Dr. Raphael Stricker and his team saved my life! Nurse Melissa is an incredible option for those who need a break on the cost. She is an excellent alternative to seeing the doctor directly. They use IGenex testing, which is the gold standard for Lyme testing. I came up negative five times in ten years on the Kaiser Lyme tests (the Western Blot and the ILISA). Don't trust your health with anything less than a Lyme literate doctor. read more

Dr. Stricker and Melissa Fesler, DNP are top notch clinicians in my book. I'm amazed by their knowledge of the medical literature on Lyme and Morgellons and I'm even more impressed by their contributions to the medical literature! Yes, when they aren't seeing patients, they are focused on research and building on a body of medical literature that has given patients with Chronic Lyme disease and Morgellons a leg to stand on. They are firmly grounded in evidence based medicine and provide the best care available for Chronic Lyme and Morgellons. The office staff is friendly and approachable. Each time I've had questions and email staff they get back to me in a timely manner and thoroughly answer every question. Shout out to Khanhly for being so helpful always with all of my needs. As a Lyme/Morgellons patient myself, Dr. Stricker and Melissa have been so amazing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. I recommend them frequently to others because having Lyme, Morgellons and co infections has been a difficult road and Im beyond grateful for top notch clinicians who care just as much and more about Morgellons and Lyme research than I do. Thank you Ray and Melissa! read more

I owe my life to this man. I went undiagnosed with 4 tick borne disease for an entire year. I was bit by a tick in the Cupertino Hills when I was 18 years old. My condition was almost irreparable and I was completely disabled. After going to Igenex to be properly diagnosed, and receiving two years of antibiotics and antimalarial drugs I was healed. I am now graduating with a degree in microbiology and studying to become a Lyme Disease Specialist. I am hoping to make a difference in the treatment protocol for long term chronic infectious diseases. read more

Dr Stricker not only saved my life - if it weren't for him giving me a proper diagnosis my entire family would still be searching for answers for their medical conditions. Alzheimer's, MS, schizophrenia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression/anxiety, heart, lung, gut issues etc etc. You would think insurance companies would WANT to diagnose people's underlying conditions so they would save $?? Besides of course doing what the right thing is for their patients. Until the medical system catches up to what's really going on in the world I'm so grateful for Dr Stricker and Melissa. Lyme is found in EVERY state. It's not only ticks that transmit Lyme. And it's not usually "just" Lyme. There are usually other infections too. Thank you Dr Stricker for being a strong practitioner who is willing to do right by his patients. read more

My Daughter sees Mellisa the PA there. After years of being sick we finally found the cause Lyme co -infections. With the help of this office she is slowly getting better. We are no longer in and out of hospital she is still not 100% better but we have hope. read more

Note: original review removed (apparently Stricker is good at getting his neg reviews removed from this site) Stricker charges a hefty amount of money for his services. $750-$800 / hour with 3 days cancellation notice or you are charged the full amount. There are plenty of lyme doctors around that charge a fraction of this. His receptionist is incredibly rude and the overall customer service here is extremely poor. *you* can't be late for an appointment, but Stricker can sure as hell leave you in a waiting room for over an hour without any reimbursement for *your time.* When I was in the emergency room Stricker didn't get back to me for days. He kept me waiting over an hour sometimes when I came to an appointment and generally gave me the clear feeling that I am "just a number." There are other LLMDs in the area that don't do this (at least not with emergency situations) and will give you overall better care for half the cost or less. This is a poorly run practice designed to milk sick patients for their money. I recommend going elsewhere. read more

He doesn't understand that long term antibiotic treatment puts patients at risk for C diff. All it takes to see if the terrible diarrhea is C Diff s simple lab test, it's an easier test than testing for Lyme. It took a year to cure C Diff as Dr Stricker wouldn't listen to me an order lab test. My primary care doctor ordered test. Lots of expensive medications to cure C diff. read more

After seeing over 12 doctors for my condition, I finally feel confident that I am with the right physician. He is extremely knowledgable and forthright without being abrupt or rude. I had sent him my prior labs and other health information and he actually looked at them. I have heard everything from "oh, that doesn't count" to "well, you see that this counteracts that so no big deal". Dr. Stricker conversely took each bit of information, asked questions and sent me to the lab for additional testing. I appreciate his sense of humor as much as his professionalism. The office staff is very friendly and helpful as well. I won't go anywhere else from now on. read more

Melissa McElroy helped me immensely. Expensive but worth it. She probably saved my life.

