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Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD is a pediatrician in Seattle, WA specializing in general pediatrics. She graduated from University of Washington School of Medicine in 1994 and has 32 years of experience. Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD is affiliated with Providence, Swedish Medical Center, Swedish Issaquah Campus, Swedish Cherry Hill Campus and Swedish First Hill Campus.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a generic name given to a variety of conditions characterized by unusual amounts of fear and worry, especially unrealistic fears and tension. People who suffer from anxiety often are aware that their fears are irrational, but that knowledge does not make the feeling of being scared and anxious go away. To qualify as anxiety, symptoms must last for 6 months or more and interfere with the way a person lives their daily life. Some cases may be mild, where, for example, a person simply avoids certain situations. Other cases can be severe enough to be disabling.
Some of the specific conditions covered under the general label of anxiety include:
Collectively, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues diagnosed in the United States -- even more common than depression. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with anxiety, and it is extremely common for a person with anxiety to have another illness at the same time, such as depression, a physical illness, or substance abuse.
Treatment for anxiety usually involves medication and psychotherapy together. Medications used may include antidepressants (which also work for anxiety), anti-anxiety medications, or beta blockers (which can be used to control the physical symptoms of anxiety). Psychotherapy can be useful to teach patients new ways of thinking and reacting so that they can manage their feelings of worry and fear. Support groups can also be very effective for anxiety, and they can be a form of treatment themselves for social phobias. Stress management, relaxation techniques, and meditation all help reduce feelings of anxiety or of being out of control. Finally, having a strong support network of family and friends is an excellent way to help manage the difficulties of life with anxiety.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are mental and physical illnesses that impact behavior, emotions, and thoughts about eating, food, body appearance, and weight. These disorders are characterized by preoccupations with food and physical size, resulting in dramatic lifestyle changes and adverse health effects. In the past, eating disorders were often diagnosed using BMI (body mass index), or by assessing someone's weight. Eating disorders specialists now recognize that eating disorders may occur in people of all sizes. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder (BED).
Anorexia nervosa, frequently referred to as anorexia, is a disorder where people severely restrict the types and quantity of food they eat. Those with anorexia have an extreme fear of eating and gaining weight and may repeatedly weigh themselves or engage in harmful behaviors such as excessive exercise or starvation. Those with anorexia often find themselves preoccupied with food, but unable to consume a healthy amount of it. This results in symptoms such as abnormally low BMI, vitamin deficiency, fatigue, fainting, and amenorrhea (lack of menstruation in women). Anorexia may cause bluish discoloration of the hands, brittle and falling out hair, yellowish skin, and lanugo (fine, downy hair). Left untreated, anorexia can lead to organ failure, brain damage, and even death.
Bulimia nervosa, typically called bulimia, is a disorder where people binge (eat large quantities of food) and purge the food that they just consumed by vomiting, laxative abuse, fasting, or excessive exercise. This behavior is usually motivated by a feeling of powerlessness over eating and a fear of weight gain or desire for weight loss. Bulimia can occur in underweight, normal weight, and overweight people. Symptoms of bulimia include acid reflux, intestinal distress, dehydration from purging, amenorrhea, and dental erosion from vomiting. Some people with bulimia have swollen parotid glands (salivary glands near the cheeks) and red scars and marks on the backs of their knuckles. Electrolyte imbalance from bulimia can be particularly severe and may lead to heart attack or stroke.
Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder. People with BED feel that they are unable to control the amount of food they eat and may continue to binge after reaching a point of fullness. BED binges (consuming large amounts of food) are often accompanied by feelings of sadness, guilt, and shame. Symptoms of BED include obesity, acid reflux, weight gain, and dissatisfaction with one's body. People with BED tend to experience cycles of negative emotions and binges. Binges or BED episodes can be provoked by stress, boredom, restrictive dieting, depression, and other triggers.
Other common eating disorders include:
Many people with eating disorders do not consciously develop them, and have difficulty seeking treatment. For this reason, it's important to detect and treat eating disorders as early as possible. Treatment for eating disorders can vary from therapy visits to inpatient treatment, depending on the disorder and its severity. Treatment aims to not only restore physical health and correct negative behaviors, but to also promote psychological well-being and self-confidence.
Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD graduated from University of Washington School of Medicine in 1994. She completed residency at Seattle Children's Hospital. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics and has a state license in Washington.
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine (1994)
Residency: Seattle Children's Hospital (1997)
Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics
Licensed In: Washington
Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Aetna PPO, Humana PPO, CIGNA PPO, Medicare Advantage, Humana Medicare Advantage, Interplan PPO, TriWest, TRICARE, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, United Healthcare Medicaid, OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), United Healthcare PPO, Providence, Humana HMO, First Health, WellPoint, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, Aetna Medicare PPO, Carelon PPO, Ambetter Cascade Care, Premera, Evernorth PPO, Seven Corners, First Choice PPO and Regence BlueShield of Washington PPO.
According to our sources, Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD accepts the following insurance providers:
Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 20 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Seattle, WA.
To see all 20 reviews for Dr. Susan M. Altemeier, MD, view their full profile.
Dr. Susan Altemeier works as a general pediatrics. Patient reviews placed Dr. Altemeier at an average of 5.0 stars (out of 5). Clinical interests for Dr. Altemeier include concussion, contraception (birth control), and newborn care. Her professional affiliations include Providence, Swedish Cherry Hill Campus, and Swedish Issaquah Campus. Dr. Altemeier appears to be in-network for HealthSmart, Coventry, and CIGNA Plans, in addition to other insurance carriers. Doctor.com reports that she is accepting new patients at her office in Seattle, WA. She attended medical school at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She trained at Seattle Children's Hospital for her residency.
