Dr. Myatt’s Patients Speak Out
For nearly three decades of medical practice Dr. Myatt has been performing what many of her patients consider medical miracles. Dr. Myatt prefers to simply call it “good doctoring.”
Whatever it is called, many of her patients have written to express thei appreciation and gratitude for her care.
Here are some of their stories:
Lynne – 64 years old – click to show/hide
Lynne’s story:
12/19/12
My name is Lynne. I am 64 years old and split my time living between Iowa and Arizona. I have been a patient of Dr. Myatt’s for about eleven months. She recently asked me some questions about my decision to work with her and my experience. I have decided to put this in narrative form in the event it may help someone else struggling with decisions about their health and lifestyle.
There were five reasons I began looking at Dr. Myatt as my choice for healthcare.
- I have a good friend who has been a patient for years. About 1 ½ years ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Working with her oncologist and Dr. Myatt in tandem, she is now cancer free and looks better than I do! That to me is a miracle.
- Some health problems were creeping up. Some hair loss, inability to sleep, a lump on my thyroid, etc.
- Too many of my peers are starting to talk about their growing list of prescriptions, or are measuring their lives from Dr. appnt to Dr. appnt. New symptom?……new pill. Five years ago I went through Guillian-Barre syndrome and spent a year with Drs. and rehab specialists. I hated it.
- I have come to realize I was choosing to do what I wanted in life, then handed a broken body to a Dr. to heal…………..only to return to doing what I wanted! I struggled with the awakening idea that I am a partner in my wellness; that I have choices and control. I wanted to push a body “reset” button and make changes so I could stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible, medication free.
- I am a member of the league of aging women who add a few pounds every year. I hated that too, but have done every weight loss program known to man.
This did not come to me in a lightbulb moment! I spent a year debating the pros and cons. Some of my concerns were:
- Would I fail as I have so many times?
- Would I be as committed to it three months in as I would be the day I signed on?
- Did this mean I was turning my back on traditional medicine?
- How could it possibly be effective working through email, conference calls and across many states?
- Was this based on voodoo or “science?”
I finally grasped on to the adage “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” Sometime after the last holiday season, I called Dr. Myatt, had a consultation and signed up for a health “overhaul”. I simply told my husband he didn’t have to do anything just because I was, but I needed his support. Period.
Fast forward to the present. I am now 35 lbs lighter and have gone from a size 14/16 to an 8/10 and we are not done yet!
I sleep very well, no more hair loss, and we are working on the thyroid issue.
I receive compliments all the time on how much better I look, but I know how much better I feel.
In no way did I turn my back on traditional medicine when needed. Dr. Myatt referred me for a thyroid biopsy. Since it was benign, we are working to see if surgery will still be needed or not. She sees value in both options, but again, I get to make decisions and choices regarding treatment. She is always there to guide and present the pros and cons.
I actually have come to prefer working through email and phone when possible. No sitting endlessly in waiting rooms, and when we have our hour long conferences, I have her undivided attention and the opportunity to ask any and all questions. When the media presents a new “study”, if it is one that affects me, I contact her and get a prompt response. Recently it was the announcement that “eggs are as dangerous as smoking.” I LOVE eggs, so contacted her and she is always on top of the research, the nature of the study, and comes back with a scientific explanation for why this is or is not a valid statement. In an emergency, I can contact her and will hear back almost immediately as to what steps to take.
I have not failed, I am still not on any health sustaining medications and have more energy than prior to changing my lifestyle. I have certainly tried new solutions for problems (like activated charcoal for the flu, or castor oil packs). Each time I start such a regimen, I shake my head as it is foreign to me…………only to find out I get exactly the results she predicted.
I will not pretend there have been no bumps in the road. We recently travelled overseas and I hit lots of “glitches”. Now we are in the holiday season and I have 24 guests arriving in the next few days. So my attention to myself has waned. It is a self inflicted wound. But I know now I can and will pull myself up by the bootstraps because the changes have been too good to walk away from. I also know Dr. Myatt will be there to remind me of why we are doing all this. She will be there to support me through the re-evaluation of the thyroid issues, and whatever will follow.
