Not sure the right board to post this, so I'm posting on both medical and seeking doctor
My husband saw Dr. Z in VA last week and I wanted to provide some feedback since I got the LLMD recommendations from this board (I'll also post in the medical forum).
We were able to get an appointment within a week of calling, which was a nice surprise. Dr. Z has an internist working there now, Dr. M, that does the initial appointments and Dr. Z sees you on follow up appointments (at least that's what the front desk told us). They didn't accept our insurance, but was expecting more than what we paid for the office visit.
It was a relief to have a doctor believe my husband has lyme (and probably babesia), even though he has two negatives tests (from Quest and MDL). I was prepared to go through pleading our case, but didn't have to. We had started my husband on Doxy ourselves, so they're continuing that until the Igenex tests are back. We'll discuss treatment at the follow up visit.
The only issue is that my husband has severe joint pain and they wouldn't prescribe pain medicine. We're trying to find a pain clinic to deal with that, but are least relieved that a doctor will treat him for lyme.
Posts: 26 | From Virginia | Registered: Apr 2008
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
Dr Z is very good! I think you are in a good place.
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
SForsgren said:
quote: Dr Z is very good! I think you are in a good place.
I agree. He's in good hands!
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Dr Z is my doctor too. I agree....very good!
My joints do still flare up some but never enough to need painkillers any more. This has been true for me for a long time.
The joint pain is inflamation. The #1 thing that has helped my inflamation is changing my diet.
Different people are different as to what foods their body needs and Dr Z will be testing for food allergies. Avoiding your allergic foods will slow inflamation a lot.
In the meantime, try a low fat vegan diet. This is what I tried initially and it was a home run for me. You only have to do this for 2 weeks to see the results. If no positive results, then it is the wrong diet or there is a food within that diet that your hubby is allergic to.
No matter if he should eat more meat or more veggies, everyone needs to stop sugar. Sugar feeds the bad bugs and depresses the immune system a lot. Processed foods are also no good no matter which diet you settle on.
Some really good sugar substitutes are: Stevia, Agave Nectar (I have only recently been introduced to A.N. It is delicious. Good as honey but somehow does not raise your blood sugar so safe for diabetics)
Dr Z has me on some herbal inflamation blockers but they don't resolve that "I'm dying right now" kind of pain. Advil used to do the trick for me, but alas, Advil wrecked my gut. I stopped Advil long ago. Dr Z did prescribe Ibuprophen for me but I didn't have to use it very long at all. Maybe you can get some of that?
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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And yes, you do get rotated between Dr Z and Dr M, and even the nurse practitioner W.
The people you will spend a lot of time with are the nurses in the IV room. You'll also meet a half dozen or more lymies each week when you go in to get your IV's or pushes. If anything, that has helped me the most, since you meet so many other people with Lyme, hear their stories, and realize you're not alone. Definitely talk with the other patients, they're great for support.
Posts: 31 | From Leesburg, VA | Registered: Apr 2008
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Good deal! Glad it was so quick too! Unusual for that to happen.
When you see Dr. Z again.. please send my howdy to her.
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