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Doctors in and around London, UK

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
Hello all, I'm looking at my options for private healthcare in or near London.

So far I've heard about:

Dr Bansal, currently working at St Antony's Hospital with Spiral Healthcare, retired from St Heliers

The Optimum Health Clinic

Well Works - online, not CFS specific, functional medicine

Burghwood Clinic - allergy specialists

Has anyone been a patient of any of these places, and if so, were they helpful?
Has anyone been anywhere else that was helpful in or near London?


What I'm looking for:
- extra thyroid tests
- extra look at my hormones
- b12 injections
- possibly support on trying diets eg cutting gluten
- supplement list according to their experience with CFS and my test results

That last one makes me inclined to choose somewhere that knows specifically a great deal about CFS.
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
@andyguitar I'm aware of that risk - spending money and nothing happening.
However, I would like to give it a shot. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. If it doesn't work, at least I'll know for sure.

I've heard Dr Bansal has given 2 people I know b12 injections which helped them both - my GP has refused to give me this which is within her rights.
One of the 2 people got given an extra thyroid test by him and discovered a thyroid issue, so now she has meds for that which have helped a little. I have some thyroid problem symptoms so it makes sense for me to give this a go. I don't know much about this but I read what Dr Myhill has to say about it.

Thanks for letting me know he's not a fan of supplements :)

Did you see him yourself?
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
Thanks @Gingergrrl :) @Countrygirl I would welcome any of your input - perhaps there is already a list of London ME/CFS drs somewhere?

I have had thyroid tests but not all of the possible thyroid tests are free on the NHS.
I've got B12 sublingual supplements but apparently the injections make a big difference. The supplements I'm taking do help - I just want the next level now.
 

andyguitar

Moderator
Messages
6,595
Location
South east England
Never seen Dr Bansal @lior but checked him out on behalf of a patient. On the subject of B-12 injections-definitely worth a try try for some, and if you get a bad reaction- some do- just dont have another one.
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
Messages
5,429
Location
UK
Thanks @Gingergrrl :) @Countrygirl I would welcome any of your input - perhaps there is already a list of London ME/CFS drs somewhere?

I have had thyroid tests but not all of the possible thyroid tests are free on the NHS.
I've got B12 sublingual supplements but apparently the injections make a big difference. The supplements I'm taking do help - I just want the next level now.

Hello @lior

I know of no list I'm sorry to say. The ones we know of have already been mentioned. Dr Weir is the most knowledgeable one that I know and he is a real champion of ME patients. He is coming to my home in a couple of weeks to meet with nine patients and their carers.

He did treat with antiretrovials up to last year, but isn't doing so at the moment as he doesn't know how to identify the responders which accounts for about one-third.

Incidentally, I heard from one of the patients yesterday who is almost completely well by taking biktarvy which is am antiretrovial treatment.

I am sorry I can't be of more help.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Dr Bansal, currently working at St Antony's Hospital with Spiral Healthcare, retired from St Heliers

I've read that Dr Bansal has retired.


I've heard Dr Bansal has given 2 people I know b12 injections which helped them both - my GP has refused to give me this which is within her rights.

B12 oils provide just as high a dose as injections, but only require you to rub the oil on your skin. No injection and no prescription required.



This map shows some ME/CFS doctors in the London region.
 
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PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
Thanks all.

@Hip I love the world map. Do you know who made it? Now I've asked around, I have a longer list of people that may be able to help, at least a couple of which should be on that world map. I'd like to get in contact with the makers of the map to tell them what I know.

@Countrygirl it's fabulous you've got Dr Weir coming over, well done you on hosting that!!

Here's the list I've got right now:
(It's a combo of notes from what other people have said and listings I've been able to find)

Private CFS specialist doctors
Dr Bansal
specialist doctor
https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-st-anthonys-hospital/consultants/dr-amolak-bansal-c2568454/
was told (unconfirmed) £700 for an hour’s consultation
Gives long letter of advice for treatment to GP
St Anthony's Hospital
mixed reviews. Gave Vincent b12 injections. Gave Phi thyroid test that led to thyroid meds. Can diagnose further co-morbid conditions. Has prescribed other people acyclovir, low dose of thyroxin, low dose naltrexone.
Dr B also has a comprehensive list of supplements he goes through suggesting the most relevant ones depending on your symptoms, inc betahydroxybutyrate (BHB).

