"Dr. Matteson is a pro at navigating treatment options" – Lori Stoltz, 49, English professor, Rochester, Minn.
“I’ve been Dr. Matteson’s patient since I was diagnosed with RA in 1991. I’ve tried many treatments, with varying degrees of success. But I have complete confidence in Dr. Matteson. He’s on the cutting edge of arthritis research – but he’s also realistic and never pushes anything I’m not comfortable with. For example, when my last medication stopped working, Dr. Matteson suggested a fairly new injection [Enbrel]. He saw that I was hesitant about giving myself shots, so he said, ‘Listen, we can have a nurse do it for you if that might help, and you can see if it’s effective enough to make it worth it.’ That helped me get over the fear, and now I can do the shots myself, and my symptoms are under control again. I also like that Dr. Matteson is completely open to alternative therapies. For example, I take supplements, exercise and meditate regularly in order to improve my health. I never hesitate to tell Dr. Matteson about anything I’m considering, and he’ll evaluate it with an open mind and see if we can work it into my treatment plan.”
Eric L. Matteson, MD, Chair, Department of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
“Lori is a wonderful person with a severe disease, and I really admire her willingness to make her health a priority. Our doctor-patient relationship works well because from day one, we’ve both been very open to ideas about her treatment. Lori has a lot of interest in alternative therapies. Some physicians have a jaundiced view of things like herbal supplements and acupuncture, but it’s called ‘complementary medicine’ for a reason – research shows that it can work alongside and even improve a traditional regime.”
Celebrate your own extraordinary patient-doctor relationship!
You and your doctor will be invited to your local Arthritis Walk, the Arthritis Foundation’s signature event. Plus, your story could be featured in an Arthritis Foundation publication or web site. Visit www.letsmovetogether.org to submit your story telling us why “My Doc Rocks!”