Oh yes, my husband? Well he tagged along to the tune of a 40 lb weight loss and recently said “This is the best thing we’ve ever done.” I also overheard him tell a friend recently “If I’m ever diagnosed with a serious illness, I’m just signing on with Dr. Myatt, because she knows her stuff!” Of course, I questioned why one would wait UNTIL the serious diagnosis, if we can avoid such a diagnosis, but hey, he has come a long way!
I certainly understand those of you who were where I was a year ago. My final list has to do with reasons for my success:
- You have to be honest with yourself and with Dr. Myatt.
- You will not be perfect, but you will learn, and you will change.
- You are in the driver’s seat. She cannot do this for you, but she will absolutely walk with you through the journey.
- Believe you are worth it!
Wishing you wellness in the New Year!
Lynne
Louis – 69 years old – click to show/hide
Louis’ Story:
My name is Louis M. I live in southeastern coastal North Carolina. I am 69 years old.
I went on the Myatt Diet for multiple health reasons: most pressing was chronic upper respiratory infections every year. The common cold for me was a major illness sometimes lasting as long as two months and making me debilitating sick. I was also overweight, not in good physical condition in general, had impaired digestion, and high cholesterol.
I initially saw Dr Myatt in 1991 at the ARE Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona when she was a staff physician there and have consulted with her frequently since that time.
The diet has worked great for me. I rarely get upper respiratory problems and when I do they are short lived and minor.
My weight is down from over 200 pounds to 172 pounds today
My cholesterol is with normal limits.
I am in great physical condition playing competitive tennis several times weekly, working out a minimum of 3 times a week, and scuba diving comfortably whenever & wherever I desire to go.
The physical improvements, in my opinion, would have never occurred if not for the Dietary changes.
“Side effects” of the diet include improved sharpness of mind, cessation of sleepiness midafternoons, and boundless energy & drive… the lethargy I was experiencing went away when the carbs went away, simple as that!
I was never skeptical of the diet having read all or most of Dr Atkin’s books, but I did find it difficult to stay with the program consistently for a variety of reasons, most of which center around my own laziness: just not choosing & preparing great, simple foods for my own lunches, travel and so on. It was easy eating out a lot to slide back into French fries, poorly prepared dishes, desserts and so on. The problem here was never the diet, which is truly simple & straight forward; the only problem I ever encountered was me!! One does have to decide what is truly wanted and then commit to a consistent course of action in that direction.
Once I really got serious about following the diet as Dr Myatt has designed it, my progress was rapid and pronounced.
Now, I can simply prepare my own food for the most part and have also found it easy to accommodate eating out by simply being more selective about my choices!! There are so many, many foods that fit the diet that once one realizes that, it is not difficult to eat very well and easily
I will also note that I noticed improvements within days of starting the diet; in my case it was dramatic and very clear as my energy increased, mental focus and clarity improved, and just simple energy, feeling great came very quickly. It took longer for the respiratory improvement and there was additional treatment involved; however, the dietary changes provided the basis for the treatments to work.
The thing I most like about the diet is the simplicity; once I caught on, in a sense, and stayed with it long enough to get the big picture, it was and is easy. There is actually nothing that I don’t like about it.. .it is simple and, in my case, worked in the sense of enabling me to be much more healthy, energetic, and balanced. It does involve some definite changes in food choices and preparation, but with persistence the new ways become the new habits and comfortable.
Based on my personal experience I can recommend the Myatt Diet to anyone who is serious about improving their overall health.
Adrianne (and Ken!) – – click to show/hide
In May of 2011, Adrianne was a Type II diabetic (had been for 30 years), 168 pounds, 5’4″.
She had an enlarged thyroid that has been biopsied three times but nothing definitive was found.
