Dr. Robert Fietsam
Surgery - Thoracic
Wesley Chapel, FL
36 years experience male
Locations
Medical Wellness of Tampa
Wesley Chapel, FL
My office hours
Wednesday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Show morePhone
Practice website
Insurances accepted
AF&L Insurance Company
About
Bio
I am a very athletic, young in spirit, handiwork of God, who has enjoyed a quarter of century of highly technical work on the human heart, lungs and arteries. My initial interest in college was chemistry, and I have gone back to that first love, understanding and treating the chemical disorders of the mind and of the substances that 23 million americans are addicted to. From opiates, nicotine, to benzos and cocaine. My new field of work has allowed me more time to exercise, run, bike, and spend time with my family, doing the same. I hope that my work and life experiences may be helpful to others in this new mode of medical communication and education and that it can lead to an elimination of insurance companies or at least reduce the barriers created between physicians and patients.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Surgery - Thoracic
Addiction Medicine
Thoracic Surgery
Licenses
United States: Florida, New York
Doctor Q&A
286 Answers
69 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Panic attacks: Not addicted, just using meds as necessary. Sometimes , longer acting meds, or other meds can be used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). S... Read More
3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes, it has been : About 4-5 years ago, this case was presented.
3.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes: you should have a full recovery yet it may take 6 months before you can start up again. Start slow and light
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old female asked:
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Physical therapy: Slowly increasing your movements, your range of motion , and slowly increase your strength training.
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Possible earinfectio: ear pain can be generated from your ear, or a bad tooth, or from jaw pain, like TMJ.
if you have a fever, it would suggest an infection, which may ... Read More
2.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Some relief.: Opiate withdrawal has anxiety, nausea, restlessness, muscle cramps, and diarrhea associated with it. Clonazepam will help reduce anxiety and restlessn... Read More
2.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Ignore: Recovery of speech after a stroke can take up to two (2) years.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Ignore: A baby Aspirin (81 mg) a day can reduce your chance of having a heart attack and a stroke.
4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Improved view.: 256 scanners are amazing. Much better lung definition. I'm not sure about the radiation dose difference.
3.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 64-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
False Positive: Most tests done in motion are less than 100% accurate. Also there are certain drugs you might be taking that can cause a test that shows positive for ... Read More
3.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 16-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Growing pains?: Has your rib cage grows and your lungs expand, There are various unusual aches and pains associated. I highly recommend you stop smoking. Less than ... Read More
3.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Possible: alcohol increases aldehydes, which had been associated with hypertension.
3.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
No, but why...: Mixing benzodiazepines and alcohol together is dangerous and can lead to coma or death. The amount you took sounds safe, but you're walking down a d... Read More
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes, and yes. : Both are sedative like meds (benzodiazepines), yet Xanax (alprazolam) works within an hour, than wears off, the klonpin takes 1-2 hours and lasts >... Read More
1.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Hopefully low dose: Xanax (alprazolam) and buprenorphine together had caused death in a few patients. It's not common but worrisome enough to warn people.
3.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes and no: Sometimes people use opiates or heroin because of depression. Sometimes people develop depression because of their use of care when or opiates. The te... Read More
3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Is the Ulnar open?: See previous answer. The Ulnar artery should be good enough to get blood flow to the hands via the arches of arteries in the palm of the hand. Anoth... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
1 comment
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
EKG changes: If you get an EKG, let the tech know so the leads are placed correctly. Also gallbladder pain will be on the left not right. Appendix pain would be ... Read More
3.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 58-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Possible stroke: atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clot formation in the heart which can possibly break off and go to the brain and cause a stroke. The treatment ... Read More
3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Stop the klonopin (clonazepam) !: Ask your doctor about other options. Melatonin , alprazolam , Ambien, (zolpidem) trazadone, tryptophan
3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes, it's possible : Marijuana has been reported to help depression and also to cause it. It may not interfere with the antidepressant, but we don't know it's effect toge... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
7 to 14 days.: Methadone is a very long acting opiate. It varies quite a bit between different people, but 7 to 14 days should cover it.
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes: if you snort it, inject it, taste it.
3.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
No, not controlled: Controlled drugs not not prescribed on line this way.
3.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
All areas affected: The three vessels are the right side, the left anterior descending which is in front, and the left circumflex which is in the back and left side. Thr... Read More
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Acetaldehyde : Some people are not able to metabolize the alcohol, so there is a build up of aldehyde which causes vasodilation and flushing. There is also an assoc... Read More
3.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Very unlikely: There are some unusual heart problems that can cause heart attacks in young people, like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but quite uncommon.
