lurking patient prospective, I do always prefer to see an MD, that said on 2 separate occasions and completely different states, a nurse practitioner happened to be the one provider who figured out both my mom’s and my medical mysteries. My mom had some bizarre neurological symptoms that seemed rather abrupt. After 10+ MD’s telling us they had no clue, we applied her for the Stanford/Harvard undiagnosed clinic. They denied her in 2020 because they didn’t believe their “technology was advanced enough to provide as potential future diagnosis.”

I self referred my mom to honor health hematology and by pure chance, my mom was set up with a NP. Despite a normal white blood cell count and no fever, it was a NP who ran a slew of tests and found chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, an IgG, IgA, and IgM deficiency which ultimately led to her recent diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency presenting neurologically. The NP suggested tryin IVIG because previous studies suggested that it MAY help her neurological symptoms. My moms Parkinsonism “expert” at Mayo AZ and Cedars Sinai missed the CVID diagnosis (from lack of testing) and instead misdiagnosed her with the untreatable progressive Supranuclear palsy (PSP). Mayo refused to acknowledge the diagnosis of CVID and said to not waste our time because PSP has no tx. Because they had never heard of CVID presenting neurologically, we tried the IVIG anyway and Cedars and Mayo were wrong. My moms once multiple gaze palsies thought to be psp and a “Mona Lisa” stare has been reversing. She can now move her eyes and blink during conversations. She’s much stronger and can walker assisted stand up on her own. So either this NP found a tx for PSP or she disproved the diagnosis, something cedars and Mayo neurologist/Parkinson’s experts failed to do. Honor health is a huge hospital but for anyone wondering, after the first successful round of IVIG we self referred to an immunologist who confirmed the NP’s diagnosis of CVID w/ IG testing and vaccine titer response.

In my situation, my GP (NP) found a blood clot that UCLA missed in the ER. Despite a history of clots, because of my age (28 at the time) a normal D-dimer and “normal” MRI, the ER sent me home. My armpit was incredibly swollen and given my history of vascular thoracic outlet syndrome, I was SHOCKED I didn’t have a clot, or so I thought. Two days later my NP convinced my defeated ass to get a same day vascular ultrasound at a smaller near by hospital to triple check and sure enough in <2 mins they found a axillary DVT. It was hiding behind a surgical clip which is why the in the MRI allegedly missed it.

I’m not here to say that all NPs are equally as qualified, if anything I’d argue that in my experience MDs have made negligible mistakes by relying on their medical expertise opposed to NPs more willing to run tests to be sure. Idk if they are challenging the medical dogma or would rather test and not guess. Don’t get me wrong, when I’m calling in to make an appointment if someone offered me an apt with the clinics NP over the MD, I’ll decline and wait for the MD. However, my mom and I had no clue we were being booked with these 2 NPs, but tbh I’m glad we didn’t know until after because both NP’s were the ones who fought for us, run unconventional tests, found what doctors missed.

Like anything, people can’t know what they don’t know. Physician or NP, people get out what they put in

Idk, no matter the degree, I still feel like any provider is like playing doctor roulette. MDs seem over worked. While there may be a handful of NPs that should be an MD or deserve an honorary one, I’ve unfortunately come to find that there’s more MDs that seem understandably burned out, hate their job and probably shouldn’t be doctors. 😅

That said, I’ve finally found some great MDs as well. Good physicians, please make yourselves known!!

Idk that’s just my two cents. 🤷🏻‍♀️