Who and Where is the best doc?

[FiercenBed]

if ya read my previous post "Jesus....Kaletra Truvada & Now Sustiva" ull c what my doc has called me an oddity. After 7 months of Kaletra and Truvda my CD4 are up in the 400's, but my vl will not suppress. The doc dosnt understand y and sez therz no reason for it.

So @ the end of the day he wants to add Sustiva <devil's posion from what i read around here> to the mix. So the Sustiva arrived today and im sitting here looking at the bottle and thinking about some options. after a suicidal aclamation period w/ the kaletra im finally feeling pretty well. i really dont wanna take this sh*t.

In my opinion i just need a little push but he wants to drop the whole dam building on top of me. So y not get a 2nd oppinion. What can it hurt? My doc is a 'hot head' so itz kinda hard to discuss options w/ him.

Iv always bn the kinda of person who starts @ the top. So who and where would i go to get the best treatment? I know we all have docs here who we think are great or bad. But im talking top of the line. im an airline employee so i can travel anywhere in the world. y be restrained by american health care? rock hudson went to paris. didnt work out to well. that gallo dude is suppose to be here in baltimore somewhere. iv bn to johns hopkins and wasnt impressed for the $300.00 bill and still waiting out the 4 months to see the dermatologist.

Iv even thought about calling Abbot and saying hey whatz the deal here with this snake oil ur selling.

"best hiv doctor" google search dosnt return much. so if anybody has some suggestions or some links or emails to provide it would be greatly appreciated.

im gonna hold off on this sustiva stuff till after new years.

[thunter34]

Well, from one who doesn't have the whole of the world at his medical disposal, I'm envious of the breadth of your options & ability to accept 'only the best'.  Having found out my staus when I had been laid off and without insurance, my options weren't nearly as wide-open.

I agree about the waiting with the Sustiva, though.  It took me several, several months to get my VL down to undetectable.  And even with my limited options, I would request a boot be given to any doc that was 'hot head' enough to make me feel unable to freely discuss options.  No thanks to that!  Good luck.

[budndallastx]

Sustiva isn't the witch's brew everyone makes it out to be.  It depends on the person and you may find that after the initial drunkiness you'll do fine with the drug.  I have been on Sustiva since I started my meds in November and other than the initial bout of dizziness the first couple of nights, it's been great for me. 

The best doc is the one who'll listen and will ask questions of other docs when he doesn't know.  A "know-it-all" is dangerous and as Tim says should be booted!  Ask around in your area, I am sure there is a doctor other Poz people will refer you to.

Good luck on the search.

[pozniceguy]

If you fly American .. then here in the Dallas area ( American Hdqtrs) there are several "best" HIV Drs.......I use Dr N. Bellos...he runs clinical trials ..is out front with the latest info and is very easy to talk to ....of course that means he is busy..takes about a month for new patient to get appointment....there are two or three others..one at the VA hospital ...  he may take private patients as well  and one at Baylor Medical center.....All of them have been written up in the DALLAS magazine as "best" at one time or another recently...DR Bellos has been "best" two or three times... I am sure there are others around the country.........

[RapidRod]

LOL, Poz send him to Baylor, he'll get lost in there and we won't hear from him for a year. They do have damn good doctors there.

This is just a very small look at Baylor.

[kentb]

are you taking two kaletra in the AM and two in the PM?  This is how I started and my doc increased it to three and three and that helped me achieve Viral Suppression.  I also take Trizivir.

Just a thought,

kent

[JasonintheOC]

If you want to visit Laguna Beach I could suggest my doc who's known in our area as the "best"!  Dr. Tom Lochner is an excellent doc

See my post about Sustiva - I understand the suicidal thoughts.