GREAT post from Polly (2006)

[JLH]

I think I'll be taking this to my internal med/endocrinologist doctor tomorrow along with Laura's (Camryn's Mommy) post that I took to my GI.

"I found Dr. Fine on the internet when my GI doc recommended that I start prednisone because asacol didn't work. There was NO WAY I was going to take prednisone. Anyway, thank God for the internet. I (and many of us here) would still be suffering with MC if not for learning about Dr. Fine's discovery of the role of food intolerances in MC.

My GI doc is unique in that she does have an open mind. Initially she was somewhat skeptical, but now that she sees I am symptom-free after 4 years of the diet, she has become a believer. She now suggests to her patients that diet may be a factor and suggests eliminating the common triggers.

I would ask your doc for the evidence that fecal tests are not accurate. My understanding is that they are more accurate than blood tests in the case of gluten - they pick up gluten sensitivity much earlier.

Dr. Fine is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and has published more than 30 research articles in prestigious journals like "Gastroenterology" and the "American Journal of Gastroenterology"; however, he has not yet published his most recent research on the relationship of gluten and other food intolerances to MC. I think this is because he and his services have been in such demand that he has not had adequate time to devote to writing. At least this is what I think based on what he has shared with me. First and foremost he cares about the patient and is committed to helping people get well. That he why he still answers many of his emails personally.

But it is SO important to get that info out there to the practicing docs. Even once it is available, it may take years (probably) to become standard practice. For some reason the specialists (like GIs) seem to have more closed minds that the generalists like the family doc. Look how many GI docs poo-poo (no pun intended) diet even when we tell them that we are now well. They will even advise us to go back to eating gluten. Clueless!!!

IMHO, the egos of specialists are bigger than the generalists. One of the reasons people go into a specialty is because it is a smaller body of info and one can aspire to know everything about the field....to be an expert. So they do not appreciate the patient challenging their knowledge.....or knowing about a treatment that they don't. Generalists, on the other hand, have a more holistic approach and seem to realize that there are many things they don't know about......and are therefore more interested in learning from their patients."

[Polly]

Hi Joan!

So glad you found this helpful. I think it still holds, except that I have now been controlling the MC with diet alone for almost 7 years! Unfortunately, there hasn't been much improvement in MC education of docs in the last 3 years.

Have a great day!

Love,

Polly

[JLH]

My doctor didn't really seem to care about the whole thing.

I had told her I hated the gastroenterology practice she referred me to because it was so big and my doc had too many patients. I told her (regular doc) if she has patients with D to be certain to send them to my GI because she listened to me about gluten and was going to have another patient who wasn't responding to Entocort try a GF diet......

I apologized to the regular doc for being so bitchy at my last appointment but she didn't even remember. Among other things, she insisted on testing me for Celiac even though I was VERY insistent (because of my EL gene test) that I did NOT have Celiac Disease. AARRGG......I'm pretty sure she won't read the info I left for her. Oh well at least the GI is listening.

I will print this out for my GI.