She had just been told by Mayo clinic that she was a “ticking time bomb” and would need immediate bypass surgery.
In less than 90 days, Adrianne was no longer diabetic.
She has gone from a size 18 to a size 4.
She walks 2+ miles per day (not bad for a “ticking time bomb”!), bypassed bypass, had the feeling in her feet (neuropathy) restored.
We’re still working on thyroid but her thyroid hormone levels are all normal. We are NOT considering surgery at this time.
Adrianne says she feels younger now than she did ten years ago. Her physical status is certainly much younger.
Here is Adrianne’s Story:
One day I came home from work exhausted, and the tiredness would not go away. Doctors struggled to figure out what was wrong with me, but despite what now seem like salient clues, no one looked at my heart.
I spent months struggling to stay out of bed any length of time and eventually my work put me on disability. My life became smaller. I hardly ever left the house, my energy just disappeared!
A little over a year ago I had a stroke. I had surgery and the surgeon found that the artery on the left side of my neck was 90 percent blocked. I also had a mild heart attack on the table. Amazingly, no one looked at my heart. Was it clogged too? Also, I had been an uncontrolled diabetic for thirty years. Was that an issue in my chances for successful surgery? What about my overweight? I had gained so much weight being idle…..
A month after my surgery I couldn’t walk three steps without chest pain. I insisted on being referred to a heart specialist. He found I had a murmur, and during tests found out all four of my arteries were blocked. I was referred to a surgeon who told me I was “a ticking time bomb” and needed immediate open heart surgery. Already reeling from my endardectomy (my neck surgery), with chest pain, overweight, and high blood pressure, the prospect of immediate surgery frightened me. I was pretty sure that if I submitted to that surgery at that time I would not survive. My body felt it had no reserves to draw from.
I wanted a second opinion, but even more, I wanted to know if there was any way to heal my body without having to undergo yet another major surgery. My family used to come to the Mayo clinic from Cuba when they had any serious issues, so I made an appointment to go to the Mayo clinic. That is where my intellect guided me. Deeper than that I was looking for a complete transformation, and that thought led me to contact Dr. Dana Myatt.
I met Dr. Dana (as I now refer to her) a very long time ago when I spend some healing time in Arizona. She was my doctor, just fresh from medical school, and filled with enthusiasm and grace. I decided to contact her also.
A short time later I made the trip to Arizona at Dr. Dana’s invitation and met with her and her husband Nurse Mark. Their warmth, understanding and stated commitment to helping me heal was comforting and I felt such gratitude! But I could hear my doctor’s words: “you are a ticking time bomb” still ringing loudly in my ears and I had SEEN the blockage in my arteries. Could Dr. Dana really help me?
Dr. Dana made a case for not having the surgery, but she vowed to help me whether I had the surgery or not. She gave me time to think about my options, to meet with the Mayo doctors, to do the internal work I needed in order to come to a decision. She was loving and respectful and I know she really believed she could help me without the surgery. I wasn’t so sure.
The doctors at Mayo were wonderful, and although I heard the “ticking time bomb” premise several more times, they also were clear about the risks of surgery and the fact that it was possible to medically manage the condition “for a little while until the surgery can happen”. I was told the importance of coming into the surgery with a positive outlook. I believed these doctors believed what they were telling me, but my spirit kept pulling me towards Dr. Dana.
I went to see Dr. Dana in Phoenix and signed up for the bus/limo, signed up and meant it! My life on the line, I was going to follow her advice to the letter.
What can I tell you? Dr. Dana has saved my life.!!
A year after joining my fellow limo passengers I have gone from a size 12 to a size 4 and stayed at a size 4 effortlessly by following Dr. Myatt’s recommendations.
I am no longer a diabetic, my daily sugars and A1c read like those of someone who was never touched by the disease. My blood pressure is normal.
My energy level, slowest to respond, has improved so much!