Dr. William Weir, Harley Street
specialist doctor
Dr. Weir treats M.E. from a biomedical perspective. His basic consultation is £250 which includes a letter type summary of his findings. More extensive reports would be around £500. Further tests can be arranged, should he feel they are necessary, either on the NHS or privately.
Dr Weir is a retired consultant physician with a special interest in ME/CFS. Dr Weir has used tenofovir to treat ME/CFS.
Telephone: 020 7467 8478
10 Harley Street
London
W1G 9PF

Breakspear, Prof. Basant Puri
specialist doctor
www.breakspearmedical.com
Prof. Puri sees M.E. patients privately. He can be contacted through Breakspear Medical. In the past, his treatment has involved Essential Fatty Acids for sufferers. He has also conducted SPECT scans but is now cautious about them due to radiation. He tends to be very booked up.
Telephone: +44 (0) 1442 261333
Breakspear focuses on allergy and environmental illness. For ME/CFS treatment they use antivirals, gammaglobulins for parvovirus, and test and treat rickettsial and bacterial co-infections.
Breakspear Medical
Hertfordshire House
Wood Lane
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire, HP2 4FD
good at testing, friendly

Dr Paul Worthley from the ME Trust
specialist doctor
https://www.metrust.org.uk/howwehelp/
by phone
He does reasonably priced telephone consultations £20 for 15 mins

online private test kits
Medichecks
https://www.medichecks.com/thyroid-function-tests/thyroid-check-plus
£59 for 5 thyroid tests

Blue Horizon Medicals
https://bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=thyroid
£49 for 3 thyroid tests

Genova Diagnostics
https://www.gdx.net/uk/kitordering
thyroid test and other tests.
£65-£200 online

Other places
Optimum Health Clinic
specialist clinic
Harley Street
Mixed reviews. Vague, expensive, under qualified - trained in house.

The GP Surgery
private GP
https://www.thegpsurgery.co.uk/doctor/book-an-appointment/
£42 for thyroid inc T3 test. 10 min consultation £50, 20 min £70.
Wimbledon

Burghwood Clinic
allergy and nutrition specialists
https://www.burghwoodclinic.co.uk/69/Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome-CFS-ME
more tests, supplement and nutrition recommendations. Enzyme Potentiated Desensitisaion (EPD) or Neutralisation

NL Clinic
salon
B12 injections
Southgate
£25 per session roughly

Well Works
functional medicine
https://well-works.uk
can offer a health coach for adapting to dietsonline


from World Map - haven't heard about them through a patient:
Dr Forsyth
functional medicine
www.dr-forsyth.com
Dr Forsyth uses ecological medicine (functional medicine) and homeopathy to treat ME/CFS. Also sees patients at Biolab Medical Unit, 9 Weymouth Street, London W1W 6DB.
+44 1737 226338
North Cottage,, 11 Dovers Green Rd, Reigate RH2 8BU

London Sleep Centre
londonsleepcentre.com
Treats ME/CFS sleep disorders.
+44 20 7725 0523137 Harley St, Marylebone, London W1G 6BF

Dr Abhijit Chaudhuri
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
Dr Chaudhuri is a consultant neurologist at the Essex Centre of Neurological Science.
+44 330 400 4333Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford RM7 0AG

Dr Saul Berkovitz
www.uclh.nhs.uk
Dr Berkovitz is based at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, and uses complementary and orthodox medicine.
+44 20 3456 7890
60 Great Ormond St, London WC1N 3HR



My takeaway is that different places can do different things. I may be able to find somewhere local like a medical salon type place that will offer b12 injections for much cheaper than a CFS specialist.

Personally Dr Bansal or Dr Weir are in my shortlist for seeing, partly because of location. They sound like they could help with at least some of the picture. I've heard more about Dr Bansal so I may end up choosing him.

Many people get private testing but I need someone to look at the results and diagnose and know what if anything to prescribe. I'm just not capable of being my own doctor very effectively.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
@Hip I love the world map. Do you know who made it? Now I've asked around, I have a longer list of people that may be able to help, at least a couple of which should be on that world map. I'd like to get in contact with the makers of the map to tell them what I know.

The map I made for use in my roadmap (the map is displayed towards the bottom of that document). It was someone else on this forum who came up with the idea of creating a ME/CFS doctor map, and I though it was a good idea, so decided to make one.

If you have suggestions about others who can be included on the map, I'd love to hear them. I am always trying to expand the map whenever I come across any professional who looks reasonable.



Is Dr Bansal still treating ME/CFS patients do you know? Someone on this forum said he had recently retired, and when I looked at the Epsom and St Helier Hospital page where he had been listed, his name is no longer there.

