[vanillasky]

#1059922

Hi all,

I thought we might get some comic relief here and would like to share my experience at the Cleveland Clinic’s other location in Lyndhurst Ohio where I went for my consultation for Integrative Medicine.

This is something my Endocrinologist suggested I seek because my thyroid disease is in remission (February labs show it) and he decided that because I am having menopausal issues, maybe these ladies would know what to do seeing HRT does not help my horrendous symptoms.

So I ventured nearly 5 hours to Ohio to meet 2 doctors which “grilled” me for nearly 2 hours about my health, my life, my dog, my husband, etc~

What they decided is that I have a “Leaky gut.” Not sure what it means as they explained it to me but suggested that I try “their” diet.

First of all, they weighed me and said I was 5’5″. I told them I must have grown because I’ve been 5’4″ for my entire adulthood. Hmmm…………….they also weighed me with all my clothes on and said I was 97 pounds. hmm….again.

They accused me of having an eating disorder which I do not have and never have had. I explained to them I have horrible bouts with hyperthyroidism and they seemed very unconcerned that my thyroid could be causing my weight loss!

they decided I need to “cleanse” my stomach and bowels and gave me a book by Doctor Oz! I had to laugh at this. Dr, Oz? LOL! (thought he was just on TV) And then they told me to stop eating all dairy, red meat, peanuts or nuts of any kind, no soda, no chocolate (cries) and no fruit juice except prune, no peanutbutter, drink no coffee nothing with caffeine, and do this:

1. get Passion Flower ( don’t know what it is)
2. eat turkey or chicken boiled (eewwwwh)
3. legumes, beans, brussel sprouts
4. salmon, tuna and crab meat ( great if you can afford crab)
5. drink prune juice but make sure to drink it every day (barf)
6. take magnesium tablets 2 x a day
7. go for accupuncture as much as 3x a week (my insurance doesn’t cover it)
8. go to anger management classes (they said I am angry with original endo that mis-diagnosed me for 15 years and I shouldn’t be) sighs…………..

They asked me if I had sex. hahaha. My husband was sitting next to me. I told them I was married! “D’uh…” :rolleyes: They asked me when was the last time I tried to kill myself. I wanted to kill myself right there after listening to their rubbish for nearly 2 hours. And asked me “what do you like to do for fun?” then they asked me if I “let my spirit go free?” Not sure. I thought you had to be dead to let it loose. ?????

They told me I probably have food allergies (which I do not) and told me that they wanted mucho blood tests. They think I am allergic to peanuts, milk and dairy, have celiac disease, anemic, etc. ???? what? I told them I eat all that stuff and I feel fine when I do.

They also told me I should weigh more, which is true and they were going to “calm down my Graves’ disease with their diet” (I’m rolling my eyes again)

And if you want to get grossed out read on, if you are squeemish, this next part is not for the faint of heart….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i shook both their hands and they led me to the nurses office where she handed me a very large sealed box. I asked her what it was for and she also handed me a toilet seat cover made of transparent plastic. She said the box had little jars. They wanted me to give stool samples for 3 or 4 days and then seal the box, drive to the airport and mail it FedEx. They said then my insurance company would not cover this test completely but I would be at least responsible for payment of $200 to $300. Then she said “good thing you have insurance because if you didn’t, it costs between $800 to $1,000 to analyze your fecal matter! Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At that point I began to laugh thinking my my Pomeranian would be a good candidate for this test seeing the label read “test for microscopic worms.!” So that’s my experience. Nothing good here. Just a lot of nonsense. I wanted to ask them if they had ever heard of the James Randi foundation, but didn’t have the nerve.

James Randi has debunked holistic medicine and accupuncture for years!

Karen

[Raspberry]

#1178764

Whoa!!!! You sure do have an interesting time Karen! I was hoping when I clicked on your post they’d introduced you to Deepak Chopra, no such luck? I think holistic medicine does have some value but these people you saw concern me. Anybody who says they will calm your Graves down with dietary changes and then tells you to eat salmon, tuna, and crab – seafood – which is full of iodine is not seeing the whole picture! Are you going to try any of the changes or that, um, test?

[vanillasky]

#1178765

LOL@ raspberry! No, I’m not going to do that horrid test. The “box” went into the trash this morning.

No, Deepak Chopra. The one doctor said I would see her once because she was moving to be “near” him? ????

The other doctor was very unfriendly and sullen. She wasn’t the least bit warm and fuzzy.

And NO! I am not going to try that diet. I think I might just disappear. Talking about losing weight. What do they want me to do? weight 80 pounds? These women are koo-koo.

I just read James’ Randi’s take on Intergrative Medicine. He called it “quackery.”

[snelsen]

#1178766

I think your visit is very concerning. It does not seem professional or even safe for you,for them to reach these conclusions. Not a bit. Just my reaction to your post. It is a world that is not familiar to me. The experience of my friends who have naturopathic docs, and do some alternative medicine, are a polar opposite to your experience.

