Avera Internal Medicine
Dr. Natalia Lazik
I established care with Dr. Natalia Lazik, a physician at Avera Internal Medicine, on 09/30/2012, for a myriad of widespread symptoms. She diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia in 04/19/2013 and referred me to Dr. Shawna Schmidt at Avera Pain Clinic for continued pain management. She clearly indicated in her notes that she was “very concerned about [my] widespread symptoms and their rapid progression”.
Dr. Lazik left shortly after my appointment on 03/12/2014. At that point, I established care with Dr. Olawunmi Lawal, also at Avera Internal Medicine until March 2017.
Avera Pain Clinic
Dr. Shawna Schmidt
Dr. Lazik referred me to see Dr. Shawna Schmidt at the Avera Pain Clinic in Aberdeen, SD. I remained under her care from 08/07/2013 to 03/20/2017 when I left the area.
Per, Kyrstin Reimann-Doris, PA, Lower Brule IHS does NOT do referrals to Pain Management.
I was approved for Medicaid in the 2023 Expansion and was able to demand a referral to re-establish care with Dr. Schmidt on September 18, 2023.
On October 18, 2023, we resumed my regimen of TEN trigger point injections every 8 to 12 weeks in addition to adding Low-Dose Naltexone (LDN) and phentermine to help with weight loss.
It prominently states in my treatment plan that I also have “significant mental health issues including mental and emotional instability” and indicates that I need to remain under the care of a psychiatrist and therapist “indefinitely”.
Dr. Sherry DeKeyser
Avera University Psychiatry
I established care with Dr. Sherry DeKeyser at Avera University Psychiatry on 05/24/2018. At which point, she recommended genetic testing. Like so many other healthcare providers in the state of South Dakota, she wasn’t there very long. I think I only met with her three times before she left.
Contrary to popular belief, I do not take joy in mentally destroying other human beings. In addition to my mental and emotional instability, I have a very nasty borderline personality disorder which is why I usually have my mom accompany me to my doctor appointments to serve as a buffer or run interference.
During my initial appointment, as Dr. DeKeyser continued to hammer at me regarding my current list of medications, my mom began to shrink further and further into her seat. As my mom is well aware, I do not take kindly to anyone talking down to me. After several attempts to communicate with her regarding my many chronic health conditions and mental health, she said, “I bet you don’t even know what all of these medications are for.” That was when I lost my ****!
She sat very quietly for the remainder of my appointment while I educated her, in great detail, about my medical conditions, mental health, and specifically what each prescription medication was for, especially those that are serotonin-based. I thanked her for her concern regarding serotonin syndrome and indicated that I had been on this combination of medications for literally years. So, if serotonin syndrome was an issue, I would already be dead.” NOTE: She recommended genetic testing at that point and decided to leave my medications alone. Our three subsequent appointments went off without a hitch. So much so that she recommended I write a book because millions of people around the world suffer like I do but lack my intelligence.
Dr. Karen Garnaas
Becky Emerson, PA-C
Avera Neurology
I established care with Dr. Karen Garnaas at Avera Neurology on 04/25/2018 for the very same “myriad of widespread symptoms and rate of progression” that concerned Dr. Natalia Lazik in Internal Medicine.
I was diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy with Autonomic Dysfunction on 06/29/2018.
The following tests were run to rule out other neurological conditions: 04/25/2018, normal MRI of my brain, with and without contrast, normal EEG, and battery of labs; 05/25/2018, normal EMG nerve conduction studies.
The following tests on 05/08/2018 confirmed diagnosis of Small Fiber Neuropathy and Autonomic Dysfunction: (Both tests are currently considered the “Gold” standard for diagnostic testing.)
Superficial skin biopsy of right calf and foot showed absent sweat glands in right calf and significantly reduced sweat gland nerve fiber density in right foot, which is consistent with a small fiber neuropathy.
Autonomic reflex battery signed off by Dr. Todd Zimprich on 05/23/2018 showed “electrophysiologic evidence of generalized postganglionic failure” with “sudomotor responses were absent throughout…a skin biopsy may be useful to further confirm these findings.” Essentially, the small nerve fibers that communicate between the ganglion at the end of large nerve fibers are not sending or receiving information on the cellular, organ, or system levels.
One year follow-up on 06/21/2019 indicated symptom progression consistent with Small Fiber Neuropathy and Autonomic Dysfunction diagnosis. No further recommendations from a neurology standpoint.
Dr. Gregory Mumm
Avera Rheumatology
I saw Dr. Gregory Mumm at Avera Rheumatology after my confirmed Small Fiber Neuropathy w/ Autonomic Dysfunction by Avera Neurology. It was after our discussion that I started trying to incorporate his holistic approaches to managing the pain. He played a key part in my journey of mindfulness, focused meditation while doing my adapted yoga, and spiritual awareness.
Dr. Mumm also suggested possibly starting me on Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) at 4.5 mg, which Dr. Shawna Schmidt started me on right away after re-establishing care.
I established care with Dr. Richard Clark at Sanford Health on 08/21/2019 after presenting to Avera St. Mary’s Hospital ER for chest pain and shortness of breath on June 10, 2019.
