seeking AP doctor in NJ

[needinfo]

Hello, I am newly diagnosed w/RA, which I believe was initiated by a tick bite/lyme &/or bronchitis, with fever/mycoplasma bacteria?, which preceded my first flare by about 6 wks. Rheumatologist refuses to test for these things & refuses to prescribe AP.

(I sent an e-mail request for APs MDs names/NJ per the site directions but have not rec’d a response).

I only have pain & swelling in my left knee & shoulder. My rheumy is scarey and intimidating- he tried to start me on methox-biologics on second visit, w/out explanation or reviewing bloodwork w/me or discussing side effects. He does not explain anything or answer my questions. He told me my ankles, wrists, hands, & feet were swollen when they were not swollen at all. I do not have symmetrical joints pain. Just extreme pain & swelling in my left knee & right shoulder.

Pls reply with MDs in NJ that will prescribe antibiotics (minocycline &/or doxycycline) treatment. TY so much for helping me!

[Maz]

@needinfo wrote:

Hello, I am newly diagnosed w/RA, which I believe was initiated by a tick bite/lyme &/or bronchitis, with fever/mycoplasma bacteria?, which preceded my first flare by about 6 wks. Rheumatologist refuses to test for these things & refuses to prescribe AP.

(I sent an e-mail request for APs MDs names/NJ per the site directions but have not rec’d a response).

I only have pain & swelling in my left knee & shoulder. My rheumy is scarey and intimidating- he tried to start me on methox-biologics on second visit, w/out explanation or reviewing bloodwork w/me or discussing side effects. He does not explain anything or answer my questions. He told me my ankles, wrists, hands, & feet were swollen when they were not swollen at all. I do not have symmetrical joints pain. Just extreme pain & swelling in my left knee & right shoulder.

Pls reply with MDs in NJ that will prescribe antibiotics (minocycline &/or doxycycline) treatment. TY so much for helping me!

Hi NeedInfo,

If you’d like to send an email to maz@roadback.org, I’d be happy to respond to your request. However, if you suspect Lyme disease and associated tickborne infections, it is wise to figure this out in advance, because AP Physicians are not Lyme Literate and treatment will vary in abx combos, doses and pulses employed.

If you just copy/paste your post into an email, I’ll know it’s you and will send you the LLMD list for NJ. Unfortunately, there are currently no AP Physicians listed for NJ – just LLMDs. However, there is one AP Physician who is quite experienced in Wynnewood, PA, if that is do-able. He’s not Lyme Literate, however.

Do you have a PCP who may run the standard two-tiered Lyme testing (ELISA and western blot) for you? If you show up positive on these, then you could save money in getting any further testing run. Also, if you do test positive, there is a pretty good rheumy LLMD in NJ, but she requires some laboratory evidence of Lyme disease to actually treat.

[Anonymous]

where are you in jersey? I may have someone. I asked my rheumatologist about AP. he did not want to use it on me because I have digestive disease but it sounds like he has used it at least once on another patient. I wouldn’t want to publicize his name because he’s definitely not an “ap” doctor, but possibly open to the idea in certain situations.

[Joanne NJ]

Where are you in New Jersey? I am going to see the Dr. that Maz referred to in Wynnewood, PA this coming Wednesday! He does not accept my insurance so my office visit will cost me 110.00. I did AP about a year ago with great success with my primary doc, (even reached remission in his opinion) but stopped as everything got real bad out of the blue and he did not feel comfortable continuing, but will help oversee labs, perscription renewals, etc. with an experienced AP doc. I felt good for awhile, but now need to do AP again as my symtoms have returned 😡 . I know there also may be an AP doc in the Berkeley Heights, NJ area, and also Cherry Hill, NJ (who takes no insurance at all, office visit is 425.00!!) I can send you a private message with that info if you have not found anyone yet…Joanne

[Maz]

@Joanne NJ wrote:

I know there also may be an AP doc in the Berkeley Heights, NJ area, and also Cherry Hill, NJ (who takes no insurance at all, office visit is 425.00!!) I can send you a private message with that info if you have not found anyone yet…Joanne

Hi Joanne,

Dr. W. who used to be in Berkeley Heights retired from that office a while back…he now only works part-time at the Hosp for Special Surgery in NYC. Not sure if Dr. G. in Cherry Hill is still using AP or not. If anyone can provide feedback on this, would be great. It’s a lot of money to spend for an initial appt if he no longer uses AP. 🙂

All the best for your appt with Dr. B. in Wynnewood, Joanne! Let us know how it goes. He’s quite experienced (think his wife had lupus and used AP) and integrative…should also do IV clindamycin, if indicated.

[Joanne NJ]

Thanks Maz, looking forward to the visit with Dr. B, and glad to hear he is experienced as I know AP works for me and I am anxious to start feeling good again. 🙂 I knew D. W was not an option, plus that is 3 hours away from me, but someone from this site told me Dr. L from the same practice does AP, but I never called them to confirm that.

[Maz]

@Joanne NJ wrote:

Thanks Maz, looking forward to the visit with Dr. B, and glad to hear he is experienced as I know AP works for me and I am anxious to start feeling good again. 🙂 I knew D. W was not an option, plus that is 3 hours away from me, but someone from this site told me Dr. L from the same practice does AP, but I never called them to confirm that.

I hope it’s not long till you feel great again, too, Joanne! Hopefully, under Dr. B’s guidance, you’ll get there again. He’s quite integrative, so may suggest things to support the treatment, too, which is never a bad thing when our immune system becomes so depleted. Please let us know how you get on with him. 🙂

If you or anyone in NJ hears anything about Dr. G’s colleague doing AP, would love to know. NJ is getting more challenging in this regard in recent years, although there is a pretty healthy LLMD list for those suspecting Lyme and other tickborne infections (including mycoplasma), if needed. These docs also use tetracyclines quite frequently as a core therapy and also other classes of abx and quite often IVs that AP docs may not.

Btw, although the fee quoted for Dr. G’s office seems steep, this isn’t unusual for docs who are offering non-standard of care therapies. While an appt to a regular doc may consist of a 5 or 10 min slot, covered by insurance (and the doc charging somewhere in the region of $100 and up), the docs offering more holistic care will sit with a patient for 1 or 2 hours doing complete work-ups, so relatively speaking it’s a fair price…though most of us hate the fact that our insurance won’t cover it. 🙁

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