Re: Kaiser and Celiac

[Guest guest]

When I was diagnosed, I was with Kaiser in San Francisco. I was having very frequent blood tests due to another autoimmune diseases; these showed I had several nutritional deficiencies. Although I hadn't reported any digestive tract problem, my GI, Lyn Shlager, suspected I had CD. My blood test was negative; he followed up with a endoscopy and colonoscopy. The biopsy showed villii damage. He did another biopsy six months after I went GF, to confirm the diagnosis.

I felt the situation was very well handled. A couple of years later, I got word to my GI that I was having diarrhea to an extreme, disabling degree. He immediately -- the next day -- did another endoscopy and colonoscopy. The problem proved to be just lactose intolerance, which eventually healed.

I wasn't nearly as happy with the Kaiser SF pharmacy, in terms of gluten. As far as I know, they made no notation of my having CD. They were unable or unwilling to tell me which medications contained gluten. One pharmacist there had never heard of gluten.

My doctors at Kaiser SF were excellent, with few exceptions. I saw a lot of them, over the years. I liked being able to get test results on-line, often the same day. They covered a $10,000 helicopter and ambulance bill and the five-day hospital stay that followed for a total of $100, without question. My GP was on vacation, but she still came to the hospital to see me. My daughter and son-in-law are with Kaiser now, and they are quite pleased.

I had to leave Kaiser recently, because of an insurance change. I'm now working with UCSF doctors, who have proved extremely helpful, knowledgeable, diligent. The big difference is that coordinating treatment and getting records is far more difficult than it was at Kaiser.

H.

In a message dated 10/15/07 7:18:09 PM, mecreaves@... writes:

Hi All,

I have to decide whether or not to keep my old insurance plan or go

with Kaiser by the end of the week. I previously kept my old insurance

just because I love my pediatrician so much. However, she retired last

December and I haven't been too thrilled with the new one. Kaiser

definitely has some more convenient "features" and would be good if,

and only if, they handle celiac well. I've heard horror stories about

bad doctors (not specifically related to Kaiser) and switching to a new

doctor is always scary.

Anybody out there...can you offer some insights to their methodology,

etc...?

It'd be much appreciated.

Thanks,

************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

One other piece of information about Kaiser: the last time I checked, you could change doctors if you didn't like working with the first one you chose. Or the second.

Someone tells me that Kaiser SF is very short on doctors who deal well with pain management, but that may change soon.

H.************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

, I was diagnosed with Celiac at the

Kaiser when our insurance changed. so it was the

whole new doctor, new place thing. I had been

diagnosed with all sorts of things but no one had ever

said anything about Celiac until I got to Kaiser.

I've been dealing with both and Santa Clara

and have been more than happy. It seems the docs have

an easier time ordering diagnostics for patients

because they don't have to fight with the insurance.

Cheryl

--- mecreaves <mecreaves@...> wrote:

> Hi All,

>

> I have to decide whether or not to keep my old

> insurance plan or go

> with Kaiser by the end of the week. I previously

> kept my old insurance

> just because I love my pediatrician so much.

> However, she retired last

> December and I haven't been too thrilled with the

> new one. Kaiser

> definitely has some more convenient " features " and

> would be good if,

> and only if, they handle celiac well. I've heard

> horror stories about

> bad doctors (not specifically related to Kaiser) and

> switching to a new

> doctor is always scary.

>

> Anybody out there...can you offer some insights to

> their methodology,

> etc...?

>

> It'd be much appreciated.

>

> Thanks,

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

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[Guest guest]

Subjectively speaking, yes, Kaiser’s

pain management sucks.

What do you need in the way of treatment

for celiac?  Depending on what you need, Kaiser may or may not be for you.

On a personal note, and for something

totally unrelated to celiac at all, my personal recommendation on Kaiser would

be DON’T DO IT!!!!

They killed my cousin, and I and a number

of women I know are getting totally screwed around right now in terms of our

care.