But I see your above link to St Anthony's Hospital where Dr Bansal is listed as a consultant.
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
Hey @Hip, yes, as I said in the opening post, he's retired from St Heliers (NHS) but he's working privately at St Anthony's.

It's wonderful you put together that map! A great resource! I reckon you could put at least Dr Bansal and Dr Worthley on the map from my list above. People have said a lot of good things about both of them. The Optimum Health Clinic has has more mixed reviews, but it probably does still deserve to go on the map as a significant option.

Places like the Burghwood Clinic and Well Works - I'm sure they help a lot of people but as they're not CFS-specific, are they relevant to your map?
 

Jessie 107

Senior Member
Messages
291
Location
Brighton
Hey @Hip, yes, as I said in the opening post, he's retired from St Heliers (NHS) but he's working privately at St Anthony's.

It's wonderful you put together that map! A great resource! I reckon you could put at least Dr Bansal and Dr Worthley on the map from my list above. People have said a lot of good things about both of them. The Optimum Health Clinic has has more mixed reviews, but it probably does still deserve to go on the map as a significant option.

Places like the Burghwood Clinic and Well Works - I'm sure they help a lot of people but as they're not CFS-specific, are they relevant to your map?
I recently read that Dr Worthly is not taking on anymore patients at the moment
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Hey @Hip, yes, as I said in the opening post, he's retired from St Heliers (NHS) but he's working privately at St Anthony's.

Whoops, I missed that — thanks.

I've added Drs Bansal and Worthley to the map. And also the Optimum Health Clinic, and the Burghwood Clinic who have a webpage detailing the way they approach ME/CFS.

Well Works did not seem to have any info about how they treat ME/CFS, so I am not sure if it's worth including these guys. There are probably dozens of similar health clinics like Well Works around London and the UK, so unless they have a specific focus on ME/CFS, it's probably not that relevant for ME/CFS patients.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
For those in London, Dr Kenny De Meirleir would also be relatively easy to see. His clinic is in the outskirts of Brussels, and Brussels is just 2 hours away from London by Eurostar.

KDM sometimes uses long-term heavy dose antibiotics, and some patients have become worse from this. I would be a little wary of such a prescription from KDM; but other treatments he gives are less controversial. One forum member did well on KDM's treatment plan, see: treatment with KDM miraculous so far.
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
@Hip I'm excited I got to contribute something to your map!

I think you're right on Well Works. Seeing a doctor who specialises in ME/CFS is a priority for me.
After that if I still have other things I want addressed, then looking at other private doctors would be an option.
 

rainbowbluebells

Senior Member
Messages
248
Hello @lior

I know of no list I'm sorry to say. The ones we know of have already been mentioned. Dr Weir is the most knowledgeable one that I know and he is a real champion of ME patients. He is coming to my home in a couple of weeks to meet with nine patients and their carers.

He did treat with antiretrovials up to last year, but isn't doing so at the moment as he doesn't know how to identify the responders which accounts for about one-third.

Incidentally, I heard from one of the patients yesterday who is almost completely well by taking biktarvy which is am antiretrovial treatment.

I am sorry I can't be of more help.

Hi, do you know if Dr Weir treats with other medicines - how does he treat now, if he’s no longer using anti retrovirals? I’m keen on seeing him. Thanks. :)
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
Messages
5,429
Location
UK
@Countrygirl Also am interested in how Dr Weir approaches treatment if you are able to comment.

Hi @Seadragon

He is not at the moment using ARVS although I know some who are continuing with them, but everyone's needs are different, of course. What I can say is that Dr Weir tailors his treatment and recommendations according to your individual need and is excellent at providing support., especially if you do not have an educated doctor, and they are as rare as hen's teeth.

He is running his SW clinic from my house again in less than two weeks to be closely followed by Dr Speight who will be here after I have had two-weeks crash time.)

If you would like to see either doctor please contact me as the plan is that these clinics will be held a few times a year.

Dr Weir charges half-price if you see him at my house. And, of course, you will see part of the most beautiful part of England. Good food, cream teas, (jam on top, naturally, ...the Cornish still get it wrong :) )beautiful scenery, moorland, sand, sea and blue skies (well, blue skies may be a bit of an exaggeration at times) and scrumpy ( I am reliably informed it is the dead rodents left to float in the vat that gives it that certain je ne sais quoi........you must try it if you come here........it is an unforgettable experience) with two of the best doctors in the UK thrown in What more could you want?
 
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