Dr. Stricker saved my life. I am now 100% free of Lyme disease after suffering for 3 years before diagnosis. I couldn't walk, think, or function really by the time I was diagnosed, and I have now completed 6 triathlons including a 1/2 Ironman. It took me 3+ years to recovery. This takes time. Yes, he's hard to get a hold of, he is in high demand. Yes, he is expensive. He is the best at what he does and you get what you pay for. He is worth every single penny. He also spends time with his patients, so yeah, you may have to wait!! if he accepted insurance he would be dictated about how much time he could spend and what types of treatments he could use. This is the downside of having Lyme. These folks on here complaining about his manners (I think he is one of the sweetest men I have ever met!), or that they have to wait for him is ridiculous. You clearly are not that sick if that is your biggest issue. If you ARE that sick, I am sorry but you have to be patient. Too many people suffering Lyme and not enough doctors. He is one man. If you can't get in then educate yourself and your doctors about Lyme. Thank you Dr. Stricker!!! read more

Dr. Stricker helped me tremendously this year while I battled my Lyme disease. As most people know that have this complex disease, it is very hard to diagnose. I was looking online for the best doctors and his name kept coming up. He was also recommended by my chiropractor. He's very matter of fact but I needed someone that could tell me the truth and not sugar coat anything . I went on antibiotics for about 7 months, with the help of some supplements and probiotics, I cured my Lyme. The last 2 Ignex tests have been negative and I am beyond relieved and can get my life back again. Thank you so much Dr. Stricker, you saved my life. read more

Best!!!!! Hands down. H Dr. Stricker can help you if you should ever have Lyme disease. -I mean he REALLY can help you ! read more

1 photo Share review Embed review Write an update Edit review 1.0 star rating 6/7/2018 This man, in my opinion is a very poor MD. He was the second MD to see me in 1998 when I was bit by a Lyme tick. He did very little... except ask me if he could take a picture of my bulls-eye for his own sake. He gave me 2 weeks of Doxy and that was it. I think he was just starting out in the field. You can find that online. Later, I saw him in 2014. He treated me for two months, did tell me (only when I asked) that Lyme only goes dormant. No other caveats, no other how to deal with this disease advice. A very short, expensive appointment. I decided it was not worth the $, and stopped seeing him. Probably a mistake on my part as MAYBE if I had taken the meds longer it would have gone into remission. He doubled his fees since I saw him. Recently, I was concerned about their office reporting my case to the CDC. I wanted to help everyone become aware of how bad this epidemic is. ( CDC has denied that long term Lyme exists, California numbers are very low). I received no response from office manager as of 5/2018. They obviously were too disorganized to return my call. Staff turn-over? Took three short courses of doxy. Because this is an updated review I will ad, after reading the office manager's comment, that I didn't receive a patient package in 2014 or detailed guidance from this man ( Babesia does this, Bartonella does that, etc. ). Why wasn't I told about the symptoms of the sub-diseases by this guy? I paid him good money. I will stress this... I learned more about this disease from the book Healing Lyme by Buhner, and his other co-infection books than anything Stricker told me. I will give him this - he DID send me to IGENIX to get tested. I have found an MD who actually does take insurance, and yes, you can find someone much better. read more

Dr Stricker is a no BS doctor. I'm so grateful for his skill, it takes strength and intelligence to specialize in this awful disease. Why couldn't ANY of my doctors in the past do what's right which was search for the reason behind the conditions I've suffered with for so long. People have committed suicide over the living hell of a life this causes, now that I'm feeling so much better I see how truly sick I was. read more

