ATTORNEYS  |  LAW STUDENTS  |  PUBLICchat center
Counsel.Net - ATTORNEYS - Attorneys Lawyers Attorney Law And Legal Professionals
Attorneys lawyers law firms
Latest Posts Full Chatboard Submit Post



Toxlaw.com Nav
Toxic Tort Forum
ToxBoard (Gn)
Attorneys
Law Students
Practice Areas
Legal Jobs
Classified Ads
MCLE/CLE
Legal Questions

Report this post


Re: Dr. James Baraniuk
Posted by Another CFS/CBT victim on 5/03/08

    I know exactly what you have been through. I saw Dr. Baranuik at Georgetown university hospital. He
    didn't order many tests. His suggestions was to take anti depressant drugs and get CBT counseling.
    After that I found a doctor who knows the many causes of fatigue and pain. I had many blood tests
    done and was checked for parasites too. I found out by blood test and stool tests that I have Lyme
    diease shown in a western blot test, and other blood tests found Babesia, high platimun and mercury,
    mycoplasmas and fungus. Antidepressants and CBT can't do much for Lyme , fungus or toxins, maybe
    make it worse. I have nothing against CBT if they physical problems are treated too. But they were
    not at Georgetown.
    We need to get the word out that the eliza test for lyme disease is a misleading test. the western
    blot is more accurate.
    I am on a treatment plan now that does not include antidepressants or cbt and I hope to be well
    again.I am beginning to make plans for my future something I have not thought about in a long while.
    My advice to anyone who is sick with joint pain and fatigue is to find a doctor who will listen and
    take a lot of blood tests and ask a lot of questions about chemical exposures, viruses and if you
    have had bug bites.

