Welcome, Guest. Please Login
MCD - Mast Cell Disorders
  We've upgraded to YaBB 2!
  HomeHelpSearchLogin  
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Dr. Metcalfe (Read 8129 times)
Mousse
Tutor
**
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 88
Georgia
Dr. Metcalfe
01/25/12 at 09:45:50
 
Does anyone have any information about a Dr. Metcalfe? Thanks, Cindy
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Julie M.
Guiding Light
***
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 104
DC Metro area
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #1 - 01/25/12 at 12:49:34
 
Hi Cindy,

I corresponded with him via email a few months ago.  I live in the same area as NIH (where he works and is very well known) and I emailed him asking if he knew of an allergist in the area that was familiar with MCAS.  It took quite a few weeks before he responded, but he did eventually.  He passed on the name of one of his former colleagues at NIH who is in private practice in our area.  Of course, he was quick to remind me that MCAS is a very contorversial diagnosis in the medical community.  I wasn't surprised that he added his two cents on this, as I already knew he wasn't a supporter of the MCAS diagnosis.  Oh well, at least I got the name of the allergist...his opinion on MCAS was irrelevant to me frankly!

Not sure that's any help, but that was my brief exchange with Dr. Metcalfe.

Julie
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Lisa
FORUM MODERATOR/ADVISOR
*******
Offline


I am not a doctor.
Posts: 1499
Volta Redonda, RJ Brazil
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #2 - 01/26/12 at 04:50:08
 
Julieīs right, Cindy.   Dr. Metcalfe doesnīt care to speak with patients and told me this personally a few years ago.   He will gladly speak with doctors, however, and prefers doing that.   You would be better off trying to speak with another of the researchers instead.

Julieīs also right about his position on MCAS which is why you wonīt see any studies on it coming out of the NIH.  Until more proof is supportive of this "controversial" diagnosis of MCAS, I doubt they will change their position.  

In speaking with others who are veterans in the websites and are respected among the masto community as having more involvement and history going back 10 years or more, I got to hear a few inside opinions regarding some of the authorities, their viewpoints regarding SM vs MCAS and the inside politics going on and it explained a great deal and confirmed a lot of what I was seeing.

There are two very seperate thoughts and theories on masto and it literally divides the researchers/authorities.   One thing we patients must not forget - for us, this is our lives we are talking about here but for these doctors/scientists, it's their careers - it's work - it's business.  I know it seems to be so cold and even heartless but if we lose this perspective we begin to lose the understanding why the doctors/scientists behave the way they do.  Yes, they are in this game to help save lives and improve our lives and they don't forget this, but they are also in this for their own careers and livelihoods.  The more proof they can get to back their research and validate it resulting in more funding and the more they can continue pushing for understanding, the more it makes their names known and the more it improves their funding and thus more research.   These people are not sick with masto, they are the researchers into it and they must keep to their objectives if they are going to find answers and with answers comes understanding and treatment.   This is what brings to us improvements in our health.


Now, keeping this perspective in mind, you can then begin to understand why doctors like Dr. Metcalfe will concentrate only on one aspect of the disease.  He has worked hard to earn the reputation he has.  However he did not become the cheif of the immunology/allergy department of the NIH by being a nice doctor.  He is not only the head scientist of this area in the NIH but also the head administrator of the department and with that comes a very business oriented doctor/scientist.  He's a very busy man which expains his impatience in speaking with patients.  It also explains a lot of his other attitudes.

But knowing the processes also helps you to see the difference between the doctors/researchers and their attitudes towards us patients.  Some of them are known for being a lot less business-like and more passionate towards their patients and those doctors then end up standing out amongst us patients.  This is why you will hear certain of the authorities being praised here and others who are not.   Their receptivity of patients who are not their own and from whom they have nothing to gain is known and speaks for itself and ends up being why more often than not why we patients will encourage others to go in their direction.


So, I hope this helps, not just you Cindy, but others who have wondered why about these things.   So often what happens to us is when we write to a doctor like Dr. Metcalfe, when we don't get a reply or the reply is terse we get very disappointed and then go about being critical of that doctor.   Julie you were beautiful for if you did have any feelings you didn't show them and dealt with your reply very objectively - good job!  But if we can remember and keep in mind that when we write to these doctors that it's not a personal affront to us - that they are not sick with masto and they don't know how awful it feels to be so sick and running in circles trying to find doctor support.  If we can keep in mind that this is very, very serious business for them and that there is a great deal of polical jockying for positions and funding and recognition and that their careers are involved in all of this, it really goes a long way to understanding their attitudes and why our reaching out for their help or advice is really an imposition on our part, especially if we are not their personal patients.    It certainly helps us to put things into a proper perspective and not take personally any kind of cold shoulder, but it also puts into perspective how very gracious are those who do respond to us!!!!


Lisa
Back to top
 

Donīt forget, there is so much more to life than being sick!
 
IP Logged
 
Mousse
Tutor
**
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 88
Georgia
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #3 - 01/26/12 at 05:27:07
 
The allergist I have is actually the one contacting him about my biopsy results.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Lisa
FORUM MODERATOR/ADVISOR
*******
Offline


I am not a doctor.
Posts: 1499
Volta Redonda, RJ Brazil
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #4 - 01/26/12 at 05:53:54
 
Gee, I went roundabout didnīt I?! hahahaha!!!     Roll Eyes    


I'll PM you with his email, Cindy!!  Smiley
Back to top
 

Donīt forget, there is so much more to life than being sick!
 
IP Logged
 
Mousse
Tutor
**
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 88
Georgia
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #5 - 01/26/12 at 05:56:23
 
He already contacted him yesterday - he just hasn't heard back. He thought by next week. Thanks Lisa.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
ruth
Guiding Light
***
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 208

Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #6 - 01/26/12 at 19:54:04
 
Lisa it might have been roundabout but it was a great explanation and a reminder for all of us how to keep this in perspective.  Understanding these doctors and what they deal with is not easy from the other side of the desk, but you have given a really helpful perspective, at the end of th day we want what achieves the best outcome for patients, and different doctors take different roles in achieving that. Thanks.

Ruth
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
LAM
Rookie
*
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 6

Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #7 - 06/30/13 at 07:58:28
 
I have to admit, I was very worried when I went to NIH last week, because of what I read in this post.  I started worrying that I wouldn't be able to speak to anyone.

Lisa, you are dead on.  It is very complex down there at NIH.  I thought Dr. Metcalfe was very understanding and I was impressed with his want to help.  You can definitely tell, his hands are very busy with everything going on.  I wouldn't take it personally if it seems he is tight on time.  He seems to be steering many ships, and I wouldn't want him to take his eyes off of the horizon and thus the destination.  His staff if very knowledgeable and kind.  If you cannot reach him, I am sure if you called down there, one of them would be able to help you, or at least direct you to who can.

I am very happy I joined their protocol on Mastocytosis research.  I feel relieved that at least I can contribute and hopefully it will result in us finding the answers quicker and getting better sooner.  

Sorry I don't post too much to the forum.  I just want everyone to know how impressed I was with NIH and how they are running everything.  With my experience with Dr. Akin, Dr. Chong and Dr. Metcalfe, I believe we are definitely in capable hands.

Laura
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
eml256
Rookie
*
Offline


I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 7
cincinnati, Oh
Re: Dr. Metcalfe
Reply #8 - 03/28/14 at 09:49:13
 
Julie, would you share the name of the allergist to whom Dr. Metcalfe referred?  thanks, madelyn
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print