Anyone considering going to Stricker might want to read the Forbes.com article "Lyme Inc." by David Whelan (Mar. 12, 2007) which reports Stricker was dismissed from UC San Francisco in 1990 for falsifying data in AIDS research and that Igenex, the lab Stricker uses, was fined $48,000 for being noncompliant. Further details of his dismissal are documented in the "Final Findings of Misconduct", National Institutes of Health Guide, Vol. 22, No. 23, June 25, 1993. Had I gotten this information in time, I would never have gone to see him and thus spared myself considerable grief and money. In the course of my initial visit, when he seemed to be questioning the validity of a positive result of a Western Blot test, my friend (there for support) asked him for clarification. Stricker said I didn't have lyme...yet he continued to talk as if he were dealing with a lyme patient. A few minutes later, my friend again interrupted him and asked him "Were you being sarcastic?" to which he answered (with a half smile) "yes." Though thoroughly shaken by his unbelievably flippant attitude towards a vulnerable patient, I persisted through the appointment, thinking I had already spent $650 just to secure it. At the end of the visit I asked him how much the blood tests he ordered would cost me. He could have told me to call the three labs (not just one, as I had thought) and told me which labs would be doing which tests, so that I could call them one by one and get a detailed invoice, even if that would've taken a considerable amount of my time. Or, he could just have just said that he didn't know. He said neither of these things. Instead he said, "about $700". Yet when the credit card bills for the blood work came through, they totaled almost $1500, and it was going to cost me another $350 just to have a 30-minute visit with the doctor to get the results. This is from a doctor who orders these tests all the time. Needless to say, I never back to him. I have no idea whether Stricker is competent to treat lyme of not. What I do know is that he is unethical, unprofessional, and mercenary and I am now hoping for better luck in someone else's care. read more

I have called multiple times and gotten voice-mail every time. I have left multiple messages and have received NO call back. I'm sick. I need a Lyme literate doctor and his office has completely blown me off. How hard is it to call a person back to make an appointment or to just say you're not taking new patients? Heck, how about putting that on your outgoing message so people who are desperate for help know to keep on looking? read more

Dr. Stricker is very nice and I have been going to him for years. He is always thorough in treatments and I have never had a problem with him. I also see many, many happy patients in his office from all over the country (and sometimes from outside of the country). I recommend him if you have Lyme, you won't be sorry. I dinged one star because sometimes it is difficult to get a hold of them and because you need to submit your claim to your insurance, paying for the visit up-front. I don't really know if he does this because insurance companies are complete pains-in-the-butt and he has had issues with them in the past for rejecting Lyme submissions, or if he would just rather not deal with them. I suspect the former but I have never asked. read more

After visits to a couple dozen doctors, it was Dr Stricker who figured out what was wrong -- he is an independent thinker who listens to what you say and doesn't pigeonhole you. He is kindly and friendly, and his staff is very supportive and helpful. The first appointment was for an hour (!) and follow ups are a half hour each. When's the last time you got that much attention from a doctor? Thank you, Dr Stricker, and your staff. read more

If you have a Lyme diagnosis or wondering if you have Lyme and confections then Dr. Stricker is the best. I feel very fortunate to have him here in SF and have made vast improvements under his care. I will say that anyone with this diagnosis must take control of their diet and overall health. You can't just coast through this. Stricker has been able to put me on the minimal medication I need to beat this and I've done the rest. read more

I saw this great doctor for many years before I moved out of state and couldn't get back to him. He's the best. He actually 'listens' to you. And he knows how to treat Lyme, not just for those paltry 1-2 months that ID doctors will treat Lyme patients with. I would recommend anyone to go to him, and I do. And someone mentioned David in the office. Yay! I agree. read more

