki

who is your doc

what did you go in for??

i've been going it alone for the past year besides an endoscopy (obviously couldn't do that myself) and a visit or two to some non-helpful GI's

thanks!

[Wolicki]

His name is Andrew Mielnek. He's a D.O. in Huntington Beach, with Beach Family Doctors.

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I went in for my first patient visit. He looked at all my labs, was able to determine several issues and gave some good, no nonsense advice. My next visit I am going to ask about food intolerances. Haven't found a GI I like, but I think all they care about is endos, etc. The doctor I truly have faith in, who is very thorough and very caring is a Rheumatologist Kathy Karamalou in Newport Beach. She is amazing. Actuallu will say "I don't know" and then call one of her colleagues for an answer.

Janie

[breavenewworld]

janie-

thanks!! i'm an hour north but sounds like it might be worth the drive as i can't find anyone in my area. part of me is so resistant to going to more doctor visits. it's so draining to have to explain everything and catch someone up, plus it adds to my schedule which i'm trying to clear out so i can HEAL. plus, i've gotten so much conflicting info on supplements and herbal remedies that i don't even know where to start. anyway have you found it necessary/helpful to visit them? what kind of tests have been helpful for you- did you get a full metabolic? have you found deficiencies in certain vitamins? other issues?

i'm so curious about everything and i've been on this site for WAY too long today

thanks again

[Wolicki]

I've been tested for almost everything. Vitamins, electrolytes, metabolic, kidney, heart and liver funciton. Having some kidney issues, so everything has been checked. They found the following deficiencies/issues:

secondary hyperparathryoid caused by D deficiency

hypothyroid

iron deficient anemia

b12 deficiency

Most of it has been addressed. i take Caltrate + D and 50,000 IU (presciption) Vitamin D, got 6 b12 shots along with 8000 mcg sublingual daily, took Ferrex but it upset my stomach, so I had an iron infusion.

I also take Fish Oil, B complex, multi daily.

I was sick for 10 years before diagnosis. I have an appointment with a new nephrologist tomorrow. I've had terrible edema since going gluten-free. I also developed neuropathy and restless legs AFTER going gluten-free. But, no neuropathy in 3 days! yippee!! Getting better slowly but surely!

[breavenewworld]

wow that's a lot to deal with! i admire you you for being diligent with all the right tests.

sometimes reading people's health struggles on here it seems like it goes from one thing to another. i'm not sure why the body does other things after going gluten-free?? do you think a lot of us are still getting microglutened? or does our immune system switch to doing other weird stuff? or maybe it's all just issues that were created when we were on gluten.

[Wolicki]

This is just my theory: I think that our bodies are so overloaded with fighting off the gluten that the other things lurk there until your body has time to deal with it. In other words, these issues were there all along, bod was just choosing its battles.