And it does seem that Graves’ was not understood by anyone you spoke with.
Their comments about weight were judgmental, biased, and further say they they do not know hyperthyroidism. And, as Raspberry said, the diet is contrary to what a Graves’ person should eat.

I have not reviewed your other posts, but right now I think I recall that hot flashes were a problem for you, and that was your purpose in going? I am probably mistaken about that.

*If I were the Cleveland Clinic, I would want to know about this experience.
It would go to Risk Management. Some of those recommendations.

Of course you are angry and disappointed that your Graves’ diagnosis was missed for 15 years.

The sex question seems unrelated and off the wall.

I am not very familiar with integrative medicine.
This is the Merriman dictionary definition I found.
Definition of INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

: medicine that integrates the therapies of alternative medicine with those practiced by mainstream medical practitioners

I think this field is evolving,and the NIH site says that it is difficult to define, that a good study needs to be designed to try to define and evaluate it.
I wonder if the people you saw, will send their dictated plan for you to your endo and primary physician. If you did not direct them to, perhaps that is a good idea. Or, at least for you to have your copy of all theses diagnose and recommendations. I do think you had a worrisome experience, because of the statements they made, the questions they asked, and the recommendations they made.

AND-it was definitely entertaining.
Shirley

Shirley

[vanillasky]

#1178767

Hi Shirley, couldn’t agree with you more. I think the whole thing is just a money-making venture. You should have seen the people lined up for accupuncture!

I think they have a comprehension problem. I told them I tried accupunture and it did not work. My quote: “nonsense with needles.” My insurance company does not cover it. My husband’s spine specialist said it does not work and does not believe it helps hot flashes At ALL. I spoke with him. It becomes “mind over matter.” That’s his opinion.

The crab and tuna, salmon, are just stupid statements because I know they are bad and I do not eat those things.

Reviewing the paperwork sans the box this morning, I found they want me to drink citrate of magnesium 3x a day. Well, I did this years ago for a colonoscopy and all I did was vomit. And I told them I have stomach problems with certain things and they ignored it.

Her final diagnosis was “diareaha? sp? LOL! can’t spell it but I told her that NEVER happens to me. She also said I suffer from malabsorption which is not true because I met with a gastroenterologist last fall who did $1,400 worth of testing on me and said I absorb things just fine. The only deficiency they found was Vitamin D.

She used the phrase “I think you have an eating disorder.” And after saying that 3x, I told her it was b.s. My husband was in the room and backed me up by saying he’s known me for 30 years and has never seen me bulemic or aneroxic. Very judgmental women. And that book? LOL! Dr. Oz wrote about how to be beautiful both inside and out. Maybe they should read it. Their personalities were just ……..well, let’s say left something to be desired.

Reviewing the labs on the “box,” it said they were testing me for worms, and various parasites. I still think my dog could benefit.

[snelsen]

#1178768

Holy crap! Literally and figuratively, if you had mag citrate 3x a day!
One and 1/2 bottle was my prep for a colonoscopy!!!!!!~!
And it worked beautifully. I camped out near the bathroom door all night long.
I don’t THINK SO! Wonder what on earth they were thinking!

I love your delightful sense of humor! THank you for that!!!
Off to see the endo now. But he is a rational human being, thank goodness.
Shirley

[vanillasky]

#1178769

The whole idea was to get me to move my bowels a lot so I could “clean” my colon. I thought it was dehydration they were striving for.

[Harpy]

#1178770

Sounds like a woefull experience, seen a few of those too.
Problem is just like conventional medicine they get tied up in their philosophy and can’t look outside the square.
But there is something in the alternative aspect, they only exist because there is a demand and this is a failing that the conventional system fails to recognise, they provide a substandard service and denigrate any other practitioners outside their realm of knowledge, how can they know if it works or not when they know nothing about it.
Some of the points mentioned did have merit, even the fecal analysis, but I dare say if they were giving you a Dr Oz book, then they probably wouldn’t know what to look for.
I don’t think I’ve seen James Randi debunk Accupuncture, it’s pretty much accepted by the bulk of the establishment as being very effective in particular areas.
Hope you find some resolution to the issues that are troubling you.

[vanillasky]

#1178771

just google “The James Randi Foundation.” His latest venture is a beef with accupuncture for Bell’s Palsy. Very interesting read and he is angry! LOL!

[Ski]

#1178772

This IS truly entertaining, YIKES! The frightening part is, as you say, “all those people lined up for acupuncture,” there are people (a rather high percentage!) who are quick to nod their head in agreement, take notes and change EVERYTHING based on what these people tell them. shudder 😮 (side note, omg I just saw that we have a “yikes” emoticon lol)

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