Dr. Striker has given me my life back and he is my personal hero. I had become a "hypochondriac" to my PCP at Kaiser... It almost cost me my life, I could hardly walk, think or talk by the time I was diagnosed by the Doc. Paralysis was on the horizon. I am an athlete and this was an extremely hard pill to swallow, but I could no longer "walk off my symptoms" which I had done for many, many years . Dr. Striker looked at my face. Lyme eyelids, Bell's Palsy and immediately asked about my bladder which was previously diagnosed as IC. He even knew why my ribs, ear and neck hurt something that injury (none) couldn't explain. He tested and prescribed an aggressive round of antibiotics and weeks later, I have my gait back in my step and I am planning a very intense backpacking trip in July to hike 8000 vertical feet in 6 miles with a 40 pound backpack. I know if I work with him, I will beat the gang to the top. I would have retired my hiking boots if it wasn't for this Teddy Bear Doctor. BTW- Would like to shout out a special thanks to David,. He is the guy that seamlessly keeps the office going. I look forward to seeing his smiling face when I walk in and he always is genuinely concerned about my health and well being and calls me by my first name. If I hadn't found this office, I would be in anger management therapy for the the way other doctors have treated me over the years not only by misdiagnosis but by making me feel more depressed, lazy and labeling me has a hypochondriac. My test was positive, but he already knew it would be. LOVE YOU GUYS and you have impacted me, my employer, my family and friends but giving me my life back and making me a productive healthy human being... Thanks! read more

I was at my very very very wits end. Jumping through hoops just to get my hopes up- that anybody in the medical profession; never mind my close family and friends; would understand what was saying is happening to me. Numerous wrong paths and avenues, spending money i don't have, to be told the most ridiculous diagnosis... I am so thankful that somehow I was able to get it together to go to be seen by Dr. Stricker's practice. If I wanted to see him, I would have to wait over a month, and/or be put on a waiting list of cancellations. OR i could see Dr. Melissa McElroy two days from when I first called. I wanted "the Lyme Docter" to tell me what direction to go, or even to tell me what i know to be true is not reality. I was ready and open for anything, I just wanted somebody I felt truly listened and understood what i was saying to validate me or shut me down. I was really ready for battle on any front. I refuse to let something i don't understand beat me...but so broken by trusting medical proffesionals to hear me out at least, that i was very reserved about trusting the doctor under him to see me...same amount of money for initial visit...which actually made me trust the "two days later" appointment more. I felt if there were things that Dr.Melissa didn't know the answer to, or was unsure about, she would probably ask Dr. Stricker. I have done my homework on my illness and my health. I felt like i was prepared for anything and was damn sure not going to waste $700 that a very generous and understanding friend loaned me because I was crawling out of my skin, (mind included.) So since time is of the essence, I decided that Dr.Melissa would do. I went to my appointment with a very skeptical family member, I figured- what the heck, the truth may hurt-whoever gets hurt- but its truth... I was SO very impressed with my meet and greet appointment. Dr. Melissa McElroy was very kind, understanding, and very much knew how to handle my skeptical family member...as far as very much engaging me and putting me first; answering my questions, and focusing on me. While at the same time, engaging my family member, and explaining things briefly and bluntly so as not to put them off, but also to get back to whats important and whats at hand. Although I do not have the money right now for my follow-up visit; (which I am very active on accomplishing), everything has changed since I visited Dr. Stricker's practice. I am able to get some sort of leeway with my Medical doctors and they actually LISTEN to me because they see I am coming from SOMEWHERE. not lost in space, nowhere with nowhere questions cuz they don't know the answers anyway. I have chosen to put four stars on my rating instead of five. That is because I do not just fall in love, or like for that matter, easily. I put four stars because I am willing to believe, like my dad says, that I am just being duped again...just for the slight chance that Dr. Stricker has dedicated his entire life to being the magical medicine man in a covered wagon selling water as wine....but I have faith that is not the case. I put four stars just so i can remind myself, that if i am let down again by the System, the medical world, Dr. Stricker; not to get so upset. Pick myself up, dust myself off, and lose all faith in the world again. BUT i really believe that I have some true allies and helpers that want to help me, and do what they can to help. They are doctors for god sakes. There ARE still people that really grew up to embody what they wanted to be as little kids..however they got there. I put four stars to let anyone know reading this review; that i will continue this review as I continue my battle and my healing. That I never felt comfort and console like that (except for one emergency room doctor in vermont), and whether it seems false or money hungry to anyone; it is priceless, for me, to be able to have a direction and confidence in what I found..to have people at your side, to help guide me how to get the help and medication I need. I am truly grateful for coming here, and I will for sure be honest to the point of recklessness. ... Until later... Kali read more

