“ ” I may have been treating the wrong disease for over a decade. In 1996, Lisa was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel disease that can be difficult to diagnose, because it has many of the same symptoms as other intestinal disorders. Despite her treatment, Lisa’s symptoms remained volatile and she struggled with the disease for the next five years. In 2000 when she became pregnant, Lisa’s symptoms seemed to vanish. For eight years the disease went into remission, leaving Lisa feeling healthier than ever. When the symptoms returned in 2008, Lisa and her doctor explored new treatment options. When both intravenous and subcutaneous steroid treatments failed, Lisa worried that colorectal surgery might be her only option. A busy working mom with a network of friends and family members who received excellent care at Cleveland Clinic, Lisa turned to the MyConsult program for an online second opinion.

The Expert Second Opinion Lisa was shocked when she received the second opinion report. After reviewing 14 years of medical records, the Cleveland Clinic specialist didn’t think Crohn’s was the cause of Lisa’s symptoms— he believed she was suffering from indeterminate ulcerative colitis. He recommended that Lisa visit a former colleague and gastroenterologist in Lisa’s hometown, who decided to try a different medication therapy, which required her to take only four pills per day.

The Results Because of this slight change, Lisa saw an immediate improvement in her health. Over a year later, Lisa felt great and had returned to her active lifestyle. “Cleveland Clinic really does deliver on the promise of providing world class care, even to patients who are hundreds of miles away. I would want nothing less for myself and my loved ones.”