If you know they have great specialists in

the specific area you need, then go there, if not, you are likely to have LONG

waits in between appointments (when I was losing a pound a day the soonest they

could get me in was three weeks out).  The doctors are heavily overbooked and

therefore have long wait times and short visits.

The plus side of Kaiser is the no-fee lab

work, ultrasounds, CT Scans, and $20 colonoscopy.

My personal advice is if you think you

might have anything out of the ordinary crop up, don’t use Kaiser, unless

you don’t mind waiting out a full year to switch to an insurance carrier

who can get you what you need.  (What I’m going through right now).

Also, Kaiser is drug heavy.  If all you

want are meds, they are great.

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of flatcat9@...

Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007

8:19 PM

Subject: Re: [ ]

Kaiser and Celiac

One other piece of information about Kaiser:

the last time I checked, you could change doctors if you didn't like working

with the first one you chose. Or the second.

Someone tells me that Kaiser SF is very short on doctors who deal well with

pain management, but that may change soon.

H.

**************************************

See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

Over a period of 16 years, with serious, complicated health problems, I was invariably treated extremely well at Kaiser. My husband felt equally well cared for. We never had to wait long for appointments. I saw the specialists I needed, when I needed -- and I have needed a lot in recent years. Drug-heavy? I certainly wasn't over-medicated. Once I did have trouble getting an unusual, pain treatment from a heavily booked specialist as promptly as I needed, until my husband went in person to the doctor (I was in bed) and said very insistently that I must have help right away. I got in the next morning, and all went well.

Seven years ago I went in for a routine check-up. I thought I was very healthy. My doctor saw I didn't look "right" and got me to a specialist the next day. He said later that he knew immediately what was wrong, but he did extensive tests immediately just to be sure, and he began aggressive treatment within days of my first appointment. It saved my life, as I was diagnosed (immediately) with a very rare, hard-to-identify autoimmune disorder that kills quickly without the right treatment. For a couple of months I had blood tests three times a week, with medication adjusted after each test, and for years I had blood tests at least once a month. This represents extremely careful handling of the disorder.

Two different Kaiser doctors have called me on their vacation time, just to check that I was getting the right treatment.

My daughter and son-in-law also have major, extensive, unusual medical needs. They are very happy with their doctors at Kaiser, compared to previous ones. Before Kaiser, getting proper treatment -- and dealing with the bills -- was a constant battle for them; now they feel properly taken care of. My daughter says she finally can relax, and that joining Kaiser was one of the best moves in her life. My daughter has constant pain due to another autoimmune disease. When she joined Kaiser, she was admitted to a six-week, four-days-a-week, all-day pain management workshop to learn how to deal with that situation through exercise, diet, and meditation. She can return for "brush-ups" any time she wants. She was surprised to find this very helpful. Before Kaiser, her only option for pain was medication.

I'm sorry your family ran into these difficulties. I know about Kaiser's terrible, terrible handling of kidney transplants; I paid special attention as I may need an organ transplant someday. However, what you describe has nothing in common with what my family has experienced.

Fortunately, CD usually doesn't require much if any treatment, once it's diagnosed. For me, CD is an extremely minor part of my far too complex medical life! Kaiser sent me to a rather hapless, very young dietician for CD counseling; she was well-meaning but vague. I found better information on my own.

I strongly recommend Kaiser; we were very sad and rather frightened when we had to leave it earlier this year. Now, I'm pleased to be at UCSF, as they have someone who has a strong interest and special knowledge of my very rare disease. If I need a transplant, she's an exert in the field. All the doctors I've seen at UCSF have been good, and things have gone well. However, leaving Kaiser made my medical life much, much more complicated. At Kaiser, I always felt sure that my tests and treatment were properly coordinated, and making appointments was simple. My doctors talked to each other. That's not the case at UCSF. If I had the choice, I'd definitely be back at Kaiser.

Best wishes.

H.

In a message dated 10/15/07 11:09:33 PM, lillythdenaghykeogh@... writes:

Subjectively speaking, yes, Kaiser’s pain management sucks.

