Dr. Fels wasted my time and lied to me.

My 18 year old daughter (who has autism & intellectual disability) has had various elevated CBC markers for years. Hematology and GI both checked her over and thought they’d done all they could. Debatable. But at least they engaged.

Dr. Fels saw her over 2 appointments. At the first, he said hematology and GI should finish their investigations, as a CT was planned. The CT showed mildly activated and enlarged peritoneal lymph nodes, but hematology and GI didn’t find that conclusive for anything. So I made another appointment with Dr. Fels regarding my daughter’s inflammation. Labs were repeated, with the addition of C3 & C4 complements. Dr. Fels told me the results were “normal.” Maybe he meant normal for her. But they were not even normal for her. And the C3 and C4 complements being elevated was new information. She now has lymphocytosis in addition to her thrombocytosis. He just didn't want her as a patient from the get-go and he should have just been honest about that.

Here are the "normal" labs. Those Hs and Ls mean High and Low:
WBC 12.5 /mm3 4.9-12.3 H
MCV 78.0 um3 84-96 L
PLT 374.0 /ul 150-330 H Final FEW LARGE PLATELETS SEEN ON SMEAR
GRAN% 35.7 % 53-79 L
LY% 52.4 % 19-41 H
MID% 11.9 % 2-6 H
MCH 25.6 pg 27-34 L
LY# 6.5 /mm3 1.2-3.2 H
MID# 1.4 /mm3 0.0-0.5 H
MPV 7.5 um3 8-10 L
RDW 14.1 % 12-14 H
CRP 28.13 mg/L 0.00-6.00 H
ESR 10 mm /hr 0-30 N
Panel Description: Manual Differential Final
MANUAL GRANS 44 % 50-75 L
MANUAL LYMPH 46 % 20-50 N Final 6 ATYPICAL / REACTIVE LYMPHS
Panel Description: C3 Final
C3 187 mg /dL 72-167 H
Panel Description: C4 Final
C4 49.1 mg /dL 8.0-38.0 H

Submitted Nov. 27, 2023

I have been seeing Dr Fels for three years. I have always been seen promptly, his intake nurse is personable, and he is an excellent diagnostician and communicator. Always willing to discuss my questions and is always patient and focused on me. This other review mention pediatrics, but he is not, he is a rheumatologist and treats all ages.

Submitted Oct. 3, 2019

As a child, this doctor wasn't an option. His staff is rude, the nurse especially, and he is the most awful guy to ask questions to. His answers always come with a dismissive chuckle. I was in severe pain and he decided I just needed antidepressants and counseling. As a pediatric doctor he should actually care about his patients but he simply doesn't.

Submitted Sept. 28, 2017