My first Skype appointment with Dr. Hyde

[Snookum96]

Sorry @minkeygirl, is that better? Let me know if you want me to break it up more.

I recently had my first Skype appointment with Dr Hyde. I thought I'd post how it went here in case anyone is considering seeing him.

I read a lot on these forums about him before I decided to have the meeting and thought that in my situation it would be a good investment. For me it was great, I'm still relatively new at this and have only been sick a couple of years.

I haven't had absolutely everything ruled out yet since I have yet to meet a doctor who knows anything about cfs besides that it causes fatigue. Even the internist I saw said "oh that's controversial" when I specifically asked about it.

I knew going in that he's investigative and his specialty is ruling other things out. He has already ordered several tests including some that I've had that weren't normal but we're never properly explained to me so he wants to repeat since most of them were done a year ago.

It is going to answer a lot of questions that I have that my gp and specialists said was normal or not serious so I shouldn't worry about it.

In my situation it was really great and very thorough. It will be nice to know for sure what else is going on in my body.

 

[minkeygirl]

@Jodie1980 or @Sushi. could you please break this into smaller paragraphs? My poor brain.

 

[minkeygirl]

Isn't it great to have someone finally believe you and not say BS like it's controversial or not to worry.

So many mainstream docs can't look outside what they know. They don't understand that labs high or low normal are significant. Or even normal labs are if we feel like garbage.

I just read something, I can't remember where, that said doctors need to treat the patient, not the lab results.

I recently saw an Infectious Disease doc. He knows I got a virus 20+ years ago and never recovered but based on labs, even a positive CMV IgM, he will not say it's viruses making me sick. So then what is it?

@Jodie1980 thanks for the paragraphs.

 

[Snookum96]

Yes @minkeygirl it was so refreshing to have someone not question everything I say or say there's nothing wrong with me and then just shrug when I ask them what to do next.

I almost cried a couple of times because it was such a relief.

I am really baffled at how your doctor could ignore even a positive result! It seems like if it doesn't match their personal hypothesis or medical opinions they just ignore everything because they don't want to admit they don't know or understand.

 

[minkeygirl]

He did cmv by pcr which was negative so he went with that. I've had docs ignore high IgM for years. Most mainstream docs Imo go by what they learned in Med school.

I fought to see this guy because his rep is so good. I did not know he was chief of staff at the local hospital. I think that forces him to be conservative. Had I known I might have gone to someone who maybe was more open minded. Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of good options with my insurance. At least he is supporting me on valcyte which he knows I'm getting on my own.

I remember my first appointment with my naturopath. About half way through she said "you must feel horrible". I did cry and I cry pretty much every appointment we have.

She gets the viruses and infections and over the year and a half I've been seeing her I have less and less faith in western medicine.

We usually Skype but I was in her office and Her first question was "does the light hurt your eyes". YES!!

 

[Snookum96]

Ugh so frustrating! I always get my hopes up and then get so disappointed!

I've been considering seeing a naturopath but I was always worried they'd want me on alot of supplements that would make me worse.

I've become really sensitive to anything I ingest, particularly pills. Sometimes i throw up my regular medications so I get scared whenever I have to take something new.

Does your naturopath suggest a lot of vitamins or supplements? Has anything helped you?

 

[SuperSensitive96]

Hi Jodie, maybe I can help answer that last question for you. I've had many sessions with 3 naturopaths over the last few years.

As far as your concern regarding supplements and the like, the answer to our question is yes. Naturopaths absolutely treat using supplements and vitamins, but that is the whole point. Unlike potent pharmaceutical medications with strong possible side effects and reactions, supplements and vitamins are overall much safer and less likely to cause harm. Obviously, if you want to get better from any condition, something must be done in order to effect that, and supplements are the safest to do so.

More importantly though, Naturopaths are, in general, extremely good at listening, respecting the patient's sensitivities, and going at the patient's pace. So, if you are very sensitive (I was as well) and you are concerned about reactions, a Naturopath is in fact your best bet, as they will be the best at working with your specific case as an individual, with your specific sensitivites and anomalies. They are very understanding, and are willing to go very slow and cautiously.

I strongly encourage you to find a good Naturopath. I can't express how much help mine have been, and I can't imagine where I'd be today if I had never reached out to them. They are essential

 

[JaimeS]

I agree regarding alternative health practitioners. At the risk of over-generalizing, they often have also had negative experiences with allopathy, which makes them more likely to understand the plight of the chronically ill person who can't seem to catch a break with allopathic methodologies or physicians.

-J

 

[Little Bluestem]

Another alternative would be an integrative health care practitioner. They do allopathy along with other types of medicine.

 

[JaimeS]

Protip!

My area has a relatively well-known natural foods store, and I asked the owner - a guy who has a local radio talk show about health concerns - who in the area had experience with chronic fatigue patients. This is the type of guy who really has his pulse on the local healthcare scene. (Is that a 'scene'?) He pointed out a guy who lives in Bumblef*$( nowhere, who I'd have had no hope of identifying on my own.

Only a 20 minute drive away. I'm kind of that I didn't think of asking him sooner. If you have a health guru in your area, someone who runs a local health food store, they may actually know someone reputable.

-J