That sure would be closer than west coast for me. !!!!
My Experience With Dr. Kaufman at the Open Medicine Institute
- Thread starter jeff_w
- Start date
I survived my trip to see Dr. Kaufman. If I had to do it again I would fly rather than drive...what an exhausting trip.
Dr. Kaufman is exactly as advertised. He's very thorough in his questioning...and he is very open minded. I only wish that his office was closer (don't we all).
People here weren't kidding when they said that OMI takes a lot of blood. I feel like I was in the chair for 1/2 an hour lol.
Overall, I'm glad I made the trip and look forward to the results. I still have a few tests to do here in town though (SIBO, bartonella and saliva cortisol).
Dr. Kaufman is exactly as advertised. He's very thorough in his questioning...and he is very open minded. I only wish that his office was closer (don't we all).
People here weren't kidding when they said that OMI takes a lot of blood. I feel like I was in the chair for 1/2 an hour lol.
Overall, I'm glad I made the trip and look forward to the results. I still have a few tests to do here in town though (SIBO, bartonella and saliva cortisol).
I was going through this thread to refresh my memory (my appointment is in about 6 weeks!) and am a little disturbed to see that @jeff_w has not posted recently? Has anyone heard from him?
It's like that when you finally get to a good ME/CFS specialist. 
One day I was sitting in the local lab waiting room when a phlebotomist walked through the room with the strip of paper that has the stickers they put on the tubes after they draw blood. There were so many tubes to be taken that the paper looped over her hand and both ends dragged on the floor. There was a collective gasp from the people waiting. "Gosh," someone said in hushed awe, "someone must be really sick."
One day I was sitting in the local lab waiting room when a phlebotomist walked through the room with the strip of paper that has the stickers they put on the tubes after they draw blood. There were so many tubes to be taken that the paper looped over her hand and both ends dragged on the floor. There was a collective gasp from the people waiting. "Gosh," someone said in hushed awe, "someone must be really sick."
It's like that when you finally get to a good ME/CFS specialist. One day I was sitting in the local lab waiting room when a phlebotomist walked through the room with the strip of paper that has the stickers they put on the tubes after they draw blood. There were so many tubes to be taken that the paper looped over her hand and both ends dragged on the floor. There was a collective gasp from the people waiting. "Gosh," someone said in hushed awe, "someone must be really sick."
One day I was sitting in the local lab waiting room when a phlebotomist walked through the room with the strip of paper that has the stickers they put on the tubes after they draw blood. There were so many tubes to be taken that the paper looped over her hand and both ends dragged on the floor. There was a collective gasp from the people waiting. "Gosh," someone said in hushed awe, "someone must be really sick."
I understand they want thorough testing. But what happens to the poor soul who cannot sustain such draws.
This doctor interests me also.
In some cases, the doctor can order a saline infusion after a large blood draw, but that wouldn't be done at an outpatient lab, I think. You'd need to be in a hospital lab or the office of a doctor prepared to give saline. They can also do the draws over the course of a several weeks if one is not up to a large one-time draw.
I'm surprised KDM didn't do something to compensate for the large blood draw if your daughter was already weak.
I'm surprised KDM didn't do something to compensate for the large blood draw if your daughter was already weak.
@perrier with kaufman you can specifically ask to have some of the labs done through a satellite lab at a later date.
I got nervous when I saw how many tubes they were going to fill and asked them if we had to do all of them at that time. They were willing to let me do some of them after I got home, but I went ahead and did them all while I was there.
I got nervous when I saw how many tubes they were going to fill and asked them if we had to do all of them at that time. They were willing to let me do some of them after I got home, but I went ahead and did them all while I was there.
@SOC I probably would have ran out of there if I saw that many stickers.
How many veins did they have to use to fill all of those?
How many veins did they have to use to fill all of those?
Very nearly an armful? (Non-UK and non-ageing readers may not get that reference from Tony Hancock's Blood Donor sketch.)
Haha I'll have to look that up.
One stick, lots of vials. The 28 vials or so that they drew is only about half of what is given in a blood donation. So while it looks alarming to see all those vials, it's really not that much blood.
The 28 vials or so that they drew is only about half of what is given in a blood donation. So while it looks alarming to see all those vials, it's really not that much blood.
In some cases, the doctor can order a saline infusion after a large blood draw, but that wouldn't be done at an outpatient lab, I think. You'd need to be in a hospital lab or the office of a doctor prepared to give saline. They can also do the draws over the course of a several weeks if one is not up to a large one-time draw.
I'm surprised KDM didn't do something to compensate for the large blood draw if your daughter was already weak.
I'm surprised KDM didn't do something to compensate for the large blood draw if your daughter was already weak.
If you're ever getting a blood draw it's a good idea to start hydrating yourself a few hours before your appointment.
Lol I remember a long time ago I had to go to a routine blood draw and I hadn't had breakfast in the morning (nor drank any fluids since the night before).
Since I was so dehydrated they had trouble getting the needle into my veins. It took them about 3 goes to get the needle in and it was quite painful.
Lol I remember a long time ago I had to go to a routine blood draw and I hadn't had breakfast in the morning (nor drank any fluids since the night before).
Since I was so dehydrated they had trouble getting the needle into my veins. It took them about 3 goes to get the needle in and it was quite painful.
I don't think they did anything specific for me. They do have a nice recliner to lie back in while they draw blood.
I'm not "severely ill" so I was just making mountains out of mole hills (thinking ti would be worse that it actually was).
But, for someone who is severely ill and unable to give that much blood in one sitting, I think they would be willing to make whatever accommodations are necessary.
I'm not "severely ill" so I was just making mountains out of mole hills (thinking ti would be worse that it actually was).
But, for someone who is severely ill and unable to give that much blood in one sitting, I think they would be willing to make whatever accommodations are necessary.
