My 17 year old daughter and I had appointments on the same day with Dr. Klimas. We were both very excited to see such a knowledgeable doctor. We were not disappointed.
Her nurse practitioner is gentle, kind and very insightful. She took my initial history while Dr. Klimas took my daughter's. It was clear from the questions I was asked that the many pages of paperwork i sent in had, in fact, been read. Then we both met with Dr. Klimas, who told us how the various symptoms we all have are inter-related. You can look at her numerous videos all over the internet to get her take on it. (So much better than my trying to explain it.) She ordered a great deal of blood work and will be speaking with us the first week in October about the results.
Regarding XMRV and the Alter paper's variants, she was cautious but optimistic, saying "It's a very exciting time." She also feels that the fresher a blood sample is the more accurate the viral testing will be---so much so, that she doesn't feel it is best to test for it at the present time. I believe she is working now on coming up with a more standardized retro virus test at the University of Miami. She also indicated the she hopes to start research trials of various antivirals and combinations of antiviral meds in the near future.
My initial observations are that this is a place that accords CFS sufferers a large measure of dignity and compassion. The outer office has 3 massage recliners. The first person you will meet is Hannah. Hannah, who wears many hats at the clinic, is incredibly easy to talk with. She is like the hub of the wheel that keeps everything spinning properly. I don't think there is a job title for the many responsibilities she has, but I can say from experience that she is unlike any other front office individual with whom I have interacted in my long medical history -- i.e., she is helpful, pleasant and thoughtful.
And then, there is Dr. Klimas. Have you ever noticed that your physician enters the office from a back door? Well, not long after we arrived at the CFS clinic, the door opened into the small waiting area and in walked Dr. Klimas. She is truly unassuming and I do not know how she manages to keep vanity at bay. I don't want to sound like a groupie, but this woman has done so much for the cfs community with her advocacy and research and is world-renown for her discoveries--and yet, she came out to the front office area and sat down next to me with her laptop to confer on which type of CPAP mask I would prefer. Look, MDs, in general, just don't give a hang about my preferences. But Dr. K cares.
My daughter was sent home with a device that monitors her sleep and I was given an IV of saline. I immediately felt a heaviness lift off my chest. Although she feels my daughter and I are in different subsets, we both have hypovolemia. She wants us to drink 32 ounces of Gatorade or its equivalent each day.
It was an amazing visit and I am definitely looking forward to the results of our lab work.
Her nurse practitioner is gentle, kind and very insightful. She took my initial history while Dr. Klimas took my daughter's. It was clear from the questions I was asked that the many pages of paperwork i sent in had, in fact, been read. Then we both met with Dr. Klimas, who told us how the various symptoms we all have are inter-related. You can look at her numerous videos all over the internet to get her take on it. (So much better than my trying to explain it.) She ordered a great deal of blood work and will be speaking with us the first week in October about the results.
Regarding XMRV and the Alter paper's variants, she was cautious but optimistic, saying "It's a very exciting time." She also feels that the fresher a blood sample is the more accurate the viral testing will be---so much so, that she doesn't feel it is best to test for it at the present time. I believe she is working now on coming up with a more standardized retro virus test at the University of Miami. She also indicated the she hopes to start research trials of various antivirals and combinations of antiviral meds in the near future.
My initial observations are that this is a place that accords CFS sufferers a large measure of dignity and compassion. The outer office has 3 massage recliners. The first person you will meet is Hannah. Hannah, who wears many hats at the clinic, is incredibly easy to talk with. She is like the hub of the wheel that keeps everything spinning properly. I don't think there is a job title for the many responsibilities she has, but I can say from experience that she is unlike any other front office individual with whom I have interacted in my long medical history -- i.e., she is helpful, pleasant and thoughtful.
And then, there is Dr. Klimas. Have you ever noticed that your physician enters the office from a back door? Well, not long after we arrived at the CFS clinic, the door opened into the small waiting area and in walked Dr. Klimas. She is truly unassuming and I do not know how she manages to keep vanity at bay. I don't want to sound like a groupie, but this woman has done so much for the cfs community with her advocacy and research and is world-renown for her discoveries--and yet, she came out to the front office area and sat down next to me with her laptop to confer on which type of CPAP mask I would prefer. Look, MDs, in general, just don't give a hang about my preferences. But Dr. K cares.
My daughter was sent home with a device that monitors her sleep and I was given an IV of saline. I immediately felt a heaviness lift off my chest. Although she feels my daughter and I are in different subsets, we both have hypovolemia. She wants us to drink 32 ounces of Gatorade or its equivalent each day.
It was an amazing visit and I am definitely looking forward to the results of our lab work.
