Guest guest Posted May 8, 2010 Report Share Posted May 8, 2010 I was caveat my response and say that they did find my very high RT3 issue before I found it on my own; so I credit them with that BUT the doctor, no longer with them, was NOT someone I would have chosen to see again (and haven't) Additionally, to treat my HIGH RT3 she had suggested their specific T3/T4 mixture which when I called her on it as it contradicted their own website info, she got very, very defensive and acted as though either T3 or their combo were equally effective treatments. I was pretty sure then she hadn't even read the Holtorf website. They try to load you up with ridiculously expensive supplements and the costs of just going to this Practice are outlandish. Don't bother. Val/Nick know as much, if not more, than most of the physicians in the practice so I would recommend read the Holtorf website, get your own MD to run all the recommended tests, and work with Val and Nick. I've been on T3 for 3 years, made one attempt to go back to Dessicated and abandoned it within first 3 weeks when RT3 levels shot right back up. Hope this helps. . > > Has anyone had a GOOD experience at either of the LA or San Fran. clinics and if so which doctor did you see? > > Thanks very much. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2010 Report Share Posted May 9, 2010 I wonder what happened to my reply to this post?? I saw Dr. Koftan and didn't have the same awful experiences the others here have had. I TOTALLY agree that Val knows WAY more about t3 and rt3 and HC. But that is not why I went to Holtorf. I went there because I had EBV and I knew they would treat that if needed. They also have a hefty Lyme's protocol for those that have that and many do and don't realize it. Dr. Koftan didn't push anything on me. In fact, he let me look at the bottles and see if I wanted to buy them. I already was taking a lot of the same things, so I didn't buy much and no one seemed to care. He also totally understood the rt3 problem, but again, he didn't know half as much as Val in actually taking t3 and HC. He even told me I could stay on Cytomel if I wanted to. Not pushy at all as far as I could tell. Maybe I just got a better doc. I read the bios on them all and specifically requested a particular doctor. I would recommend them only if you have other complications and seem to be stuck in spite of treating t3/adrenals. I think many people have infections, virus, etc., that stop them from getting better in spite of treating adrenals, etc. For me, the EBV was a huge fator that prevented me from increasing t3 because it made me need tons of HC (the EBV that is, not the t3). For ME, Vitamin C IVs pretty much saved me when I thought I was dying I was so sick from stupid mono. I didn't get them from holtorf, though, I got them locally. Also, they will treat Leptin resistance and I do think that can cause rt3 problems for many people. I don't have that, but if I did, it would be nice to have a doc that would give me scripts to get rid of it. :-) Anyhoo, that's my 2 cents. They're only good for certain situations and at least one can read their info for free and take it to another doctor, LOL. Kathleen > > Has anyone had a GOOD experience at either of the LA or San Fran. clinics and if so which doctor did you see? > > Thanks very much. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2010 Report Share Posted May 9, 2010 This makes me FURIOUS to read!!! Talk about victimizing people! I have 0 respect, absolutely 0, for a physician who sets up a " chain " practice and puts his employee physicians on commission to sell supplements and strong-arms desperate patients to buy at his expensive pharmacy. I feel for people who have taken out loans and sacrificed in order to pay for this hype and marketing. It's shameful. How many people have I seen complain about SRT3? I've never seen one single person say they feel great on it. Yet that's their standard therapy? Holtorf's name is mud to me now. Kerry > > > Re: Holtorf Clinic > > I have to weigh in on this. > > I began as a patient there within the last year. > > First off, from what I know I feel like the poster that says Dr. Holtorf knows his > stuff is 100% correct. But he isn't seeing new patients. > > In my opinion, the doctor I saw was provided a fair at best experience so far. > He did not listen to me on some critical issues. At least one thing he told me, > directly contradicted what is published on the Holtorf website and on handouts > in the lobby. I pointed that out to him. I don't think he liked it but it caused > him to change my treatment. > > The initial office visit was over an hour. A general wellness check by a nurse, > an hour or so with the doc and some in office tests. They have three tests that > everyone seems to get run through on their first visit--- some sort of metabolic > rate test, urine iodine test, and an reflex test for thyroid. The doctor ordered > over 20 lab tests on this visit. > > They seem to have a bag of tricks which are a bit different than other HRT/ anti > aging clinics I have read about. > > They use HGH, time release