Has Anyone Else Had Trouble Getting VIP DX Results from Their Doctor? 5 People So Far

[hidlyn]

I was wondering if anyone else shares in the experience I and a few other people have had when trying to get results from their doctor after VPI dx XMRV testing.

I kept in touch with Marguerite throughout the process checking in by email at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. In the second email (dated May 3) at 4 weeks, I was told my results had already been faxed to my doctor on April 30. The office said they had not received them. I then called VIP again. I had already signed a waiver stating that I would like a copy of the results to be sent to me and I understood that it was best to have a physician interpret them. So, when I called I asked them to fax them to me instead. My doctor never has said whether he received it or not.

I wasn't surprised that this happened with my doctor. I was sort of prepared for some sort of run around on it all. However, other people are experiencing the same excuse. One person had VIP fax it to the doctor 4 times and STILL the office said that they did not have it until they went down and demanded it. Lo and behold, it suddenly appeared. So, the basic answer from the doctor's office is "we have not received the fax".

1. You have a right to receive the copy by mail or fax to your home. These results are clear as day. It will either be detected or none detected. No MD required there.

2. Request a waiver so you can receive the results at home in case your doctor does not give them to you in a timely fashion. The last person I talked to had been waiting over a month when the results had been in since the end of April. Had seen her doctor twice in that time too.

3. Just FYI - The VIP staff was incredibly accommodating and friendly.

If there is anyone else in this boat, please let us know. I think this type of thing should be stopped. Even if it's only a handful of doctors, it's still fishy.

 

[omerbasket]

It's disgusting, that's what it is. Who the hell do these doctors think they are? Do they think they are god, and that they absolutley KNOW what's good for us?

Are you planning on replacing your doctor (I mean, if you're sure that he concealed this information from you)?

 

[vdt33]

hidlyn, the exact same thing happened to me. This is really bizarre. VIP faxed my results to my doctor on April 30. My doctor won't even return my phone calls about it. I had to get VIP to fax it directly to me this week.

vdt

 

[hidlyn]

I have kept him for other reasons and have been shocked by his response to the WPI's findings. He is certainly being replaced, but at least I got his signature for the testing before saying adios. And, yes. I know for sure it was withheld in my situation.

vdt33 - Wow. See....I really think they are starting to band together on this. At first, I thought it was because I was positive. But, no. The test was negative - for now. I would have thought telling me I'm negative would have been a thrill for him. Apparently, it is simply that they do not want to support that testing at VIP in any way, shape, or form. I hope more people speak up about this. Something should be documented.

 

[omerbasket]

hidlyn, the exact same thing happened to me. This is really bizaare. VIP faxed my results to my doctor on April 30. My doctor won't even return my phone calls about it. I had to get VIP to fax it directly to me this week.

Your damn right I'm changing doctors!!!! But I can't find an Internist who will accept a person with CFS or Lyme disease as a patient. I have to go to specialists and not tell them I have CFS at first.

I am very upset and scared!

vdt

What the hell is a doctor who don't agree to accept patients because of their diagnosis? If he is an internist, I guess he must understand ME/CFS in order to be one - and if he doesn't understand he should learn about it - that's his job.

hidlyn, why do you need a signature from your doctor in order to be tested? Is it more dangerous to get a blood test than to take paracetamol, which you buy at the pharmacy without a signature? Or is it because the place in which he practices is supposed to get your blood drawn and their policy is that in order to do that for any blood test they need a signature from a doctor?

 

[fred]

I think it's more to do with US legislation for blood tests.

 

[SunnyGal]

I have a great LLMD who totally gets the meaning of the WPI study. He had me do the VIP Dx test in early December. I received my results at my appointment in late January (I didn't try to get my results earlier). My results were dated by my doctor's office as having been received in early January.

I have a friend who sees the same doctor and did the VIP Dx test a week before I did. He had a similar thing happen to others on this thread where VIP Dx said they'd FAX'd his results to the doctor but the doctor said he didn't have it. My friend went back and forth a number of times with VIP Dx and our doctor then gave up until his next appointment with our doctor when they had his results (which were negative).

So, with this particular doctor one of us got our results with no problems and one didn't. Don't know why there was a difference. I had assumed it was just administrative confusion that happens at times in busy doctors' offices.

Sunny

 

[vdt33]

I guess it's just the broken medical system. Why would my doctor want to keep my test results from me after she signed the form?

vdt

 

[hidlyn]

Well, VIP dx would like anyone who did have a problem receiving their test results AFTER finding out from VIP that the results were faxed to please lodge a complaint if you feel it's necessary. I'm not trying to alarm or form some sort of conspiracy. It just seemed odd to have several doctors give the same reply until patients finally have to ask for it on their own. At first, I thought this was simple messing around with testing. I have certainly had issues getting test results before. But, when one person reported that her husband actually went to the doctor's office and the results WERE there after being told they weren't and after having VIP fax them 3 times, it started sounding like a few doctors didn't particularly care to help us out.

I certainly didn't try getting my result early. I just inquired as to whether they were ready yet and was told they had been faxed a couple days earlier. There may certainly be a reasonable explanation for all of this. One way or the other, if results are not delivered in a timely fashion after VIP has tried faxing at least twice, you should lodge a complaint with VIP if you think your records are being withheld from you by your doctor's office.

vdt33 - My doctor signed the paper despite feeling XMRV is nothing and stating that "you can't separate the wheat from the chaff in the Science paper". During that same discussion I found out he is a big supporter of the CAA and the CDC's guidelines. It is hard to believe I stayed with him for 3 years and never found all that out until XMRV.

 

[vdt33]

There is a shortage of Internists - at least where I live -- so they can be choosy. They can say they don't know enough about CFS or they aren't accepting new patients because they have more than they can handle.

It takes a lot of time, and trial-and-error to find a doctor. You have to be quick if a good doctor gets put on a recommended list because their practice fills up very quickly.

 

[Snow Leopard]

I had this problem, but it supposedly had more to do with the clinic not accepting overseas faxes. They ended up emailing it after I obtained the necessary address. There were delays with regards to the XMRV tests since VIPDx tested many samples twice due to a perceived lack of sensitivity of the test.
I don't have a problem with finding doctors who do what I want, or have preconcieved notions about CFS. My problem is that they most seem to not have any want of notions at all. Such practitioners seem to be both aware and content with their mediocre knowledge and lack of perspective about where the medical profession is heading in the future. (not just about CFS either)

When I see a GP, I tend to feel like I'm the one who is the doctor (from doctoris - to teach). But other healthy (and intelligent) people I know have more or less suggested the same thing.

I have only met a few "true" doctors who were MDs rather than PhDs, one of them focuses on CFS (used to teach at med school and will lecture for hours if you let him). The other is a rheumatologist, extremely intelligent and funds fibromyalgia research out of his own pocket. (though rheumatologists can earn a pretty penny, so..).