Appointments with specific doctors to boost awareness

Therapeutic Efforts Doctors & Therapists
#1

How come everyone just doesn’t schedule an appt with Shippen or Crisler? I’m sure if they start getting appts coming in from everyone at once they’ll be forced to put something together and fix this thing.

Think about it. Phones ringing off the hook with everyone saying ‘Help!’. It’ll get the word to Merck the forum is coming out of the web and into reality.

Much more value added than protesting in front of Merck HQ. Maybe the experts can come up with some common link (besides Finasteride) that is the culprit (along with Fin).

While it may cost $$$ to travel to see one of the experts, think about how much $$$ u’ll save when ur fixed. Instead of on the internet coming up with theories you’ll be able to be out living a great life with a job and hot wife perhaps.

Just a thought. Who’s down?
Jack

#2

Agreed it would be great if we could all see the same docs but for most of us its just not possible, money-wise, time and logistics wise.

Hence why I have updated the Doctors section with a “Find a Doc/Endo/HTPA specialist” link, as well as numerous doctors people can see.

You need to login and scroll down past the “Recoveries, Member Stories and Hormone/Blood tests” to see this section.

#3

Good one, good one! Good!

#4

Mew, have you seen any of these specialists yet? I’m sure the forum appreciates all the effort/info you submit…but I’m gonna go out on a limb and look out for you. You need to focus on yourself. That’s great you listed all the Drs, but have you yourself seen one of them yet?
I think it’s best the same Dr sees all of the patients. Too many times individuals arrive at the door step of an otherwise competant Dr who just shrugs off the patients complaints…but if he has 20 or 30 or even 100 it’s not feasible. He/She may just jump at the site to make themselves a case study and go public.

If you can’t afford the money to start the process than there may be a way to obtain it thru family? As for time-wise, if anyone on this forum complained they didn’t have time to get this straightened out than really this shit isn’t really bothering them.

It’s really simple…in order to start the reversal of your issues you need to step up as a group and fight it together. The forum is good haven for one another to share their pain but it’s not gonna fix anything.

Jack

#5

Jack I agree with you, if we could all focus our efforts on seeing one or two main docs, that would work best to “get through to them”… except that Dr. Shippen and Crisler are already well aware of the issue. It’s the others that need to be convinced.

Personally I would opt for Dr. Shippen as he is already speaking about “the rare but dangerous effects of 5-AR Inhibitors” at his conferences already, and claims to have helped some men recover.

Thus, he (and Dr. Crisler, and Dr. Irwin Goldstein) are definitely aware of the problems Finasteride can cause – and that’s half the battle right there, finding a doc that 1. believes you on this and 2. is willing to try and treat you.

You asked wether I have seen anyone out of the Docs I listed – no, I haven’t, because they’re all in the US and I’m in Canada. However, I have been considering flying to the US to see Shippen in the near future, and likely will… he’s just very booked up.

So in conclusion – if everyone could see the same doctors, that would be awesome. But not everyone has the money or time to fly from halfway around the world to do so (especially for those located outside North America).

Anyway, thanks for the “looking out”, and you make some good points. I will move this to the Doctors section and make it an Announcement to encourage others to follow this advice.

#6

So Mew,

Do you know any Neuro-Endos and that are worth seeing in Canada? I’m getting discouraged at finding a doctor. Are you seeing a good one? Does he beleieve you? If so, I would not mind doing what this thread says, and go to the same doctor.

I’ve hit rock bottom this week. My new blood tests came back and look bad. And my doctor says they look great. I feel powerless.

#7

Deleted

#8

I’m not sure why the phone consult with Jacobs wouldn’t work. He has patients in Europe and Australia. Also isn’t the Canadian healthcare system a big issue? You can’t make docs do test they deem unnecessary.

#9

At the very least we should be sure to send Dr. Jacobs blog posts to Shippen/Crisler/others. Maybe this will inspire them to either collaborate with Dr. Jacobs or start writing some theories/findings of their own. This issue needs to become more public. I have quite a few friends who are long-term users - they all have some degree of mental/sexual side effects but have never really considered Fin as the cause.

#10

If these docs were serious about getting something done they would have published something by now, only Dr Irwig is doing that.

#11

Dr. Jacobs has made several blog posts on Medscape (and gotten a lot of heat from urologists). And he’s only been looking at finasteride issues for less than a year. Perhaps down the road he’ll be inspired to do some formal studies on the neurological risks of the drug. My guess is once we have a large group of young men on the drug for 10-15 years (which should take place in the next 5 years) he’ll have plenty of material to work with.

boards.medscape.com/.29fb66b2/

#12

Sadly, that will probably happen as the drug goes generic and more topical solutions are produced. In the mean time, though, i hope more of us can get to him so perhaps he can find SOME pattern in our blood work - it is already obvious that adiol-g is the one thing that at least seems to relate to 95 percent of our cases.

It is wonderful that Dr. Goldstein recognizes the dangers of propecia, but i yet to see him publish anything on the issue even though he has been treating propecia patients for years, except for a tiny blip in “mens fitness” magazine. It also really bothers me that i havent seen him test adiol-g in the two men that have gone to see him (that i know of.)

#13

golf17331, I agree that it would be a good idea to talk to Dr. Jacobs.

I will do that as soon as I can afford the consult fee.

I’m a bit scared though that if he prescribes medecine or tests that the prescription will be invalid here because it is from a Doctor outside my province. But nevertheless, I will contact Dr. Jacobs if there’s a chance he can find a solution to my problems.

I am inquiring about Canadian Endos since my doctor said he will make me a referal.

It will not cost me anything to see an endo here with a referal. So I have nothing to loose.
rickydlee mentioned these two endos as worth seeing. It looks like they’ve treated post-fin users already.

http://www.propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2035

I’ll contact Dr. Bain as well as Dr. Jacobs

#14

Glad your being proactive, the other two docs look good as well. Unfortunate that they have the long wait times however. Good look marquis.

#15

I have an appointment with Dr. Shippen on Oct. 6 and I will post here in as much detail as I can what he tells me in the 2nd hand stories thread.

I spoke to his secretary and she said they about a “50% success rate”. Again, “success” to them may not mean completely cured.

What a nice change it will be not to have a doctor give me a smug smile and tell me its all in my head.

#16

I definitely agree it needs to become more of a public medical issue. If doctor Irwig begin’s a clinical study sometime in the next couple of years, things could move in that direction. Any clinical study done by reputable medical organization that strongly conflicts with Merck’s 2% claim or their claim of side effects dissipating after 6 months, would do just that.

Of course that could also be the basis for a class action lawsuit.