Susie's Crohn's Disease in Remission

I was looking for a doctor that could provide comprehensive care for me emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. When visiting the doctor in the past each ailment was dealt with on a physical level with no regard for my emotional, mental, or spiritual state. I was recommended different pills or surgeries to fix my physical complaint. I was interested in finding a doctor who could comprehensively treat my medical issues taking into account my complete make-up: emotional, mental, physical and spiritual being.

My husband consults with doctor's offices all over Texas. After consulting with Dr. Carney for several year, he recommended her based on his experiences and interactions with her. Out of all the doctors he's ever consulted with, he has found Dr. Carney provided the most comprehensive medical care while educating her patients in the process.

Dr. Carney has exceeded my expectations of a comprehensive care physician with her passion for providing such care evident at every single visit. In addition, she is very interested in educating her patients, offering new ideas and information, and helping her patients take responsibility for their own health. I feel the education she has provided me on a spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional basis has equipped me to manage my own health in a more comprehensive way.

I have Crohn's disease, high cholesterol, and gluten-intolerance with a strong family history of heart disease. My goals for my health are multi-faceted. First and foremost, I'd like to minimize the effects of high cholesterol and heart disease which runs in my family. Secondly, I'd like to reduce the effects of Crohn's disease, an auto immune disease, on my body. I have had Crohn's for 29+ years and with Dr. Carney's help I have been in remission for the past 3 years. Finally, Dr. Carney has helped educate and equip me to manage my diet in a way that has reduced my cholesterol, reduce my Crohn's symptoms as well as practically eliminating my gluten intolerance side effects.

I've realized with her help, that I am not limited by my medical issues. I am on my second summer triathlon season doing 3-5 triathlon's a summer. Furthermore, I am on my 8th year of playing women's kickball. I am in the best shape of my adult life with an increase in energy and stamina. The people I work with ask me all the time where I get all my energy. I feel so blessed to have found such an awesome physician who looks at my whole being, not my physical symptoms in isolation.

Dr. Carney has helped me lower my cholesterol from a high of 240 to 150. After first reverting to a vegan diet and exercising 6 days per week, I was able to lower my cholesterol to 180. However, she and I felt that a cholesterol of 150 was best for me with my family history so I began taking Lipitor for a short while. I am off Lipitor now.

As a result of my overall health improvement, my recent colonoscopy showed no active disease. Many people with Crohn's disease have considerably low energy and have multiple colon surgeries throughout their life. Given the comprehensive health plan that I ascribe to, with Dr. Carney's guidance, I have remained surgery free with an abundance of energy.

Don't get me wrong, a vegan diet is not easy. Although this lifestyle takes a lot of self-discipline, the results far outweigh the challenges. I feel like there is a strong connection between eating great foods to help reduce your risks of chronic illness and your environmental impact. However, it beats spending all your time in the doctor's office as a result of eating the western diet. I prefer to be outside training for my next triathlon!

Note: This article was written in March of 2013 and so the title is no longer accurate. Susie's Crohn's Disease has been in remission for much longer than three years.