What do you need in the way of treatment for celiac?  Depending on what you need, Kaiser may or may not be for you.

On a personal note, and for something totally unrelated to celiac at all, my personal recommendation on Kaiser would be DON’T DO IT!!!!

They killed my cousin, and I and a number of women I know are getting totally screwed around right now in terms of our care.

If you know they have great specialists in the specific area you need, then go there, if not, you are likely to have LONG waits in between appointments (when I was losing a pound a day the soonest they could get me in was three weeks out).  The doctors are heavily overbooked and therefore have long wait times and short visits.

The plus side of Kaiser is the no-fee lab work, ultrasounds, CT Scans, and $20 colonoscopy.

My personal advice is if you think you might have anything out of the ordinary crop up, don’t use Kaiser, unless you don’t mind waiting out a full year to switch to an insurance carrier who can get you what you need.  (What I’m going through right now).

Also, Kaiser is drug heavy.  If all you want are meds, they are great.

************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

The funny thing about Kaiser is that I

have never heard a “so-so” review of them. I’ve heard

from a few people with experiences like yours. I’ve heard from a

lot of people with experiences like mine. (I also heard a ton back in the

day when I worked on Prop 214). But I have never heard anyone say “they’re

okay”.

I know not everyone has as bad an

experience with Kaiser as me, but it seems that everyone I know either gets

taken care of really, really well & they love it, or it is a complete

nightmare. I guess you never really know what you are gonna get until you

join…

On the flip side, I DO like my Primary

Care Physician (PCP). She actually refers me to services I need, unlike

other doctors. I saw a doc at Kaiser when I had a rash I thought was DH,

she refused to send me to a dermatologist, said it was eczema – by the

time I got in to see my PCP, and she referred me to a dermo for biopsy, it was

gone.

As for heavy meds, my sister wanted an

appointment with the psychiatry dept, and though they could not get her in for

six weeks, the offered her psych meds right away without seeing her!!!!

I was offered a six month course of

injections at 1k - a temporary “band-aid”, rather than a one time,

85% chance of complete recovery with no return of problems, surgery.

Every time I had a problem, Kaiser threw

drugs at it. The offered me pain killers for everything (which I refused

every time), then, the moment I actually wanted them (one time in 14 years),

then they start hemming & hawing, even though I could barely get out of bed

and had a child to care for.

My cousin, BTW, was not a kidney

transplant. They just did the wrong surgery. They removed one lung

& put in a pacemaker – in a perfectly healthy 30 year old! She

just died a few months ago.

I know you had a great experience, but if

there is even a chance that I could save someone from going through what I went

through…

Oh, and we love my child’s

pediatrician. But then, he’s perfectly healthy and has never had to

go in for more than routine check-ups. We thought he had chicken pox

once, but he didn’t. But still, she’s great!

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of flatcat9@...

Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007

6:24 AM

Subject: Re: [ ]

Kaiser and Celiac

Over a period of 16

years, with serious, complicated health problems, I was invariably treated

extremely well at Kaiser. My husband felt equally well cared for. We never had

to wait long for appointments. I saw the specialists I needed, when I

needed -- and I have needed a lot in recent years. Drug-heavy? I certainly

wasn't over-medicated. Once I did have trouble getting an unusual, pain

treatment from a heavily booked specialist as promptly as I needed, until my

husband went in person to the doctor (I was in bed) and said very insistently

that I must have help right away. I got in the next morning, and all went well.

Seven years ago I went in for a routine check-up. I thought I was very healthy.

My doctor saw I didn't look " right " and got me to a specialist the

next day. He said later that he knew immediately what was wrong, but he

did extensive tests immediately just to be sure, and he began aggressive

treatment within days of my first appointment. It saved my life, as I was

diagnosed (immediately) with a very rare, hard-to-identify autoimmune disorder

that kills quickly without the right treatment. For a couple of months I had

blood tests three times a week, with medication adjusted after each test, and

for years I had blood tests at least once a month. This represents

extremely careful handling of the disorder.