When making the initial referral, Kyrstin deliberately withheld pertinent medical records from October 2017 through June 2018 that show my symptoms, progression, and abnormal weight gain (65 lbs). Instead, she only listed symptoms of obesity, high blood pressure, and edema.
After presenting to the Avera St. Mary’s Hospital ER on 08/20/2024 and 08/22/2024 with excessive swelling and pooling of lymphatic fluid from my foot to my hip on the inside of my right leg and being told, “[they] didn’t have a phone a friend option,” I called to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cark.
Prior to my scheduled appointment, I sent Dr. Clark the following message along with my medical records from Lower Brule IHS from 10/01/2017 to 01/01/2019:
“Chronic acute lipedema and, subsequently, lymphedema misdiagnosed as obesity that progressed to morbid obesity due to Kyrstin Reimann-Doris, PA, and Lower Brule IHS' failure to provide adequate medical records for continued care. They also failed to provide these records to the Social Security Administration for Disability. As you can see in the medical records I've provided, Dr. Sherry Dekeyser, Avera University Psychiatry, recommended GENETIC TESTING in MAY 2018 because she thought my body wasn't metabolizing properly.
Even after Avera Neurology confirmed a diagnosis of Small Fiber Neuropathy with a skin biopsy and Autonomic Dysfunction with the autonomic reflex test which showed electrophysiologic evidence of generalized postganglionic failure with sudomotor responses absent throughout. Small nerve fibers beyond ganglion are extremely painful and unable to communicate with receiving cells or neurons.”
I saw Dr. Clark on 11/12/2024 to discuss my recurrent acute cellulitis ulcers from acute lipedema and lymphedema. I also suggested he review my medical history summary by Dr. Randall Fenner as it was by far the most thorough summary of my medical history going all the way back to onset of illness in February 2010. I’ll be honest, I have the utmost respect for Dr. Clark. With all the vital information, he told me right away that my medical conditions were so far beyond his scope. For additional info, you can click on the button above.
This is Dr. Janell Simpkins, an internal medicine doctor contracted through IHS. I only saw her four times: 12/09/2020, 01/04/2021, 04/13/2021, and 12/21/2021. On each of those occasions, Dr. Simpkins stressed that “I needed to see a pain management specialist and be in physical therapy.”
I am really angry right now. After just reviewing my records with Dr. Simpkins, she has HLD or hyperlipidemia first diagnosed in December 2020. My vascular system is trash because she did nothing to treat it 4 years ago!
Granted, it wasn’t all her fault. Kyrstin should have contacted Dr. Clark, my cardiologist, immediately with Dr. Simpkins’ suspicions, but she didn’t.
Dr. Nnamdi Uhegwu
Sanford Neurology
Kyrstin Reimann-Doris, PA, at Lower Brule IHS, attempted to schedule an appointment for me with Sanford Neurology, initially denying that I had been seen or diagnosed by a neurologist.
Upon discovery that I had, their office had Avera Neurology send over my medical records (including test results, diagnosis, and treatment). Dr. Nnamdi Uhegwu reviewed my records and DENIED the referral. He agreed with the assessment by Avera and indicated there was nothing more Sanford Neurology could do for me other than what Avera has already done.
Dr. Mark Hagy
AMG Orthopedics
I saw Dr. Hagy in August 2022 after I lost my balance and had a fall in my home injuring my left leg from my knee to my toes.
He specifically states, “I think she needs to see [Shawna] Schmidt [at] pain management in Aberdeen. I think the patient’s under managed but this is not an orthopedic surgical issue”.
He further reiterated, “I think she has a soft tissue injury with under managed pain management.”
I saw Dr. Todd Zimprich on 10/28/2022 while in the Appeal process for my third Social Security Disability Claim only after Sanford Neurology denied Kyrstin’s referral for the reasons listed above.
I don’t know how easy it was for Kyrstin Reimann-Doris to convince Mr. Zimprich into playing along with her narrative of me being a hypochondriac or having serotonin syndrome, but I do know that he is a despicable human being and should lose his license to practice medicine.
Perhaps he thought that I would be as easily railroaded as the other members of my tribe. It takes a special kind of stupid to call into question the validity of your own conclusions from the initial tests run in 2018! You can access those results by clicking on the button for Avera Neurology above.
Dr. Randall Fenner
Sanford Endocrinology
I only saw Dr. Fenner once on October 17, 2022. It was quite obvious from the moment he walked in the door that Kyrstin had shared her theory of hypochondria and serotonin syndrome. It didn’t take him long to figure out Kyrstin Reimann-Doris, PA, at Lower Brule IHS was full of shit. We spent one hour discussing the complexities of my medical condition He surmised that excessive weight gain was due to prolonged debilitation and mobility issues.
Dr. Antonios Wehbeh
Sanford Gastroenterology
I started seeing Dr. Antonios Wehbeh at Sanford Gastroenterology in Sioux Falls, SD, on October 17, 2022. It took me 4 years to get a referral to see a gastroenterologist. Because of the gross medical negligence and malpractice resulting in serious bodily injury or harm committed by Kyrstin Reimann-Doris, PA, and Lower Brule IHS, I will have to live with the consequences of those actions for the rest of my life.