Bear Creek RheumatologyLLC

Most likely, you’d never heard of a rheumatologist until you needed one. Yet, millions of people each year see rheumatologists and, in fact, there’s a shortage of doctors who can meet the urgent needs of these complex patients.

It can be scary when you first discover you may have an autoimmune disease. If you have been referred to Dr. Dryland, likely you have been suffering for some time. You might have seen several other doctors with little relief. The source of your pain and discomfort may still be a mystery to you.

Rheumatologists are the detectives of the medical profession. We investigate complex symptoms and conditions and then plan specific care solutions for each individual person we care for.

Throughout my 22 years of private practice in the Rouge Valley I’ve guided thousands of patients through this process. Many, despite having only normal looking laboratory test results will turn out to be suffering from something completely unexpected that explains their symptoms. While other patients might be more straightforward in diagnosis but need a more tailored treatment plan.

Luckily, there are many right ways to treat rheumatic medical conditions, and, with choices and options, after a short time the patient ultimately decides what is best for them personally having clear understanding of what they have been going through and what to expect.

I take the most pride in carefully working with each individual to help understand the nature such complicated diseases with easy to understand explanations about what your options are and what happens as we continue treatment and to follow your disease.

Born and raised back east, I attended medical school at Syracuse University and trained in Rheumatology at Yale University. This provided me the unique opportunity to learn from some of the most highly trained and recognized professors and lecturers in the country. Through joint programs with Yale and Harvard I had unique instruction from the originator of the use of Methotrexate for arthritis, our most commonly prescribed medication.

My time at Yale also afforded me additional training in office based orthopedics, immunology and allergy. I use this training everyday with patients. It’s one thing to tell someone they don’t have an auto-immune disease but my office orthopedics training always allows me to tell them why they hurt and what their next steps in healing should be, even if they are with a different type of specialist.

Alternatively, a frequent occurrence while visiting a rheumatologist would be a patient who is experiencing an intolerance or allergic reaction to a previously prescribed treatment. This can leave patients frustrated or scared, even hopeless if there seems to be no other options. In some cases a new path of treatment is needed. In others, my unique allergy training allows me to help patients become tolerant once more and get back on the much needed oral or intravenous medication.

Remember, for whatever reason you’re seeing a rheumatologist, let’s make this a team effort. I look forward to seeing you.