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Complex Chronic Disease Clinic Appoints Medical Director

Ember

Senior Member
Messages
2,115
July 10, 2012

The appointment of Dr. Alison Bested to the position of Medical Director at Vancouver's new Complex Chronic Disease Clinic has been announced. (Below is the official press release.)

Notice that the description of the new clinic includes both ME and CFS patients:
This clinic is for people who suffer from a group of complex chronic diseases which include but are not limited to:
  • Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia Syndrome
  • Lyme disease.
Vancouver – A new clinic focused on treating people who suffer from a group of complex chronic diseases has appointed its first Medical Director.

Dr. Alison Bested will lead the Complex Chronic Disease Clinic, which will be located at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre in Vancouver. The clinic is the first of its kind in the province.

Dr. Bested is expected to start on October 1, 2012, giving her time to close up her current medical practice in Toronto where she treats patients with complex medical illnesses.

In March 2011 the Ministry of Health announced a $2 million investment to study cases and best practices for patients with complex chronic diseases.

The clinic will focus on diseases such as Lyme disease, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Clinic staff will work with patients and doctors from across the province not only to provide care for people but to also learn more about these complex diseases.

Bested is a medical specialist who has worked with complex medical illnesses for the past 21 years. She is the Medical Specialist Liaison at the Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. She is also a lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Read more information about the new centre here.

Quotes:

Dr. Alison Bested, MD, FRCPC
“I’m looking forward to continuing my work in the field of complex chronic diseases in British Columbia,” said Bested. “This clinic will be an excellent way for us to focus our resources and energy on patients dealing with very complex medical illnesses that require specialized treatments.”

Alain Gagnon, Senior Medical Director, BC Women’s Hospital
We are thrilled to have recruited one of Canada’s premiere physicians in this field, said Alain Gagnon. “Her passion for knowledge translation as well as her dedication to patients will advance the care for people all across British Columbia.”

Dr. Alison Bested's Biography

Dr. Alison Bested is a Haematological Pathologist . For the past 21 years she has a medical practice in Toronto that treats patients with complex medical illnesses including: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.

Dr. Bested is the Medical Specialist Liaison at the Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. She is a lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Bested uses Telemedicine to outreach individual patients in Ontario and also with her Education and Support Group.

Dr. Bested was one of the authors of the Canadian ME/CFS consensus definition that was published in the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2003.

The second edition of her book “Hope and Help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia” was published by Sourcebooks House in 2008.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
Dr Alison Bested who has been working at the Environmental Clinic at Woman's hospital in Toronto has accepted the position of medical director at the incoming Complex Chronic Disease Clinic in Vancouver.

You can view the news from the Vancouver Sun here.

Sources from ME/FM Action say she will start on October 1st and anticipates the clinic to open in 2013, so she can take time to hire her team.
 
Messages
53
I wish it was sooner. Anyone hear anything more about the DNA study they were supposed to start right away? My doctor submitted me in the study but neither of us have heard a thing back.
 

Ember

Senior Member
Messages
2,115
I was disappointed by the Vancouver Sun's persistent refusal to report on ME, and I voiced my displeasure with them about that again yesterday.
 

Gamboa

Senior Member
Messages
261
Location
Canada
Great news for people in western Canada. Not so good for those in the Toronto and eastern Ontario who are now losing one of the few ME/CFS specialists here. Is someone else taking over for her at the Women's College Hospital Clinic?

Gamboa: a past patient of Dr. Bested.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
Hi Gamboa. I am in British Columbia.

I am involved in Canadian advocacy for health care for everyone in Canada. However the provinces have a lot of say about taking care of their citizens because of the Canadian Health Act transfer to provinces. The provinces have to care for all of their citizens. Still I have created a petition and sent letters to health Canada and the health care minister as they fund research (0$ for ME) they approve medication for diseases, and have some say in clinical trials (for instance the CCSVI trial for MS)

I strongly suggest to Ontarians to make this story public, that a ME expert is leaving the province and that instead of providing increasing services (treatments, that is) to their patients, the latter are being left to their own device. This is a human right issue! Let your MPP know. It is totally unfair to you guys- I don't have the number of patients in Ontario at hands but I am sure it is over 100 000 patients or very close to that.

