Dr. Whitman in NJ - Anyone go to him?

September 30, 2009

I am considering switching AP doctors and wanted to get some opinions on Dr.

Whitman.. I have been on AP for about 10 months for RA and I'm doing good but

wondering if I could be doing better..

I have read that Dr. Whitman is one of the more experienced AP docs out there..

I am around 6 hours away from him so it wouldn't be an easy trip but if it was

worthwhile I would definitely do it..

For those that go to him...

1. What is his standard AP treatment? Is it Minocin M-W-F Bid?

2. Being I am over 6 hours away.. Does he work with you knowing it's far away?

IE: Over the phone appts, tweak protocol w/out seeing you, order blood tests and

review them via fax, etc?

3. I understand he is a rheumy as well? Does he try to push the standard meds?

4. Does he introduce other abx if Minocin isn't fully working (ie: tweak the

protocol)?

Thanks for any info!

Tom

September 30, 2009

I would imagine that Dr. W does what he thinks each patient requires....He

started me on minocin 100 mg, 2x a day and after several months, he had me do

oral clindymyacin every month...for 7 days....

I have seen Dr W now for over 10 yrs....he and his office will work with you

over the phone, computer and he works well with other DRs....he has sent me home

with a script for labs to be done here at home and has sent me follow up

letters.

Dr W has not tried to push the standard meds with me...in fact....when my lungs

were attacked via the SD and RA....my lung Dr here was pushing a standard chemo

drug that has not been studied for my lung disease, OB, but would have been paid

for by my insurance. This drug, cytoxin, has been known to cause, down the

road, bladder cancer, liver cancer and lymphoma...Dr W. told me to fight for

another form of chemo, photopheresis, one that has been tested on my lung

disease and one that works and has ZERO side effects...It also costs about

$13,000 a treatment, consisting of 2 days in a row...it is not considered toxic

because it does not give me anything...it cleans my blood..Dr. Whitman wrote

letters for me in support of this treatment and helped fight my insurance

company so I could get a trial treatment. I received the trial treatment and my

lung disease improved...I then received this treatment for 3.5 yrs and my lungs

are stable. The year and a half I spent fighting my insurance company for this

form of chemo took a toll on my lungs, but Dr Whitman fought right along beside

me for this treatment for me.

I see Dr. Whitman once a year and I go very prepared. A list of my symptoms,

current copies of all labs and tests that have been done and a list of my meds

and supplements and a list of questions...We spend an intense hour going over

problems during which time DR. Whitman takes copious notes and does a physical

exam...I leave to head back to Cincinnati with a plan and lab scripts to take

with me and he gives me a copy of his notes to take back as well. I would love

to find a rheumy here that will work with him....as Dr. Whitman is certainly

willing to work with all my DRs...but so far, my last rheumys....got " pissy "

about Dr. W calling the shots...all the local rheumys want to do was sit and

take notes and chart my decline...I wanted to find a Dr to work with Dr. W...and

these guys here felt it was somehow demeaning to them...so I fired all my local

rheumies! After almost 10 yrs of this disease, I have fired most of them here in

town...I see a new one in a week...I will present him with the paperwork

regarding my form of the disease....and let him know that DR. W is my rheumy, I

see him once a year...DR W calls the shots...and inquire if this new rheumy is

willing to work with him...if he is going to get pissy about doing the labs DR W

wants...then I will be OUTTA there!! Dr. Whitman is the physician that has

worked to help me, researched actively what I needed to solve each crisis...and

I have been stable, thanks to him, for several years...I should also thank the

Drs that Dr. Whitman referred me to at Yale as well. Dr. Whitman wanted me to

see Dr. Mike Girardi at Yale, he runs the photopheresis unit there..Dr. Girardi

at Yale and Dr. Rick Edelson (who developed photopheresis at Yale ) also got

behind me and sent letters and DR. Girardi spoke, via telephone at my insurance

hearing in support of my treatment.....Funny, I cannot get most of the local

rheumies to even call me back and give me reports on my lab tests....but my out

of town physicians are the best...they return calls, answer questions, send

emails, write letters in support of my treatment, etc..etc...

In short, DR. Whitman is well worth the trip. Come prepared though, he is very

thorough. I would imagine the diseases are different with every patient, but

yes, Dr. Whitman does tweak the protocol as needed. And he is open....I can ask

him about anything and I respect his opinion enormously, he may be 1 2 hours