Carla Guggenheim, DO and Alena Guggenheim, ND have over 50 years of combined experience working with chronically ill patients. I was born in Los Angeles, California but spent most of my youth in Iowa and Kansas. Dance and optimizing the body's movement have always been passions of mine. I graduated from the State University of New York with a degree in dance. After completing college I danced in New York City, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area for many years before entering Osteopathic Medical School in Des Moines, Iowa.
Services
Dr. Carla Guggenheim is board certified in Rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She is in the process of becoming certified by Institute of Functional Medicine. She has extensive experience caring for rural and urban populations and professionally related problems of musicians, dancers, actors and artists.
We treat adults with Rheumatic Diseases osteoarthritis, Lupus, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Reactive and enteropathic arthritis, Gout, Calcium crystal diseases, Lyme, Rheumatic Fever, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Scleroderma, myopathy, Sjogren, Vasculitis, Relapsing Polychondritis, Periodic Febrile Syndromes, complex Regional Pain, Sarcoid, Ehler Danlos, Paget's disease, and Osteoporosis with a combination of Traditional Medicine, Physical and Occupational Therapy, exercise, nutrition and Functional Medicine modalities.
We offer a pleasant environment in a meticulously rehabilitated 100 year old school house in Lansing, Michigan. The Old Cedar Street School sits on the site of the first school built in Lansing in 1847. We are focused on prevention, minimization of pharmaceuticals, diet and activity, but we also use pharmaceuticals.
Reviews (6)
Tonya Waldron
Jan 28, 2020
Tammi Ross
Jun 03, 2019
Dr Guggenheim is a very smart physician to have in your corner. She was determined to figure out what was going on with me. She listened to what I had to say and then knew right away what it was that I had been dealing with. The best thing was, she believed me. This is a huge deal when you have vague symptoms with pain. After I had been through multiple referrals without success, she figured it out within 2 visits. I would recommend her without hesitation.
Ja Dubya
Jan 06, 2019
I am currently still working with Dr. Guggenheim, and the people at her practice, and I couldn't be happier with how they are treating me. I've been dealing with pain for quite some time and, almost every time, a new doctor shuts me out when they hear chronic pain patient. Not this practice! They have taken my case very seriously, continue to try new things, and run any test they can think of.
It doesn't make sense to them that I'm in the pain I'm in, especially at my age, but they haven't let that deter them. In the years I've dealt with doctors for my pain, I've been made to feel like a drug seeker, a hopeless case, and not worthy of a doctors time, but not here. I've cried tears of relief after going to this practice and would recommend them all day!
They are incredibly caring people and that includes the staff there in it's entirety. I also have troubles with remembering things and forgot to get some tests run recently and, instead of booting me out the door like other practices have done, they added a couple more tests and said go get these done and we'll see you back soon. I felt terrible and a sense of dread because I don't ever want to waste anyone's time, but the were so understanding. What I'm trying to say is this practice is remarkable. Aside from my PCP, I've never been happier and felt as though I'm in better hands than I am with this practice.
It doesn't make sense to them that I'm in the pain I'm in, especially at my age, but they haven't let that deter them. In the years I've dealt with doctors for my pain, I've been made to feel like a drug seeker, a hopeless case, and not worthy of a doctors time, but not here. I've cried tears of relief after going to this practice and would recommend them all day!
They are incredibly caring people and that includes the staff there in it's entirety. I also have troubles with remembering things and forgot to get some tests run recently and, instead of booting me out the door like other practices have done, they added a couple more tests and said go get these done and we'll see you back soon. I felt terrible and a sense of dread because I don't ever want to waste anyone's time, but the were so understanding. What I'm trying to say is this practice is remarkable. Aside from my PCP, I've never been happier and felt as though I'm in better hands than I am with this practice.
Debbie Kelley
Apr 05, 2018
I have been seeing Dr. Guggenheim for over two years and was always impressed with her and her office staff until today. Today, I called her office for the third time to inquire about a pre-authorization for a new prescription. It's been over two weeks that we've been waiting for this. I was trying to see if I could do something to expedite it myself. Jamel - who previously, has always been sweet as pie - became testy with me when I pointed out that the last three times I had spoken with her on the phone, she claimed she was the only one working and was really busy but would try to get to this.
I told her I understand about being busy, but this time - since it had been over two weeks and three phone calls, I would like to be a priority. She told me I was being rude, she stopped listening to me, and eventually put Dr. Guggenheim on the phone. When Dr. Guggenheim got on the phone, I tried to explain my unhappiness with the way Jamel had spoken to me and she didn't want to hear any of it.
I asked her if she was not accepting of feedback and she said if I didn't like the way they did things I could go somewhere else. Shocked, I asked if she was really saying she didn't want me to be a patient any longer and she said I should find another Rheumatologist. I told her how shocked I was and upset because I thought we had a better relationship than that.
She then hung up on me. Still stunned, stung and very shaken, I called back because I needed my prescription. I was so grateful when Crystal answered the phone. She was a voice of reason. She listened to me and stated that everyone was upset and she would handle things when everyone calmed down - and she did. I got a call back from her within a few hours.
I am obviously still hurt by this experience. I trusted my health with this doctor for two years and I feel this was a huge betrayal for her to turn her back on me in less than 5 minutes without hearing an explanation. Perhaps she is trying to reduce her patients. I advise everyone to consider this information carefully before considering this doctor. I did not deserve this treatment and, as Dr. Guggenheim suggested, will not go back to her office.
I told her I understand about being busy, but this time - since it had been over two weeks and three phone calls, I would like to be a priority. She told me I was being rude, she stopped listening to me, and eventually put Dr. Guggenheim on the phone. When Dr. Guggenheim got on the phone, I tried to explain my unhappiness with the way Jamel had spoken to me and she didn't want to hear any of it.
I asked her if she was not accepting of feedback and she said if I didn't like the way they did things I could go somewhere else. Shocked, I asked if she was really saying she didn't want me to be a patient any longer and she said I should find another Rheumatologist. I told her how shocked I was and upset because I thought we had a better relationship than that.
She then hung up on me. Still stunned, stung and very shaken, I called back because I needed my prescription. I was so grateful when Crystal answered the phone. She was a voice of reason. She listened to me and stated that everyone was upset and she would handle things when everyone calmed down - and she did. I got a call back from her within a few hours.
I am obviously still hurt by this experience. I trusted my health with this doctor for two years and I feel this was a huge betrayal for her to turn her back on me in less than 5 minutes without hearing an explanation. Perhaps she is trying to reduce her patients. I advise everyone to consider this information carefully before considering this doctor. I did not deserve this treatment and, as Dr. Guggenheim suggested, will not go back to her office.
Robin Olson
Mar 10, 2017
Marian Stoneburner
Feb 20, 2017
She very rarely listened to what I had to say and never addressed my issues with pain. Told my primary care physician is was a drug addict when I was at the hospital and some tests came back with a false positive for ecstasy and heroin even tho I told them I never took those drugs and had to have the hospital verify I'd never took them and that it was a false positive. The now have it posted in my records for future reference. Not so much as an apology from her.
