26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
finally, an 'establishment' doctor who gets it!, August 24, 2002
This review is from: The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication (Paperback)
As a medical author who has preached and written about nutritional/orthomolecular medicine over the years, I was very, very impressed with Dr. Hedaya's book; finally, we have a bona-fide physician with powerful credentials (Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown U., I believe) who extolls the benefits---not only of super nutrition in the treatment of depression, but of the food allergy connection (long disputed for its relationship to mood but clinically understood by 'fringe' clinicians for 50 years); hypoglycemia (remember that syndrome? it hasn't gone anywhere!); thyroid function (many doctors prescribe standard thyroid tests which may often miss more subtle defects in that organs' function, but Dr. Hedaya explains exactly what tests are needed to uncover these subtle defects and their connection to depression); vitamins (he actually recommends B-complex in the 50mg. range along with B-12 injections when necessary); adrenal function, and many others. Hedaya even includes notes that your doctor can read regarding testing (kind of like he calling your doctor on your behalf to convey information which is not always put into practice). Very well done.
If there is a slight negative to the book, Hedaya doesn't really endorse St. John's Wort (but does includes fair reasons why there may be some concerns regarding its use and does mention a qualified distributor) or Sam-E (which I have read is fairly safe, and has passed some clinical scrutiny in the treatment of depression). Also, Hedaya doesn't appear to make any mention of 5-HTP (the modern-day tryptophan derivative which has been shown in a number of clinical studies, to naturally and therapeutically improve brain levels of serotonin---the chemical implicated in many depressions). Nor are the very serious side of effects of Paxil withdrawl dealt with in any substantial way (only to say gradual withdrawl is the rule of thumb). I have seen, for example, some studies suggesting that there are nutrient remedies involving glutathione transport(?) which can significantly reduce Paxil side-effects which many support groups on the web report as horrible.
Having said all of this, I would still highly recommend Hedaya's book, as 90% of it is excellent, timely, informative, and deals with the medicine/nutrient connection in a way I haven't seen since Durk Pearson's book, Life Extension, first appeared over 2 decades ago. Finally, highly credentialed physicians in the medical establishment are 'getting it.' Bravo!
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good book, with one word of Caution!, February 9, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication (Paperback)
Dr. Hedaya has written a good book. He gives hope to people on anti-depressants that they can return to an active life. I especially benefitted from exercise program, diet (5 meals/day, balance carbohydrate and protein in ratio 2:3, get rid of sugar, caffeine....in your diet ), and supplements omega-3 oils, B vitamins....
However, my word of caution - he gives statistics on his patients who have adrenal and thyroid gland problems..... I was given the same diagnosis after my first visit, as well as a host of other problems were diagnosed. After great expense and an enormous amount of testing, none of the original diagnoses panned out ie. my health improved from the basics - diet/exercise and some supplements. If you consider doctors on a spectrum of those who test too little to those who test too much, Dr. Hedaya is definitely on the far extreme of testing a lot (as far as my own experience).
So my suggestion, is to follow the suggested diet and exercise as well as the supplements for at least 6-12 months before you spend thousands of dollars on a host of expensive tests. For myself, it took about 12-18 months to return to my normal weight, energy levels ....
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Save Your Money and See Another Psychiatrist and/or Order Another Book, November 28, 2007
This review is from: The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication (Paperback)
I am writing this review after having both read his book and previously seen Dr. Hedaya as a patient.
Dr. Hedeya's "Whole Psychiatry" approach is basically a blend of psychiatry, Endocrinology, and alternative forms of medicine with little empirical evidence to support (ie functional medicine, orthomolecular medicine, etc.).
At the risk of appear too cynical, my impression was that impression that Dr. Hedaya's Clinic is more of a business than a medical practice. For example, his fees are grossly in excess of what other, similarly credentialed (ie psychopharmacologists) charge. Furthermore, some of his credentials are dubious- for example, Dr. Hedaya advertises himself as a member of the Endocrine Society; this is NOT SYNONYMOUS with being a Board-Certified Endocrinologist (ie you're better off seeing someone trained as a Board certified endocrinologist for a hormonal work-up; Dr. Hedaya even refers you to an endocrinologists if any of your endocrine lab tests are abberant.) Dr. Hedeya's "Whole Psychiatry" is basically a blend of psychiatry, Endocrinology, and alternative forms of medicine with little empirical evidence to support (ie functional medicine, orthomolecular medicine, etc.).
Secondly, there was an occasion where I was suffering from suicidal ideations and needed so speak with Dr. Hedaya (my therapist prodded me to keep calling until I got in direct contact with him). Unfortunately these ideations occurred on a weekday he didn't "work," and was inaccessible for several days. Several days later, after several attempts to call the office and speak with him, I finally was able to contact him, and was then charged hundreds for the "consultation."
Also, his office is inefficient. There were a couple of occasions in which Dr. Hedaya would order a lab test, forget to give me the prescription, and then it would take several calls to finally have the prescription sent to the right place. Also, for some reason Dr. Hedaya writes his prescriptions without refills, and there were occasions where the next available appointment wasn't until after the prescriptions ran out, and again it took several calls just to get the prescriptions filled.
Finally, some of the diet, exercise, and spiritual suggestions in the book are helpful; but the second half of the book is all about how to get your psychiatrist to perform workups that should more appropriately be performed by Endocrinologists. If I were to do it all over again, here are some general suggestions:
Dr. Hedaya's "Whole" approach to psychiatry encompasses some aspects of Endocrinology and other aspects of medicine with little or no empirical data to support (ie functional medicine, orthomolecular medicine, etc.) Stick to mainstream medicine and save yourself an excruciatingly expensive experience.
1) Avoid seeing Dr. Hedaya
2) Find someone equally as qualified as Dr. Hedaya (ie another psychopharmacologist) who charges more reasonable rates and is more accessible. I found a psychopharmacologist who was an AOA member (med school honors society), and charged $80 for 1/2 appointments and nothing for periodic calls, which were returned within a couple of hours at the most.
3) Have a Board-Certified Endocrinologist order, perform, and interpret your lab tests (ie to test for endocrine causes of psychopathology). In fact, I found one in my insurance's network and all I had to pay was a copay.
3) Dr. Hedaya will order literally thousands (ie $10k) at a time of grossly marked up lab tests which have little empirical evidence to support them (ie functional medicine, orthomolecular medicine, etc. lab tests) and aren't covered by insurance. Avoid paying this outrageous amount, and stick to the lab tests your endocrinologist orders (some of which may be the same as Dr. Hedaya's but are actually covered by insurance), and you'll have to pay little if anything.
4) Exercise regularly, find a spiritual outlet, and adhere to the "Zone Diet" (basically the other components of the book)
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