These physicians are literal life savers. If you have Lyme and have been left untreated by your medical providers, then this is your next step. Don't blink, just book an apt and go. Dr. Stricker and Melissa Fessler NP are experts with compassion. read more

Although I am still at the beginning stages of treatment for Chronic Lyme, so far I have nothing but positive things to say about Dr. Stricker and the staff at his office. I want to note that other reviews have been off base in what Dr. Stricker charges, or how his office staff behaves. Dr Stricker only charges $750 for the first appointment, and it is $400 for subsequent appointments. His office does have another doctor on staff as well whose rates are much more affordable. Additionally, if you have to wait for an appointment, it is likely because he is caring for another patient. He cares for many people who have significant illness and emergency situations and he is a specialist, so he should not be expected to be available anytime to meet your needs, that is what primary care doctors are for. I have heard stories of other Lyme 'specialists' who really are taking advantage of their patients, but Dr. Stricker works from facts and scientific evidence as well as probabilities of what could work best for each individual patient- typically with access to only a limited history. On my first visit to his office, I was feeling very nervous. I had recently received a positive ELISA and Western Blot test from my primary care doctor that my doctors had advised was likely a false positive due to my diagnosed autoimmune disorders, however, because of all of the symptoms I was experiencing, I was determined to be seen by a Lyme literate MD and from my research I thought that Dr. Stricker was my best bet for recovery. I chose Dr. Stricker because I felt that he has a stellar reputation, vast knowledge (and published journals) on Lyme and coinfections and experience in hematology. I am on a medication for a blood disorder that I will be on for the rest of my life, and I wanted to make sure that I was under the care of someone who was familiar with this, and how other medications might interact. Upon meeting Dr. Stricker, I instantly knew he was a great personality fit for me and my fiance. He is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and he has a sense of humor. During my first meeting with him, I gained additional respect for him because he DID NOT just listen to me and say, yes it is Lyme, instead he advised that my other conditions could be causing the symptoms I was experiencing as well. As I explained that my other doctors have been nothing short of befuddled, and continued to explain my symptoms, he suggested a battery of tests to rule out or in several illnesses and suggested that he could start me on a treatment regimen for H Pylori, or we could wait to get the test results back. I opted to start treatment immediately, and adjust as needed when we received results in 1 months time. Let me just say that it has been so many years that I have been suffering with this, and Dr. Stricker completely nailed what the problem was (or might be). Turns out I have Lyme, Ehrlichiosis and H Pylori. The staff at Union Square Medical Associates have been nothing but professional, friendly and helpful. Even when I contacted them under a tight deadline to get disability paperwork completed, and even though Dr Stricker was about to go on vacation, they were able to complete the paperwork before the deadline and send it all out for me via fax. I have called the office multiple times for questions or help getting medications, etc. Even though you usually have to wait on hold for a time, they are always helpful in any way they can be, and quick at solving problems or getting new medication requests/refills. I usually deal with Jenny and she has been wonderful!! I can't believe that anyone would complain about how they are treated in this office. I have been to many medical practices in my lifetime and this one has provided me the BEST experience I have ever had with medical professionals. I am really excited and hopeful to continue treatment with Dr. Stricker. read more