Saying nothing is accepting that this is the way it is...

My 2 cents.
 
Messages
53
What DNA study are you talking about?

Hi Kati. Last January (I think) Dr. Hyams told me that one of the first things they were planning was a genetics study of people with ME/CFS. I know nothing more than that. I did email the hospital the other day with my list of questions about the new centre and also asked them about the study and told them my doctor had submitted my name. I got nothing back except the standard "we got your email and will get back to you when we can" message.
 
Messages
53
Spoke with Dr. Hyams about this last week at my appointment. He said that he thought that the decision to select Dr. Alison Bested as head of the new clinic was an excellent one. He said their is always a tension between those doctors wanting to concentrate on pure research and those doctors wanting to focus on providing treatments. He thought that Dr. Alison Bested would be the best person to maintain the need for balance in the new clinic. He said it will still be a while before the clinic is operational because they are in the process of deciding what they will do. Sounds like a good time for those of us who are ill to engage them, no? There has been no new word of the "genetics study".

I did note that Dr. Hyams is now having his CFS patients do a fatigue/impairment questionnaire before each appointment. Prior to this it was just a couple forms relating to pain (locations and impacts on living). I had actually started writing on the one form that bowel, fatigue and mental fog were having significant impacts on my daily living. I often feel it is easier to deal with pain than the other issues.
 
Messages
15
Location
Toronto
Great news for people in western Canada. Not so good for those in the Toronto and eastern Ontario who are now losing one of the few ME/CFS specialists here. Is someone else taking over for her at the Women's College Hospital Clinic?

Gamboa: a past patient of Dr. Bested.
 
Messages
15
Location
Toronto
I m new to this site. Looking for a CFS doctor in Toronto?
Asked to be referred to women s college a couple do months ago but no news yet?..
 
Messages
15
Location
Toronto
I m new to this site. Looking for a CFS doctor in Toronto?
Asked to be referred to women s college a couple do months ago but no news yet?..
Hi Nanou,

I was referred to WCH over a year ago, and just had my appointment last week, so prepare for a looong wait. To tell you the truth I was a bit disappointed. The doc spent a fair bit of time with me, but because I was feeling a bit out of it, I don't think I told him everything quite correctly, I wish I had my mom there with me, because she pointed out a few incorrect things I said. E.g. when he asked me about post exertional malaise, I spent a lot of time thinking about it, because in recent past it hasn't been as pronounced. Then, the very next day I went out for a walk, and had a bit of a crash, and after sitting on the grass by the sidewalk eventually made it home. What disappointed me is that I was told that I only have 2 more appointments left, according to their budget. I was also disappointed that a lot of my concerns were not addressed (maybe they cant be?) and I guess by the fact that I was looking for a faster "cure".

Anyway maybe I can tell you the advice given me, so you can save yourself the trouble, or at least try things out before you get your appointment.

So the idea is that all this is happening due to lack of mitochondria, resulting from oxidative stress. My prescription was to reach an aerobic state by rapid walking for 2 minutes, followed by 5 minutes rest. Start this out slowly then build up. Do not crash! (this is what happened to me, as I tried too hard - there is NO way I can raise my HR above 60 to 120 I was supposed to).
After you do this, you should go to a sauna, or if sauna is unavailable, wrap yourself in a blanket, and sweat.

Another prescription was to get the K-Pax energy formula from the US, which I got here http://www.kpaxpharm.com/vitaminsandsupplements/immunesystemboosters/Energy

There was another thing I am supposed to be doing, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is, and I can't find the sheet it was written on :) Just another thing to get used to.

So this was a brand new thing that this doctor has heard of (which seemed odd), so I asked for what he typically does, and he has his own supplements. This includes use of D-Ribose, Creatine (not in the KPAX formula I believe), Coq10, ALA, ALCAR, Magnesium, Nac, and other antioxidants, including Pycnogenol, Melatonin, Fish Oils, Green Tea, L Theanine, Curcumin, Vit C, E, Flavinoids, B vits. I want to post the complete details of this in the treatment section so that other people can benefit. I hope that the doctor in question would not mind this if it helps others.

I believe that the MD will have other more personalized advice for you, including diet (possibly Vegan?), but my case is different.

Hope this helps somebody.

Hope it helps me.