    On 4/06/08, me2 wrote:
    > I am in agreement with you. BTDT.
    >
    > It's all about the grant money and getting published .
    > Dr. Shoemaker is not like Dr. Baranuik, Shoemarker is far more advanced in thinking outside the
    > box.
    > Now I am getting well. Almost there!
    >
    >
    > On 12/27/07, Melody wrote:
    >> Dear Tracy,
    >> I read Dr. Shoemaker's book, "Desperation Medicine", it really was good.
    >> I would like to see him but from what I am reading it does sound like he can be an as-h--e
    >> sometimes, but he has got to be better than what I got at Georgetown University, from the
    >> experts in CFS there.I understand what Dr. Shoemaker means by doctors working for institutions
    >> and get Pharmacy company grants. They diagnose based on medical politics instead of finding out
    >> what is making us sick. I was diagnosed with CFS and was given Cymbalta and Feleril and told
    >> that was it.I have been taking this but I keep feeling more ill with each day that goes by. I
    >> know my hormones are not working well, I feel like I have the flu and stiff joints and think
    >> maybe I have Lyme's disease, I live out in Loudon County. At Georgetown Immunology they don't
    >> check for much and since my hormones where in normal limits but on the low end of normal limits
    >> the doctor won't do anything. I know my hormones are bugged out because my skin and hair are dry
    >> and I can only sleep at certain high points in my menstrual cycle. I need a doctor to get to the
    >> cause of my illness and sooner rather than later if it can be done. Does anyone know if Dr.
    >> Shoemaker diagnoses hypothyroidism if you are on the low end of the lab range?My last TSH test
    >> was 4.1, but this is considered normal at Georgetown.
    >> Does anyone know if Dr. Shoemaker treats low progesterone or estrogen with bio-identical
    >> hormones?I don't remember reading anything about sex hormones in his book but my mind is foggy
    >> too. If Dr. Shoemaker doesn't loose his temper and will be nice, I would consider going to him.
    >> I need a good doctor. I will not sit still and have CFS stamped on my forehead without
    >> explanation.In his book and on his website you can see all the tests Dr. Shoemaker orders. I had
    >> less than half these tests at Georgetown. I may be sick but not brain dead, I know when doctors
    >> are trying to solve problems instead of just making a name for themselves to get published or
    >> another grant.
    >> Melody
    >> Melody
    >> On 12/23/07, Tracy wrote:
    >>> Hi! When I posted last year (see above), I had only read about the doctor and read some of
    >> his
    >>> work. Sorry, seems that I might've misled a few readers). I wrote about my philosophy and
    >>> about risk taking and in general, doctors going against the grain, theory driven treatment,
    >>> etc. I was (and still am) impressed with the writing and the work that RS does (with a caveat
    >>> regarding attitude). It is a warning, as there is so much political angst tied up in research
    >>> on chronic illness, and it is coming out in many ways (we see it in our own discussion here).
    >>>
    >>> I recently went to him, and am starting the protocol. Not sure how though (more below). I
    >>> totally understand folks responding to doctor and staff's odd or negative attitudes. I felt
    >>> comfortable during the visit, but after that had two phone sessions where I perceived a lot of
    >>> hostility on his end. In between, he sent me this fax that was incredibly insensitive. I
    >>> believe that it was in response to my telling him that I had a standing appointment to see a
    >>> (specific) Lyme doctor. During the second phone call he questioned why I was seeing him (Lyme
    >>> specialist). Reading in between the lines, two months later, I realize they simply dislike
    >>> each other. That might be putting it mildly. I was/am caught in the middle. I didn't know
    >> it
    >>> then though. It was so difficult and upsetting to read his fax, which was accompanied by a
    >>> test result (C4a) that was so out of whack. The fax reads "You are making very poor decisions
    >>> in regards to the evaluation of your health. You should've gotten an MR Spectroscopy. You
    >> need
    >>> to look more closely at the mechanism of your illness". And that was it. He and I had never
    >>> talked about an MR Spectroscopy. Someone from his office had called me while I was on my way
    >>> to see if I wanted it, and I said that I didn't know, that she should try to schedule it for
    >>> me. She ended up saying I'd have to stay in MD for another few days, which I couldn't do. So
    >>> I figured he and I would talk about it, but it never came up.
    >>>
    >>> After getting the fax, I called over to one of his staff, and was informed that she couldn't
    >>> tell me specifically what the message was referring to. She said he wanted to 'prepare me for
    >>> the next phone consult'. I spent all my waking hours trying to figure out what C4a
    >>> specifically meant, and was so confused. Lyme or no Lyme??? It was a very difficult thing to
    >>> go through. I'm still not 100&37; sure why according to him I am not making good decisions in
    >>> regards to my health (I have stopped at NOTHING to gain new information, to take a thorough
    >>> approach, to honestly look at all results, take into account all doctos, all research, etc. I
    >>> have kept all my records, etc. Been like the model patient). So to read that, I was VERY
    >>> surprised. And I took it personally. As I did the attacks on Shoemaker and his research,
    >> from
    >>> this Lyme doctor after I went. I have to say that I feel very isolated due to BOTH of these
    >>> doctors' lack of sensitivity. It has left me unsure of which protocol to follow. I cannot
    >>> seem to fit them both in, I would have to modify one. One seems to believe in Chronic Lyme,
    >>> the other in Post Lyme Syndrome.
    >>>
    >>> So I find myself caught up in this mix, and am trying to separate personality, defensiveness,
    >>> etc. from science. But I am not a doctor. I am a Licensed Psychotherapist and I cannot
    >> figure
    >>> this out. If you read the introduction section of the packet Dr. Shoe sends, it sounds like
    >>> words from a war veteran- you can tell he has been burned before and has scars to prove it.
    >>>
    >>> I'm not sure what I'm getting at here, just that I want to recognize folks' experience of the
    >>> backlash of this- the result of possibly burned out staff, the doctor so used to defending
    >>> himself that it is projected onto patients, etc. I am not excusing it, but perhaps validating
    >>> some people's experience here. And I guess I'm also wanting to ask if anyone here has tried a
    >>> modified protocol (CSM 2x/day as opposed to 4, along with antibiotics at the same time).
    >>>
    >>> Both doctors seem very concerned about the status of my health (Dr.Shoemaker said I should be
    >>> existing in a bubble, the other doc said if I continue to go without aggressive Lyme
    >> treatment,
    >>> I will have a worse spect scan / brain damage). I honestly don't want to ever talk to either
    >>> one again. What a position to be in.
    >>>
    >>> There's one more thing I want to add, an ODD thing, and that surrounds the Mycometrics. Has
    >>> anyone done this (ERMI) testing?
    >>> Thanks in advance to your response-
    >>> Tracy
    >>>


     
You are on the mcs CHATBOARD:   LATEST POSTS   ALL POSTS   SUBMIT POST


Sponsored Links  

Free Legal Classifieds: Buy and sell anything law-related - never a cost to post or browse
counsel.net/classifieds

Legal Jobs: Attorneys and legal professionals - find your perfect legal job from Counsel.Net
counsel.net/jobs

Attorney Directory: Find a lawyer or chat with an attorney - Free!
counsel.net

New Moms Wanted!
Join the community for new and expecting moms. Check out Maternityville.com Maternity Chat!
Other Chatboards in this Category...
Toxic Torts Chatboards
ToxBoard (Gen)
Asbestos
Black Mold
Building Materials
Class Actions
 Fen-Phen
EPA/CDC/NIH
Food Additives
Legal Experts
Medical Implants
 Fiberglass
Government Claims
Gulf War Syndrome
MCS/MCSS
Pharmaceuticals
 Herbal Supplements
Tobacco Claims
Workplace Exposures

 
      Google
       
      Web Toxlaw.com

  Site Map: Home Search Contacts Chatboards Mailrings Jobs Legal Tools Advertise
  © 1996 - 2007. All Rights Reserved. Please review our Terms of Use, Mission Statement, and Privacy Policy.