If I could leave no stars, I would. I am leaving this review based on Dr. Stricker's front office staff that I spoke with, not based on him, since I cancelled the appointment prior to meeting with him. Btw, when I called to cancel the appointment, they couldn't even find it, or me in the system, so another red flag. With the appointments being so expensive my insurance offered a process to help cover the cost thru a special out of network/no insurance taken approval, and the office manager was unwilling to answer 3 questions my insurance requested in order to have the costs covered at 100%. That seemed incredibly unreasonable. Besides all of this, both the receptionist and the office manager were beyond rude. I was referred to this doctor from a friend who had been diagnosed with Lyme and had heard good things about him, but I will be researching other options. I'd rather fly back East then waste my time and spend any money encouraging this offices extremely poor customer service skills. Actually, forget customer service..... they could just show some kindness and compassion. Please don't waste what little energy you have dealing with this group if you're trying to figure out if you have Lyme, it's just not worth it. read more

Best doctor, ever. Dr. Stricker knows his stuff. If you can get an appointment (he has an infinite waiting list) you are golden. His office staff is fantastic, they all work very hard. Hats off to Dr. Stricker!! read more

I was a patient for 5 years and he doesn't understand the Lyme -Biofilm connection nor does he understand the parasite connect as it relates. And the front office is very disorganized and makes too many mistakes. One of which was emailing the entire patient list to all ther patients, violating HIPPA because it revealed our identities to each other. I hide my illness from my employers and friends to protect my ability to get hired. read more

I traveled from British Columbia, Canada to San Francisco, California. From the moment I entered Dr. Stricker's office I was greeted and treated with nothing but respect! It was my pleasure to be in the Dr's capable hands. He was kind, understanding and very helpful. He gave me the feeling that he truly cared about my dillema and left me feeling that all hope was not lost. He is truly an amazing doctor and I believe it's special people like Dr. Stricker that truly make a difference in this world giving people such as myself our lives back. Thank you Dr. Stricker!! read more

I saw Dr. Stricker over 10 years ago for Lyme. It was a horrible experience I regret. He knows conventional Lyme medicine fairly well but I never felt like he had my interest at heart. His staff didn't return my phone calls for unfilled prescriptions, didn't respond when I had life threatening herxes and the worst I will never get over. He ordered a SPECT scan of my brain. I found out later it was for his own research. I unnecessarily exposed my brain to a lot of radiation when my clinical symptoms and lab tests indicated severe neurological Lyme infection were as clear as day. I did not know about the high dose of radiation until after. Given than my cognition was severely impaired, I should have had the risks thoroughly explained to me. It did not change my case with my insurance and it cost me $2000 after insurance, which I did not expect. All for his research. I still worry about the effects of that unnecessary radiation, in addition to the massive inflammation that plagued my brain for years. He also required physician fidelity. That is, he won't let you see other doctors otherwise he cuts you off. At the time he charged $650 for an initial appointment and $350 and up for follow up appointments. But for that, I got a brief appointment, unlike other Lyme doctors that will give you a full hour for that amount of money. Sorry but he is so not patient centered. The responses to my review below show no remorse. I have seen many excellent LLMDs since I've moved around a lot. They were all substantially better than Dr. Stricker, except for the doctors that pretend to be LLMD and just do it on the side for the money. read more

In 2008 I was bitten on the back of my neck at Lake Berryessa while training for my 3rd Triathlon with Team in Training (which raises funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). Without going into great detail, I can tell you thru some unfortunate circumstances the tick stayed on me for over 48 hours, and I went to Kaiser to have it removed. KAISER did NOT give me anything after taking the tick out. I took the tick home and had the County of Napa test. They said it definitely was a Lyme carrying tick (Xiodes Pacificus) (sp?) but there was not enough fluid on it to know if it had Lyme. Although Kaiser said the Lyme test was negative, my friend took a photo of the bullseye rash on my neck. I was so sick I did not think I would live. Through the LLS word got out that I had been bitten by a tick and very sick. Do not rely on Kaiser to help. I got 3 weeks of antibiotics from my Dr at about 6 weeks in, and although it helped I stiil never felt well. I found my way to Dr Stricker about 5 months after the bite. I not only had Lyme but a nasty case of Babesiosis. Although out of work for 8 months, I got back to work thanks to Dr Stricker. After several years on Antibiotics, I did my own experiment (dumb) weaning myself off of my drugs and taking a turn for the worse. It seemed to hit me neurologically this time . I am back on track after being diagnosed with another co-infection (Rickettsia) but it is a slow process. I am a HUGE supporter of Dr. Stricker. He saved my life. I am not doing Triathlons yet, and I still have a bit of a recovery process ahead of me, but I am grateful that people who have experienced Lyme and are card carrying Kaiser members contacted me and said "Do not rely on Kaiser for help". The thing is with Lyme is that small window of time. The longer it takes to get it diagnosed, the sicker you become. Thank God for Dr. Stricker. He is an amazing Diagnostician and not afraid to take on the cynics. Trust me....if the cynics get bitten by a tick and become ill they will be calling him too. Also....he has the best clock in his office!! read more

