This is my full update review (I have removed my prior). TL;DR at bottom…read more
I saw Doctor Chimes around one year ago for intense hip and back pain.
Right away, it was clear he cares more about his personal time than his patients. He told me he wanted yes or no answers and not explanations to his questions (and wouldn't really let me explain things in full even when it would clarify things).
After my MRI, which showed multiple spinal issues (bulging, herniated, parse defect, which is a fracture) and bursitis in the hip, he gave me a shot for the bursitis that had already begun healing on its own. During this time, I continually try to tell him the pain is not in the location of the bursitis anymore. He continually ignores or even speaks over me.
At the end, I am again trying to tell him I feel pain elsewhere in my hip even though there is a little reduction after the shot (but I was numbed, so of course it would hurt less). To test my pain, he had me stand up from my chair...once. Worse, when we were done and I was alone in the room, when I tried to get up to put my pants on, the pain was so intense I collapsed. This pain happened again when I got home and tried to take one step up the stairs.
During our last appointment, instead of listening to me, he tells me "Your pain doesn't match the MRI", and that tells me I'm about to be dismissed, but then it got worse. He continues with, "In his professional opinion, you just need internal pelvic floor PT". Why? Because I'm a woman...and he asked me 2 or 3 YES or NO questions around sex and did not let me explain the answers...
I told him I didn't think so, but he disagreed. Well, after speaking with a Pelvic Floor specialist, she disagreed with his assessment. So, instead of doing that, I went to Evergreen Sports and Spine and met with a new doctor who actually took my pain seriously.
With his help and a new PT, another MRI of my hip WITH contrast (he was surprised that Dr. Chimes didn't order contrast as it's needed for specific tears in the hip), we found that I had a CAM Morphology, that should have been showing up on my other X-rays and MRIs, but apparently weren't spotted and/or reported...and that I had a tear in the Labrum of my right hip. Later, they also found I had a small pincer as well. So, a double impingement.
I had to have surgery because the surgeon I spoke with next agreed that the tear was too large to not do surgery if I wanted to not be in pain. No arguing. No trying to talk me out of it. They immediately agreed it was the best course of action.
I had surgery April 2nd of 2024 to remove my CAM and the Pincer they found, and then repair the labrum. While I'm still in recovery, my pain is down 80% of the time outside of flareups when I over exercise during my strength training.
I would never send a woman to him, as she will be dismissed.
I was in so much pain that I was crying after collapsing at the office during my last visit. The only reason I am giving this location a 2-star is because the women at the front were incredibly nice. This review is leaving out a lot of other smaller issues I had during my short time there.
Maybe if you're a man, it'll be worth it, but if you're a woman, go elsewhere.
I cannot, in good faith, recommend this office or Dr. Chimes.
TL;DR,
Dr. Chimes ignored what I said and then gave a sexist course of action due to my gender. New doctor 2 months later discovered the issue and that I needed hip surgery to remove two bone defects and a tear in my labrum. I have now had surgery and am doing well in recovery with a large reduction in pain.
