A little help in Louisiana

[prix560]

I Live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  I had the list forwarded to me from Binger of the AP doctors in my area.  Of all of the three doctors in my area 2 are gone and the other said that they do not do AP.  I was just wondering if maybe there is a doctor who may be flying under the radar that I maybe able to talk with.  I am a 33 year old Male.  I have had RA since 9/2002.  My goal is to be strong enough to keep my job and do some father and son things with my kids.

[A Friend]

Prix560

Am sending you a private message with the name of someone to ask.  (Since I lost all my e-mail files last year, I no longer have the correspondence, but can find the contact, I'm sure.)

A physician there contacted me a number of years ago for information on AP.  She was a specialist,  and apparently had been contacted. She referred an inquirer to me for more information about specifics.  The inquirer was the brother who lived there, and his sister lived outside the USA and was seeking help.  A good news story… he kept in touch for a while about her progress.  She received the therapy (had been bedfast) and was doing well the last time I heard.  Hopefully, the name I send you will have information for you about someone who treats with AP in the Baton Rouge area. 

AF

PS  Found it…sending it on to you. 

[Maz]

[user=480]prix560[/user] wrote:

Of all of the three doctors in my area 2 are gone and the other said that they do not do AP. 

Hi Prix560,

Would you be so kind as to notify Cheryl F of the two doctors who are no longer available? The AP doc list depends largely on feedback, maintained by hearing from patients who have gone before. If these docs no longer exist, would be good to get them off the list altogether.

Just wondering, with the third doc you called, did you ask if they did “AP” or if they prescibed minocycline? While it's true that not all the docs on the list are AP-literate, some are added because they've been open to prescribing minocycline. Some patients aren't able to travel to the better known AP docs, so just having someone local to prescribe their mino is a Godsend…at least to get them started.

In the meantime, do hope A Friend's lead will get you started and well on your road back. She's such a treasure to this board! 🙂

Thanks!

Peace, Maz

[prix560]

Done, I updated the email and sent it off.  I have an appointment for 02/2009 with one of the doctors.  But I am not sure she is familiar with AP, but may be willing to prescribe.  Thank You A Friend for the info.  That Dr's office did not think she handled it earlier so I did not think she would be viable, but I called and set an appointment with her.  Thank you I am stoked right now of the possibilities.  I could tell the drugs I am on are just treating the symptoms not curing the diesease.

[Maz]

Prix560, do you really have to wait till Feb of next year? 😕  Is there any way you could get a GP or regular rheumy to prescribe you minocycline till you can see this other doc? Sorry, if you've already tried these avenues and you've been frustrated, just trying to think of other solutions for you.

As to your post on the other thread…yes, some of these doctors do work out of the insurance networks. Unfortunately, it seems that although minocycline is an approved DMARD for RA (for off-label use), many still ridicule its use when it's a very valid RA treatment. So oft times it tends to be the holistic, naturopathic or other alternative MDs who are more open to treating with mino….and many of these work out of network, because many of their treatments tend not to be covered by insurance (chelation, bio-identical hormone supps, allergy testing, dietary and herbal supplementation, etc). My Lyme doc, although an allopathic Internal Med guy, also works out of network, but that is because he firmly believes in chronic Lyme and the IDSA does not, which means insurance won't cover his treatments, either. However, you can get receipts of payment and claim a portion back from your insurance for consults, tests and meds with the appropriate “out of network” claim form, if your carrier allows you to see docs out of its particular network, that is.

Unfortunately, many of us have to seek out docs that will treat us as we choose to be treated. Like you, many have trod the path of allopathic meds that have only made them sicker and so are willing to do whatever it takes :headbang: to just have normal days again.

That said, you should be able to get minocycline as an RA DMARD from any rheumy or MD. It sometimes takes some amount of patience and cajoling, but at least it would get you started so you don't have to wait till next Feb.

Do hope you have some luck with this…let us know how you get on. We're all here to support you and cheer you on!

Peace, Maz

[Maz]

Oh….and PS. Thank you so much for sending the update to Cheryl for AP doc list! Much appreciated.

[Author]

Posts