Several of my patients have told me that they had visited the Mayo Clinic in order to try and get help in solving their IBS. What they all realized after visiting the Mayo Clinic is that at the Mayo Clinic they use the same tools and tests that your primary care doctor and your gastroenterologist use.
They may provide you with a colonoscopy, an endoscopy, CT scan or MRI, and all of the usual tests and exams for investigating your digestive problems. However, it is likely that you've already had many of these tests. And it is unlikely that the results will be any different when the Mayo Clinic runs them. The Mayo Clinic does not offer anything unique for resolving IBS. Needless to say, these patients have been unified in their frustration and were singularly unimpressed with the Mayo Clinic.
In the end they received the same advice from the Mayo Clinic that they got from other doctors. Either no advice at all and were simply told that they were fine, or they were told to take more fiber and to work on dealing with their stress. That usually isn't much help, and it certainly isn't worth the trip to the Mayo Clinic.
I have even spoken with a digestive disease "expert" at the Mayo Clinic. I attempted to have an intelligent conversation with that physician about some of the causes of IBS, but they had no interest in trying to understand IBS beyond what they already knew (or didn't know). This physician was apparently satisfied with their current approach to IBS. The physician felt that the the conversation wasn't important, and basically brushed me off like an annoying patient who won't get better.
Interestingly, the pile of research that I cited didn't seem to matter either. And what I came to realize was that they Mayo Clinic is not a bastion of medical expertise, certainly not when it comes to curing IBS. It is simply a brand. And like all businesses, when you have a very well known brand, then people will seek out your service and assume that you have something special to offer. Unfortunately, the Mayo Clinic has nothing special to offer people with IBS, and doesn't offer any of the tests and evaluations offered at The IBS Treatment Center.
14 comments:
I'm going to the Mayo Clinic for a Celiac diagnosis. Do you think it's worth it for that?
Why are you going to the Mayo Clinic for a celiac diagnosis? They are no more adept at it than anyone else. In fact, your local doctor, or certainly your local gastroenterologist, should just as easily be able to assess you for celiac disease.
I would be happy to evaluate you for celiac disease as well as for non-celiac gluten intolerance, something that the Mayo Clinic is unlikely to recognize. Someone who is willing to look at the bigger picture is far more likely to help you.
The Mayo is only an hour and half from me, and I wanted someone good to do the upper endoscopy. And my insurance covered it. I did the endoscopy yesterday without sedation/meds!
Dr. said villi looked flattened. It was a local neurologist who did my blood work, all highly positive for TTG , andti endomysial, gliadin.
I'm worried about my kids (5 and 2) How and when to test them?? I know this runs in my family.
Should I read your book for answers?
I'm glad that you got what you needed and had a positive experience. Your blood work already demonstrated celiac disease, so it's no surprise that you had a positive biopsy. I think that you'd find "Healthier Without Wheat" very helpful and informative. Please let me know what you think about it.
Before I went gluten free I was having a lot of health problems and I went to the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale after doctors in Austin couldn't help me. I was underwhelmed. They ended up referring me to the psychologist and telling me I had anxiety disorder. I ditched their advice because I knew it wasn't my mind that was sick. Two years later, after I started breaking out in rashes, I figured out that milk and dairy were the problem. Despite family history of celiac disease, a biopsy was negative. However, once I cut them both out my health was fine from then on. It makes me not trust doctors very much. I debug complicated systems for a living, and most of them seemed like they weren't even trying. I think it's their system of training and their egos that get in the way of really helping poeple. Thank God for the good ones.
Hello,
Could gluten sensitivity be causing a burning sensation in my gut?
A gluten reaction could certainly be causing burning in your gut. So could many other things, including reactions to other foods. You should see a doctor about that. And if you've already seen some and you aren't getting anywhere, then I'd be happy to see you.
You are spot-on regarding the Mayo Clinic's unhelpfulness - after seeing 21 doctors over 2 years, we went to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, thinking it was our last resort (we were desperate to cure our son's constant nausea and weight loss). I had many spirited discussions with the pediatric gastroenterologist there - after a week and a half of torturous testing (tough on a child of 10), including an immunological panel which showed my son's immune system...hardly exists, the ped gastro concluded, "We still don't know much about the immune system" and recomended Mestinon to help my son hold onto acetylcholine so he could digest his food. Major side effect of Mestinon: nausea!! So with our local gastro's blessing, our son continued to take digestive enzymes instead. Nausea gone after several months on a GF diet, mostly organic vegetables and fruits, very few carbs - yay! He also had high Antigliadin IgG antibodies, but normal Antigliadin IgA antibodies, so not CELIAC, but a definite problem with gluten. Doctors not reading the research...thank you for not being one of THEM!
My father was diagnosed with IBS many years ago. This year he developed very loud intestinal whining, gurgling, and popping noises and extremely, loud, long and excessive flatulence. The symptoms started about one year after he finished external beam radiation treatment for prostate cancer. He cut back on eating, and he lost 15 to 17 lbs. in 2.5 months. A colonoscopy showed radiation proctitis, a lot of diverticulosis, and mucous. No matter what he eats, he produces very loud, excessive flatulence. Can external beam radiation treatment exacerbate IBS, or is it possible his symptoms are being caused by another digestive disorder?
From hearing your story my guess is that the radiation was not directly related to his worsening digestive problems, but may have exacerbated other problems simply by being another stress on the body. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he had a food allergy or other problems that we look for at the IBS Treatment Center. Don't give up, there must be a logical cause for his symptoms!
I was diagnosed 6 yrs. ago with celiac disease. I moved to a town that has 2 factories,1 is 3M that manufactors tape, the other produces yeast.(Provesta) I have lived in this town now for 5 yrs. I have frequent yeast infections and occasional reactions similar to celiacs. Is there the possibility that I may be reacting to the air pollution from the 2 factories? I live within 1 mile of both. Thank you Joy (symptoms include puffy or swelling to face,hands and feet, freq. yeast infect. bloating, frequent migraines which have increased over the last yr., pimple like sores on torso and face.)
It's possible, but I don't know how likely it is. I do know that most celiacs also have reactions to one or more other foods which could certainly cause your symptoms. I encourage you to investigate that as a potential cause of your symptoms. What is in the air is minor in comparison to having a reaction to things that you are eating.
Five years ago, after having my last child, I started having problems with lots of gas and bloating. It was so extreme that I would have to lay down in order to get relief. It seemed to "move" when I laid down. I have gone to three doctors and a gastroenterologist, had my gallbladder removed, a colonoscopy and endoscopy. Still no answer on what is going on and it is so much worse. Bloating, gas, constipation, pain/discomfort when I eat, the feeling of being "swollen" in my upper abdomen, nauseous at times and terrible fatigue. I need help, but all doctors so fat tell me nothing is wrong. I KNOW something is! Any advice?
Hi Leslie,
Thank you for your comments. It sounds as though you need to be seen and tested for all the causes of these symptoms that you haven't been tested for. We would be happy to help. If you would like to make an appointment, please visit our out of towners page on the IBS Treatment Center website...
http://www.ibstreatmentcenter.com/oot.htm
Thank you for your comments and hope to hear from you!
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