A trip to Florida! CFS Clinic (Dr. Klimas)

[girlinthesnow]

Thanks Michelle,
sounds good was waiting for your update! Do you feel good about everything she said? Will your doc prescribe immuunovir? Dr Klimas will not prescribe it? My doc would not help me unless she prescibes the med. Or maybe I am just not understanding.

.

The culture of treatment and attitude to care is a thousand miles apart between here and there. Not just attitudes, medicines even ordinary ones like prescriptions for sleep, and treatment for inflammation and of course testing, which is why I made the journey in the first place.

My GP, a good one by most standards here, has not heard of Dr Klimas and thinks I have spent alot of money to see a quack to help me with something that does not exist. She thinks I am stressed, somatizing, in need of another sort of tricyclic antidepressant.

Although Dr Klimas has been over here to lecture I don't think she realizes the full situation in the UK. She asked for a phone number so she could give my GP a call. GPs here don't take calls not even from famous specialists, there is only a main reception telephone. Next she asked if she could email my GP the results, also no, GPs don't do email. There is no fax machine either. The only way to send information is by post. Suddenly it is obvious we have been getting nowhere here, GPs are marooned in their surgeries with no access to the outside world, someone needs to start a rescue party to save them from the technology of the 1970's :worried::Retro wink:

Still, I regret nothing, a simple validation by lab test is worth everything.

We are moving forward inch by inch.

 

[goldiland]

Immunovir

For all those following the US healthcare debate, this is why Obama's initial idea of a government run co-op scared the crap out of most Americans.... while the overall concept of insuring everyone is very noble and important, government run enterprises with no profit goals or shareholders are disincentivized to produce a quality results. The end result of socialized medicine is that you get what you pay for; i.e the patient often has restricted access and limited options.

Michelle, if you have internet access, for about $7 a month you can use an on-line fax service (smartfax.com, et al) where you can send and receive faxes to your e-mail account. Have Klimas send your results to your fax, print it out and take it to your GP. Also, there is a ton of info on-line regarding Klimas and her qualifications. Print it out and take it to your GP along with your tests. Also see the attached PDF:
Clinical improvement in chronic fatigue syndromeJournal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.Volume 11. Clinical improvement in chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with enhanced natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity: the results of a pilot study with Isoprinosine

Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) & Gulf War Illness, University of Miami, and Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami Florida. Immune and Viral Response to Isoprinosine in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Bring this to your GP also if he/she is uneducated about this drug and how it is going to help you.

Arm yourself and then go kick your GP's butt into gear to get him/her to write this script for you.

 

[IntuneJune]

For all those following the US healthcare debate, this is why Obama's initial idea of a government run co-op scared the crap out of most Americans.... while the overall concept of insuring everyone is very noble and important, government run enterprises with no profit goals or shareholders are disincentivized to produce a quality results. The end result of socialized medicine is that you get what you pay for; i.e the patient often has restricted access and limited options.

It breaks my heart what is happening in the US today. Those of us who appose a national health care system are looked upon as un-charitable. Not so.

There is a lot wrong with access to medical "insurance" that we all agree. Everyone wants to see that improved. Before we dump the whole American health care system (the system that draws folks from around the world who have NOT been able to get the care they need from their national system...even though they can afford it) we should look at how we can fix what we have so we don't destroy the enthusiam of those working in these fields.

Over and over we hear of Medicare fraud, and with the "savings" from cleaning that up, we will be able to save and expand to more folks without losing exisitng benefits for those already on Medicare.

What are you waiting for? Why has this not already been done? To help those here? Fix everything that is wrong with our system now, do that first, before we corrode the whole thing.

I have experienced government run health care, was a patient for four years in this system. My access to care was curtailed, equipment outdated. I paid out of pocket to go elsewhere.

If this health care option goes through, private options will be available at first, but they will be watered down over time, it will all be the same in the end.

I have not commented on this before, because, this subject is inflammatory. We here are on both sides of this issue.

The point I was trying to make here.....and really the only point.... is those of us who appose a national health care system, are not cold-hearted. We want everyone to receive health care, but we don't want the government to control it though as our government has a proven track record of NOT being good business people.

My heart goes out to everyone, we are being pulled apart, I hate this.

I have no personal gains in my political thinking, in a few months, I will be on Medicare anyway. And FYI, I will be denied a treatment I now receive.

June

PS: If I have not been able to express myself properly (frequently I have remarked about my lack of being able to form and express thoughts clearly...unlike many posters here on this forum whom I respect so much) I might have to delete this post as I did not want to debate. My point, we do care.

 

[alice1]

Congratulations for getting yourself to see Dr. Klimas.I'm hoping you'll be able to get the meds asap.
She started me on Imunovir.She sent a letter with my results to my family doc ands he wrote out the script also as you know it's made here in Canada.
On my thread 'results from dr. klimas' someone kindly left a message saying you could get the meds on-line.
All the best.
A,

 

[girlinthesnow]

Thank you very much Goldiland, that is all an enormous help.
I'll be armed and ready when I see my GP next week :victory::victory::victory::victory:

A thousand thank yous!!!!!!

 

[goldiland]

You're welcome Michelle... let us know how it turns out, although I am sure you will get your script!

Intune, you are right on the money... although we will all be able to keep our private insurance, the question in a government run system is what happens when insurer costs skyrocket, employers (especially small employers) drop coverage, etc. I think the real fear is whether many Americans will ultimately be pushed into a government run healthcare system. I am certainly in favor of providing care for the uninsured (both because everyone deserves healthcare and the cost of the uninsured is crippling the system today) but there are a lot of mechanisms other a federally mandated program. Many states are using preventative care Medicaid type programs... still government sponsored but cuts down substantially on ER and other costly visits that uninsured make after they have an acute episode. Just my two cents... back to chronic fatigue syndrome!

 

[girlinthesnow]

There are now several patient reports of Dr Klimas' patient care and clinic on the Forum, would it be useful have them all on the same thread?

 

[*GG*]

Here, here to IntuneJune and Goldilands comments.

Although, I think people will be priced out of regular insurance, and everyone will end up on "gov't insurance". This government takeover is scaring the crap out of me. Just wish Congress would listen to the MAJORITY of the American people.

Like the Gov't is going to control cost and increase the pool of people, just does not add up! So tired of protesting this issue, why don't they focus on jobs and the economy, millions are out of work and hurting! The conspiracy theories are starting to ring more true, scary. Like they are going to do a better job than they are now for CFIDS?! No confidence at all in that regard! Sorry, had to vent! I will vent again come November.