And gone are the days of my chest hurting after a few steps. I can walk almost three miles- and walk them strong.
My good cholesterol is off the charts, I live an active lifestyle, I have the energy I need to accomplish my goals.
Dr. Dana didn’t just take care of my symptoms. She looked at me as a whole person. She lifted me up when I was down and challenged my thinking when I wasn’t thinking clearly. She was there for me during every step of the way, and I do mean every step. And yes, when I dropped the ball she had a “come to Jesus” talk with me, the kind of talk that motivates and renews purpose.
I am still tying up some lose ends with Dr. Dana who will settle for nothing short of the very best things can be.
I love Dr. Dana, more than that I have no doubt that she has loved me unconditionally through this process and continues to do so, for it is really in her nature and her purpose to heal. Nurse Mark has been a great partner too! As a bonus, my husband started making many of the changes that Dr. Dana recommended for me and he has lost a little over sixty pounds- thank you Dr. Dana!
For anyone who is considering the Limo, The Bus, don’t think twice. Dr. Dana will be your best partner ever because she will look at all your systems, tweak even the minor things we don’t normally bring up during a doctor’s visit, and she will be ever present with your spirit. She really gives a million percent of herself.
I am a new person. I have been totally transformed. I am learning to manage my life on all levels as many things besides my heart were out of balance. My husband and I recently downsized our lifestyle as part of our life overhaul- this was not something Dr. Dana asked us to do, but she has been a tremendous support. So now we have less things in a condo in the city with a walk score of 97 out of a hundred. We live in a fourth floor condo with no other buildings around and a lovely floor to ceiling window in our living room that allows me a view of the sky every day and night. In so many ways Dr. Dana has helped me to transform my life to one of hope, joy, and much less fear. It is because of her that today I can “SEE” the sky!!
Now, this did not happen suddenly – about 3 months into her work with Dr. Myatt, Adrianne sent the following email: (presented here exactly as received)
I was a little reticent to send this until I was sure I wasn’t imagining what is happening with my feet.
WHEN I AM BAREFOOT I CAN FEEL THE FLOOR. IN MY SOCK FEET THE CARPET IS NO LONGER A SOLID SURFACE, I CAN FEEL THE TEXTURE. AFTER OVER A DECADE OF ABSOLUTE NUMBNESS!!!!!!!!!
My energy levels are the best they have been in three years. Without a doubt.
I can walk a mile and sometimes a mile and a half without heartburn.
I went from daily laxative use to no laxative use and BM on most days or every other day. Bloated feeling almost every day to maybe once or twice a week.
I have lost twenty pounds!! I FEEL lighter and love it.
My mental confusion is improving.
I have not had antibiotics in five months after almost monthly use.
No rectal pain, no bleeding, no symptoms of ulcerative colitis
Blood pressure normal
Blood sugars almost normal
Vision has improved, no more weepy eyes or eye infections
My feet used to be cold all the time, now warm most of the time.
Everyone comments on how healthy I look.
My Mayo MD said I had gone from a category 4 to a category 2 heart disease, and that was a month and a half ago.
My complexion looks really good
Bags under my eyes almost gone.
Hair loss seems to have stopped and hairdresser notices new hair growth.
My diet is becoming a way of life. I have not broken my commitment for even one meal since I began the journey.
There is a new rhythm to my life, although I recently had a bad day, my days now have a rhythm, and I am reconnecting with my spirituality.
I let go of unnecessary work commitments and have made time for pastimes I enjoy.
God Bless Dr, Myatt and Nurse Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adrianne’s husband (who thought maybe he might have “a few pounds to lose” but otherwise needed no help from Dr. Myatt came along for the ride – and look what happened! Ken will always be a “Big Guy” – he stands well over 6 feet tall – but now he’s a Big Slim Guy – getting back to his fightin’ fit military days weight!
Ken was a “Big Man” when we met.
Down from 315 to 270 – Lookin’ good…
Most recently – Wow!
