I am incredibly unhappy with the service I have received at Persona Doctors in Alexandria. Stephanie, the office manager, was the one exception to that rule, but it appears that she may be away (I hope not permanently, as her back up will not reply to me). She is the reason for two stars instead of one.
I started with persona because I'd had some yo-yo weight issues. Persona offered a ton of options (not cheap ones, I will add) but I felt like there were so many things to try, something had to work! And I bought in for the 6 month, most expensive, thorough package.
After my wonderful initial appointment/intake with Stephanie, I set up my doctors appts and Stephanie sent me home with my diet plan (I'm vegan, and it was supposed to be a low carb, 1200 calorie plan--it was nothing resembling 1200 calories, but no big deal).
I met my doctor in person in Alexandria the first time soon after, where he weighed me and had a 10 minute conversation with me. I told him low carb/low calorie didn't work for me-- I would lose the first week and gain it all back. He said, "Let's try it anyways-- low carb, low cal (1200), and I'll send you prescriptions for an appetite suppressant, metformin, and fiber pills. See you in a week."
I'd been to weight loss doctors before and had the same starting protocol, so I gave my one shot at an argument, but hoped the next week he might hear me out. Long story short-- he did NOT hear me out, and over the next 6-7 months he only increased the appetite suppressant (as needed) and metformin.
We moved to virtual appointments due to COVID, and there were months in a row when he didn't call at the correct time, so I'd be busy working (in my own meetings) when he called me. He would leave directions for the next week without talking to me, tell me my next appointment time, and say he would send me my meds all on my voicemail. When I tried to call him back during our normal appointment time he was busy. This happened during the majority of our appointments.
I told Stephanie what was happening and she was very nice and asked if I would like to try the other doctor. I took her up on it, and it's been just a few sessions, but I've had the same issues with him calling at the wrong time, etc., but I'm also pretty jaded.
So, here I am, ~7 months later, $2-3K poorer, same weight that I started at, with the same medications I started with on week one, just at slightly higher doses (which I told them wouldn't work for me). I'm also low carb, low cal vegan (1200 cals). And as I predicted, I lost weight the first week and that was the only week-- and I did gain that weight back in week 2, as I predicted.
I'm trying to cancel my contract (now that I've fulfilled my duty of paying for six months) but there is a new Stephanie in town, and I have to give 60 days notice, so I have a feeling this is not going to end well since I emailed last week and haven't gotten a response.
This was seriously huge disappointment. Don't let this happen to you. I work at a large corporate firm who would love to have access to have a trusted, recommended place like this to go to, but unfortunately, this isn't it. read more