T3, time release Hydrocortisone, Welbutrin/Nalrexone > combo for weight loss, HCG for weight loss and Byetta or Symlin for leptin/weigh > loss issues. > > I learned male patients are sometimes prescribed Nondralone(sp? )in addition to > Testosterone. Apparently, Nondralone(sp?) is unusual to be prescribed in HRT. > Also, they give guys progesterone. > > They push push push their proprietary supplements. In my case the repeated push > made me VERY uncomfortable. The doctor must get a cut of the supplements sold. > He acted like a used car sales person with the supplements. DId I mention he was > pushy? I walked out of the office with about $500 in monthly supplements. On my > followup I battled and just refused some. He wasn't happy. It's so many > supplements, how do I know what's working? Some non proprietary supplements were > recommended and I have gotten them elsewhere > > Another issue is their compounding pharmacy. There is a sign in the lobby > pointing out that you may have your prescriptions filled anywhere. Since I Iive > what is over 5 hours traveling time away and have a great compounding pharmacy > 10 minutes away, I asked that my prescriptions be filled there. The doctor told > me that wasn't an option on one or two. These happen to be the most expensive. I > checked with the local compounding pharmacy and a cursory comparison showed the > local compounder was around 40% lower than Holtorf. Please give me ideas on how > to handle this if you have them. > > They also pushed their IV therapy. Sorry I don't remember the details. But I had > it. Couple of hours worth of drips. Can't say it did anything one way or the > other. > > As for costs (in round numbers), my first visit was about $700 for the doctor > plus $500 in supplements plus about $600 in compounded scrips plus $400 in in > office tests and IV. That's over $2000. The original labs were another $2000 I > recall. > > My second consultation was about an hour. On this visit we discussed my labs and > he tweaked my meds and ordered more labs. This was probably about an hour. $700 > for consultation and compounded meds and after a battle fewer supplements. The > added scrips were not compounded and I got them locally. > > My third consultation was about 30 minutes. Same format as second consultation. > Tweaked the meds and ordered labs to be done before my next consultation. > $300ish for the doctors time. I can't put my hands on the supplement/compounding > amounts at this moment but it was substantially less due to " encouragement " from > my bottom line oriented spouse. > > Next appointment mid summer. > > Am I better? Yes. To what degree is the question. > > My initial complaints were weight, poor sleep, fatigue and some sexual issues. > > I was diagnosed as hypothyroid, adrenal issues, and leptin resistant. No cause > was defined yet for my sexual issues. > > I'm sleeping better. Still tired but maybe not as much. No significant weight > loss. Sexual issues persist. > > Since my spouse is a numbers guru, I'll say I'm 25% there. > > They are really expensive (at least by my standards and we're not poor). The > supplement pushing is very annoying. The compounding issue angers me. Insurance > reimbursement has not been what I would have hoped. > > The nurses I dealt with were superior. Both caring and excellent. With regard to > the office staff, they are like any other business. Some seem real good. Some > seem not good. > > I think if there was a way to separate the medical care from the purely profit > driven appearance of this practice, they would have earned a mild thumbs up so > far. HOWEVER, the " let's gouge the patient " feeling I have gotten at almost > every turn may be too much for them too overcome. > > Here's hoping for significant improvement in the coming months. I plan on > staying the course through my year anniversary but I must see more light at the > end on the tunnel. > > Forgive the length but I wish I had known all this 9 months ago. I may or may > not have made the same decision to see Holtorf Clinic but I would have been much > more prepared when I walked through their door. > > Hope this helps someone. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 Yes, I think they're very worthwhile if you have more going on than rt3 and AF and many do. In fact, I suspect that's why many of us end up AF or rt3 in the first place or at least having it makes a bunch of other things go wrong and then you're stuck in the viscious cycle. For example, their Lyme protocol is very hefty and I do believe Leptin resistance causes rt3 for many, although I don't personally have it. I do think you have to read the doc's bios and decide whom to see, though. Kathleen > > > > >I wonder what happened to my reply to this post?? I saw Dr. Koftan and didn't have the same awful experiences the others here have had. > > Glad to hear a positive response from someone > > Thanks for that > > Nick > > -- > > for more information on RT3 and Thyroid Resistance go to > > www.thyroid-rt3.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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