Good primary care docs or others who take insurance in the west/southwest?

[frozenborderline]

I’m looking for a new pcp Bc of moving to the southwest/west , or at least doctor who’s may be willing to order saline infusions for me. I am aware of the walk in hydration clinics but at home in Vermont’s my infusions were covered and im trying to get a similar situation here. I have a a ton of medical ptsd but it would be worth it if I could get a doc here’s who could order saline infusions.

I’m looking for ME/POTS-literates docs in the following states: New Mexico , Arizona (esp northern), Colorado, Utah , Nevada , ans Southern California , especially palm desert area. My cfs specialist would order a pcp or other doc to prescribe saline but I don’t know if she’s would because out of state. Integrative docs fine if they take insurance. Or other kind of docs. Just need a doc who will prescribe saline and maybe scig (but that last part less important). This is really urgent. Thanks.

 

[frozenborderline]

Please please tag members in these areas or ask around. Thanks so much.

 

[leela]

For POTS you could try Dr. Brent Goodman at the Scottsdale Mayo Clinic.
He's not a PCP, he's a neurologist, but I've heard really good things about him from patients. There's a great talk of his about POTS on youtube.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

In So Cal: I have yet to find anyone, but don't know how to find them other than thru some rumor mill. And I know nobody who spreads good rumors. My insurance indicated they don't "know" about specialists in ME CFS...but that was just whomever answer the telephone in Maryland, today...who is not a doctor or nurse or anything else warrenting: paying their paycheck.

Maybe Kaiser Permanente might be making some forward progresss...due to the rumored NOrthern California referral person.

 

[leela]

You could also try Jill Carnahan in CO (Denver I think, maybe Boulder) but her waiting list is very long.
Or Kenny De Meirleir in Nevada.

 

[Thegriz]

http://fourpeakshealthcare.com/
Flagstaff Arizona

 

[toyfoof]

My neighbor goes to a naturopath here in Sedona who takes insurance and does IVs and other treatments. I’ll ask her for the contact info and post when I hear back.

ETA: http://vvnaturopathic.com/. Dr. Stephanie Bailey is who my neighbor, who has CFS, sees. Their website looks like they don’t take insurance, so you might want to ask if you call them. They will do house calls and Skype which is nice.

If you come through Sedona let me know! I’ll help however I can.

 

[frozenborderline]

I Am in northern New Mexico w severe cci and about to go through benzo withdrawal bc o moving without really planning. My pain wasn’t really controlled before but ketotifen helped w the inflammation symptoms and sleep. Ran out of that too. Don’t want to have to go to urgent care but I guess will if I have to.

 

[S-VV]

I can send you ketotifen from Spain, but i don't know how quick it will be.

 

[frozenborderline]

My neighbor goes to a naturopath here in Sedona who takes insurance and does IVs and other treatments. I’ll ask her for the contact info and post when I hear back.

ETA: http://vvnaturopathic.com/. Dr. Stephanie Bailey is who my neighbor, who has CFS, sees. Their website looks like they don’t take insurance, so you might want to ask if you call them. They will do house calls and Skype which is nice.

If you come through Sedona let me know! I’ll help however I can.

We were considering going to kaibab forest or Williams /flagstaff. Do you notice any beneficial health effects from parts of Sedona ?

 

[Mary]

@debored13 - high dose vitamin C can help with benzo withdrawal - it helps scavenge excess glutamate.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25701025
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11064-015-1540-2

I did a slow taper off of lorazepam over several months, and that was bad enough, I can't imagine going through a sudden withdrawal. Anyways, I found that taking a couple thousand grams of vitamin C every couple of hours (day and night) noticeably helped wtih sleep. Resveratrol might be helpful also. The high dose of vitamin C ended up making me acidic, causing fatigue and achiness, which was relieved by baking soda.

And this article lists everything but the kitchen sink for helping with excess glutamate - I can't vouch for everything on the list but you might find something helpful here: https://nourishedblessings.com/protecting-against-glutamate-damage/

 

[leela]

We were considering going to kaibab forest or Williams /flagstaff. Do you notice any beneficial health effects from parts of Sedona ?

There is a nurse practitioner in ABQ who may be able to help you with at least your scripts..
I don't know her name, but if you poke/ask around a bit, you might be able to find her.

 

[Sushi]

There is a nurse practitioner in ABQ who may be able to help you with at least your scripts..
I don't know her name, but if you poke/ask around a bit, you might be able to find her.

@debored13 I see a nurse practitioner in ABQ who is sympathetic to the woes of ME/CFS patients and open to research. If you are interested, PM me.

 

[toyfoof]

We were considering going to kaibab forest or Williams /flagstaff. Do you notice any beneficial health effects from parts of Sedona ?

Yes, the dry air and altitude (I’m at about 4500) help me a lot. I don’t feel quite the same pressure on my brain and body that I do in lower, wetter places.

We also have these vortexes, which most people will claim are just woo, but my (very evidence-based) doctors have both told me are real, physical phenomena having to do with magnetic fields and subtle changes in vibrations that can be felt at the cellular level. There is one in particular that affects me ... the first time we visited here I was able to climb some stairs right after spending time on that vortex, and I felt no weight or heaviness or lactic acid in my legs.

Unfortunately I can’t sit on a vortex 24/7 but I like having it nearby, for emergencies, if you will.

 

[Mary]

@toyfoof - I visited Sedona 21 or 22 years ago - I remember vividly how beautiful it was and hearing about the vortexes, though I didn't notice feeling any different. But this was pre-ME/CFS (actually not too long before onset) - anyways, I wouldn't knock anything that someone says helps them! I'm glad you have your vortex for emergencies!

 

[frozenborderline]

Bump still having similar issues

 

[frozenborderline]

Yes, the dry air and altitude (I’m at about 4500) help me a lot. I don’t feel quite the same pressure on my brain and body that I do in lower, wetter places.

We also have these vortexes, which most people will claim are just woo, but my (very evidence-based) doctors have both told me are real, physical phenomena having to do with magnetic fields and subtle changes in vibrations that can be felt at the cellular level. There is one in particular that affects me ... the first time we visited here I was able to climb some stairs right after spending time on that vortex, and I felt no weight or heaviness or lactic acid in my legs.

Unfortunately I can’t sit on a vortex 24/7 but I like having it nearby, for emergencies, if you will.

I visited and the vortex effect is certainly real. Or at the very least the biome is healing there. But my sister did not enjoy the scorpions

 

[katarina]

Dr. Chitra Bhakta in Newport Beach is an integrative medicine doctor. She doesn’t take insurance for appointments but got me approved and insurance covered for SCIG (which is HUGE). She’s more a Lyme doctor but seems to focus most on underlying immune system issues in patients with clear immune issues. She does remote phone or Skype appointments after the first one but does require you follow up every 3 months if You’re on SCIG or IVIG. I think her initial appointment was about $700 not including blood tests. However she does most tests through lab Corp or Quest so they are covered by insurance. Follow up appointments are between $200-500 I believe.

I haven’t talked to her about saline but I used to get it from another doctor.

 

[katarina]

I’d also strongly suggest finding your local Me Action Facebook group and ask for PCPs in there. As for finding a doctor to prescribe IVIG or SCIG there’s a Facebook group called “IVIG support group” and they’re super helpful. They can help you find a doctor to prescribe it for you in your area.