Dr. Irene Helen Mannering, MD

I have been dealing with hidradenitis suppritiva of the groin for 10 years. I had the most painful flare of my life and had to go to the ER for treatment. I followed up with Dr. Mannering because I couldn't get into my doctor. Dr. Mannering has a cold demeanor and demonstrated that she had no empathy for me as a patient. She dismissed my condition as minor and said she would never be prescribing me my long-term antibiotics, which are in guidelines for HS as an appropriate long term treatment. She brought this up in a matter-the-fact way, with no plan to wean antibiotics while trying other options. This caused me extreme anxiety as this is a painful condition and I was crying in my appointment. I said that I had certain goals as the patient, as there are risks & benefits of long term treatments and I should be able to consider what risks I want to take for my body. She did not agree with this, which shows that she is lacking understanding of patient-centered care.

I went into the Sparks office for routine complete skin examination. During that first visit I had several pre-cancerous items treated with nitrogen and four biopsies taken. All four biopsies came back positive. Two weeks after the first visit I was back for removal of a melanoma on my back. My experience: completely satisfied, not only with her but her medical assistants. Went out of her way to see if I had questions and when I did I received detailed answers.

I was the last patient on a weekday after I had to drive over an hour to get to her office in Sparks after waiting weeks for an appointment (this was 3 months after SCD Reno said they didn't take my insurance when they did and illegally turned me away for months). 5 mins in and a quick look at my skin, she told me it appeared I was inflicting myself and suggested a biopsy would 'probably not amount to anything' before I could explain I've been in and out of the hospital for the last 10 years for autoimmune attacks relating to my lymphnodes, recently almost dying of staph and pneumonia on multiple separate occasions. No medications or alternative advice was given either. She seemed to be in a rush to leave. I ended up in tears and walked away with even less trust for so called 'medical professionals'. What happened to real healers?