Dr. Shoemaker's Review

I blogged about Ritchie Shoemaker previously here.  Here is what he had to say about my book. 

It was a pleasure to read Wellness Piece by Piece, by Pat Sullivan.  My medical practice is devoted to treatment of illnesses characterized by multiple symptoms, especially chronic fatigue.  A large part of that practice involves research into the underlying physiologic disturbances that cause the chronic illness.  By simply reading Pat's excellent overview of "what is out there," patients and physicians alike can begin to sort out what approaches to illness make sense for their own cases.

More than being just a compendium of good ideas from caring professionals, Wellness Piece by Piece is a reflection of an attitude I salute:  we are all searching for answers and all of us have something important to add.  We can all learn by listening, keeping in mind that each of us has something worthwhile to say.

My experience with Pat supports the idea that he is putting pieces together like few others have.  Wellness sits in a prominent location on my bookshelf and probably should be on yours as well.

Ritchie C. Shoemaker MD
Pocomoke, Md
July 8, 2005

I asked Ritchie for a "blurb of endorsement" and quite frankly, I am honored and humbled by what he wrote. 

After meeting him about a month ago, we have had several email and phone conversations as my test results have come back.  It has been very exciting to work with him!  He is one of the most competent  and yet humble doctors I have ever met. I believe that he is truly practicing medicine in a way that is beyond most other physicians. 

Now, I'm not ready to share all the findings from my trip to Pocomoke, but I think what piqued Ritchie's interest in me (and my book) was that as my blood tests came back, he made guesses on other markers that would come from the results of other tests (ie. because you have ABC geneotype, you're going to have XYZ hormone marker, etc.) based on his experience with a 3000+ other patients with chronic conditions.  Many of his guesses were right on but he was suprised when some of my markers were normal.

In his words, I had an "incredibly deranged physiology but somehow I was still functioning at a very high level."   He told me, "You're doing something right and next time we talk I want to get into all the things you are doing nutritionally." 

This was exciting to hear!  Even more exciting was that he clearly discovered a few very important new puzzle pieces for me!  We have started working on fixing my deranged physiology!  More to come in later posts.

Thanks Ritchie!

Comments

[Bonnie]

I have never met Dr. Shoemaker but he is now an important man in my life. You see, my grandson and his father have been exposed to a high amount of pathogenic mold and he is their only hope for a healthy future. He is doing a study on MSH and I hope and pray that they get the help they need. I don't know much about this kind of trial. They wouldn't keep a child on a placebo if it isn't working would they??

[Nina]

Before thinking Dr. Shoemaker is some hero, you may want to ask Dr. Tom Brennan about his experience sharing a practice with him and how downright shabby his patients are very often treated--lack of disclosure about care they receive before using his protocol. The FDA had to stpe in--read all about it on Quackwatch.org--casewatch.
This doctor is fundamentally dishonest and uses patients as his lab rats witout real regard for their safety and well being.
If this is not enough to scare you, just read about Kurt D. Winterkorn's (Esq) experience with this codien guzzling doc and how pharmacies within 50 miles of his then Pa. practice would not honor his patients Rx for narcotics.
For those in desperate need of medical care, forget Ritchie, find a real SCIENCE BASED doctor who is more concerned with patient safety and ethics rather than the big cash reward at the end.
I had one bad experience, don't want to see anyone else go through it.
Good luck.

[Pat Sullivan]

Nina,

Interesting comment. I have no way of validating Dr. Brennan's experience. Googling him revealed nothing.

I did look at Quackwatch and frankly I almost consider making that list a badge of honor. But the FDA letter to Dr. Shoemaker apparently has effected his behavior as there are things that Dr. Shoemaker talks about that are not currently FDA approved that I have personally asked him for a protocol to use it anyway. He very specifically refuses to give one and states that he does not recommend that I use anything that is NOT FDA approved.

Also, my personal experience with Dr. Shoemaker was one that was very pleasant and very professional. I have sent others there who have said the same. It would not suprise me that just like me and most everyone else, Dr. Shoemaker has good days and bad days. Having said that, I don't want to make him out as a hero without any flaws.

The amazing thing to me is that for over 10 years he has tirelessly chased down possible causes of chronic conditions for little, if any personal recognition, at least that I can see. I think that the things he has uncovered should be widely recognized and I think he should win a Nobel Prize for his scientific discoveries. If he fails at times as a human being, he would be, well... human.