3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 65-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Clips the appendage: The atrium had an appendage. The appendage has a bad habit of developing blood clots, especially in a fib. The clip closes off the appendage, so les... Read More
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Depends.: Aneurysms are enlarged arteries. In the head, can cause headaches. In the abdomen, unusually no symptoms, unless it gets very large or ruptures. Ru... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Poss 7 days: In a light smoker, on NO nicotine replacement therapy (no GUM, or patches), the half live on Cotinine, is only 20 hours, so neg in about 5 days. It w... Read More
3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Possible but slight: virsuses can live outside the body for short period of time (like seconds, most article say < 10 seconds, ) but longer in damp conditions. So, very... Read More
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Impaired healing: smoking reduces blood flow through vessels due to vasoconstriction from the nicotine. Reduced blood flow equals reduced healing properties
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 65-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Complex issue: While warfarin has been around longer with an excellent safety record, the new kid on the block, rivaroxaban, also appears to be possibly safer. A ma... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
No. CN 7: The platysma is innervated by the cervical branch of the facial nerve see any number seven. Thoracic outlet syndrome affects the brachioplexus which i... Read More
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes, if they test it: Most drug tests do not test for tramadol. The standard drug tests would not show tramadol.
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 65-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Prob aspirin : It seems you may have a fib. So warfarin is important. The use of plavix (clopidogrel) is valuable after PTCA, but not proven to be any better than ... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
A fork in the road: The Dx comes off the LAD. A branch point. Usually the stenosis or blockage is near the bifurcation. If a PTCA or ballooning is done near the begin... Read More
1.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Not so simple: Usual options are mechanical or tissue valve. Life long blood thinners are usually needed with the former, and the latter may need a redo operation i... Read More
4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Addiction: The nicotine receptors get filled up and then the nicotine gets metabolized. As the receptors become more exposed the body senses that that has happen... Read More
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Treatment not Meds : Venous leg ulcers usually require external compression with special wraps (jobst stockings) , and leg elevation, possibly with water pills. The mecha... Read More
3.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Just a description : The density alone is not characteristic of a specific disease but, when used with other features of the radiologic lung image, can be suggestive of a ... Read More
3.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Its cosmetic surg: Usually, chest deformities which are medically necessary to fix, cause symptoms before the age of 16 years old. Bad deformities squeeze down on the h... Read More
3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes. Arteries inc: Additional arteries and improved collateral flow, called angiogenesis , occurs in variable amounts. This can occur in the heart , across hips and in ... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 59-year-old female asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Nerves in area: It sounds like your femoral artery was operated on. There are several nerves that are covering and are adjacent to that artery. Those nerves can get... Read More
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
On Opiate receptors: It works an mu receptor, to reduce pain, or prevent withdrawal from pain killers, and it blocks kappa receptor to reduce issues with respiratory depre... Read More
3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
If dose increases: At that rate of use, you may not develop tolerance. Tolerance is defined as either needing more drugs to get the same effect, or if the effect of the... Read More
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
To the stomach, yes: Wine taken on empty stomach allows the absorption of alcohol to occur faster which is why it feels better. However it's effect on the liver and heart... Read More
1.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. Robert Fietsamanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 36 years experience
Yes: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a pulmonary as well as a systemic disease. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the extrapulmonary mani... Read More
3.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
3
Recommendations
251
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Apr 21, 2018
I had the pleasure of seeing Him prior to my cervical disc replacement surgery and he was amazing Really very thankful to have met him at physical medicine Center
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Fietsam is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Fietsam is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
This made me feel good. Thanks! thanks doc, pls advise further wat medicine/exercise i should do to cure it. i will be highly thanful to you for this kind help. Have a nice day.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Thank you doctor, this really cleared things up for me. I am so glad that you took the time to answer my query and I appreciate it. Thank you.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Dr. I am thankful to you for your time, it was a poor choice and not something I would choose again. Respectfully, Tori
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
null
Graduated nullMD
Medical/Graduate school
Wayne State University School of Medicine, MI
Graduated 1986MD
Residency
DETROIT RECEIVING HOSPITAL & UNIV HEALTH CENTER
Completed 1995
Residency
WILLIAM BEAUMONT HOSPITAL
Completed 1991
Awards
ROSE Award, Genesis Hospital
Charles Guthrie Award
Top Thoracic Surgeon , First Place, National - Summer
2014
Affiliations
Member of American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Medical Athletic Association
Fellow of American College of Surgeons, FACS
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