Two different Kaiser doctors have called me on their vacation time, just to

check that I was getting the right treatment.

My daughter and son-in-law also have major, extensive, unusual medical needs.

They are very happy with their doctors at Kaiser, compared to previous ones.

Before Kaiser, getting proper treatment -- and dealing with the bills --

was a constant battle for them; now they feel properly taken care of. My

daughter says she finally can relax, and that joining Kaiser was one of the

best moves in her life. My daughter has constant pain due to another autoimmune

disease. When she joined Kaiser, she was admitted to a six-week, four-days-a-week,

all-day pain management workshop to learn how to deal with that situation

through exercise, diet, and meditation. She can return for

" brush-ups " any time she wants. She was surprised to find this very

helpful. Before Kaiser, her only option for pain was medication.

I'm sorry your family ran into these difficulties. I know about Kaiser's

terrible, terrible handling of kidney transplants; I paid special

attention as I may need an organ transplant someday. However, what you describe

has nothing in common with what my family has experienced.

Fortunately, CD usually doesn't require much if any treatment, once it's

diagnosed. For me, CD is an extremely minor part of my far too complex

medical life! Kaiser sent me to a rather hapless, very young dietician

for CD counseling; she was well-meaning but vague. I found better information

on my own.

I strongly recommend Kaiser; we were very sad and rather frightened when we had

to leave it earlier this year. Now, I'm pleased to be at UCSF, as they

have someone who has a strong interest and special knowledge of my very rare

disease. If I need a transplant, she's an exert in the field. All the doctors

I've seen at UCSF have been good, and things have gone well. However, leaving

Kaiser made my medical life much, much more complicated. At Kaiser, I

always felt sure that my tests and treatment were properly coordinated, and

making appointments was simple. My doctors talked to each other. That's not the

case at UCSF. If I had the choice, I'd definitely be back at Kaiser.

Best wishes.

H.

In a message dated 10/15/07 11:09:33 PM, lillythdenaghykeoghcomcast (DOT) net

writes:

Subjectively speaking,

yes, Kaiser’s pain management sucks.

What do you need in the

way of treatment for celiac? Depending on what you need, Kaiser may or

may not be for you.

On a personal note, and

for something totally unrelated to celiac at all, my personal recommendation on

Kaiser would be DON’T DO IT!!!!

They killed my cousin,

and I and a number of women I know are getting totally screwed around right now

in terms of our care.

If you know they have

great specialists in the specific area you need, then go there, if not, you are

likely to have LONG waits in between appointments (when I was losing a pound a

day the soonest they could get me in was three weeks out). The doctors

are heavily overbooked and therefore have long wait times and short visits.

The plus side of Kaiser

is the no-fee lab work, ultrasounds, CT Scans, and $20 colonoscopy.

My personal advice is if

you think you might have anything out of the ordinary crop up, don’t use

Kaiser, unless you don’t mind waiting out a full year to switch to an

insurance carrier who can get you what you need. (What I’m going

through right now).

Also, Kaiser is drug

heavy. If all you want are meds, they are great.

**************************************

See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Guest guest]

It was a doctor at Kaiser that was smart enough to suspect Celiac with me. I haven't had any problems with the doctors I have chosen at Kaiser. You just have to be a little pushy sometimes to get them to do the tests you need here and there.

Rosie

----- Original Message ----From: mecreaves <mecreaves@...> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 7:17:45 PMSubject: [ ] Kaiser and Celiac

Hi All,I have to decide whether or not to keep my old insurance plan or go with Kaiser by the end of the week. I previously kept my old insurance just because I love my pediatrician so much. However, she retired last December and I haven't been too thrilled with the new one. Kaiser definitely has some more convenient "features" and would be good if, and only if, they handle celiac well. I've heard horror stories about bad doctors (not specifically related to Kaiser) and switching to a new doctor is always scary.Anybody out there...can you offer some insights to their methodology, etc...?It'd be much appreciated.Thanks,

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