Contracted lyme disease, went to a GP and was put on antibiotics for 2 weeks and was told I was cured, even though I still had symptoms. 7 months later I found Dr. Stricker through a lyme help group and he literally saved my life. After being tested at a lyme savy lab, Dr. Stricker started treatments, and within a week, I felt sooooo much better. After 4 months, I was really cured. Think of him every Thanksgiving since. He is very understanding, listens, and cares!! read more

Dr. Stricker not only gave me back my life, he gave back my daughter's as well. He is a highly intuitive diagnostician!

My husband and I both see Melissa, Dr. Stricker's PA, and are very happy with her. She knows how to treat Lyme all the way to health. She gets it, she listens, and she has done this before. She is very methodical. You will get reliable (IGenix) tests for everything, all co-infections, other pathogens, as well as food sensitivities, have metals, etc. Then you get a tailored treatment protocol for your specific disease profile. You follow the protocol until you test negative showing that you are free of the pathogen. You can email her in between visits and will almost always get a same day response. I have become clear of both Babesia and Bartonella over the course of a year, and my progress has been amazing. I feel stronger and healthier each day, I can't tell you how fantastic it feel to have this disease leaving my body bit by bit after over a decade of suffering. My old self is coming back! I tried several other doctors in the Bay Area and a number of herbal protocols, but it is the long term antibiotics and other care from Melissa that are finally healing me. Downside: Yes, the front office is disorganized. And, yes, it is expensive and mostly out of pocket. But, by now I'm just so happy to be healing it is worth it. The crap that Lyme doctors have to put up with professionally is completely insane, and I feel so fortunate to finally have someone who knows what they are doing and gets it done anyway. read more

My experience began with countless attempt to make an appointment only to get voicemail and never a return call. My husband had to physically walk into the office to get an appointment. The staff are completely incompetent and rude. They do not call in prescriptions or respond to medical questions. The front desk gives out the wrong information constantly which resulted in huge sums of wasted money. Dr. Stricker is extremely expensive and requires that you take the $1,000 Igenix test before each appointment (no other LLMD I know does this...makes me wonder about kick-backs). Also, doctor Stricker is always pushing medication samples on you. He even asks on his appointment update form if there is any medication you would like to try. It seems like there may be an ethical issue here. Also, Dr. Stricker depends almost entirely on Rx medications. He does nothing to support detox or the immune system through the process. This seems very dangerous to me. Dr. Stricker is arrogant, dismissive, and condescending. Look elsewhere for a good LLMD. read more

My husband has been fighting Lyme disease contracted in the Netherlands (where we live) 3 years ago. We heard about Dr. Stricker and contacted his office, explaining that we would be flying in from Europe for our appointment. Two weeks after making the appointment - and after booking our airplane ticket - my husband received an email from the office, informing him that Dr. Stricker was no longer going to be present on the appointed day, and moving our appointment to a week later - days after our booked flight was to take us back to the Netherlands! Calls to the office yielded no apology and no flexibility - we retracted our appointment, asked for the $650 to be refunded, and will be looking elsewhere for my husband's treatment. The airplane tickets are already bought and cannot be refunded. I'm shocked at the callousness with which the office of Dr. Stricker treated my husband's expense and effort, not to mention the disregard for the desperation clear in his willingness to travel continents to see Dr. Stricker. read more