Polito R Jeffrey , MD

Dr. Polito’s staff is capable and caring.

Thoughtful, conscientious, kind, patient, thorough.

Dr. Polito has been my physician for just over a year now and I appreciate that I don’t feel rushed when I’m with him and that he is a good listener. He brings out his lap top computer and compares notes from previous visits I’ve had. Very helpful. He is nice. The office staff is nice as well

I am extremely happy with Dr. Polito. I have been seeing him as my primary care physician for about four years. I have fibromyalgia, and, while many doctors have sent me to shrinks and dismissed my symptoms, Dr. Polito has always believed me and has always been very supportive. Dr. Polito is open to alternative medicine, and searches for alternatives before just writing a prescription. He is knowledgeable, caring, supportive and an all-​around great doctor. I would highly recommend him.

I would highly recommned this doctor’s office to anyone looking to switch to a new Primary Care Physician. I switched over recently, and could not be happier. There are frequently appointments open that day, which allows me to get my health needs resolved instantly. Since I work, I always appreciate an easy to work with Doctor’s office. The front desk staff are very cooperative and explain all of the procedures clearly.
I met with his P.A. Melanie Van Lieshout. I would definitely recommend Melanie to all my family and friends. She is very helpful and understanding of your medical needs. I explained my symptoms and she was able to diagnose me immediately. And refer me to a specialist for my condition. She even called to follow-​up after my appointment with a specialist. Her individualized care and attention to her patients are rare to find sometimes in doctor’s offices these days.
If you’re new to the SB area, or just looking for a new doctor, I’d recommend Dr. Jeff Polito and Melanie Van Lieshout, PA to you.

I would not recommend Dr. Polito for sleep complications not related to sleep apnea. My intention for making (and paying) for an appointment with a specialist is to gain further insight into my condition and additional resources offered through a specialist. However, Dr. Polito offered no new information or resources, everything he discussed in my appointment is available on WebMD or
.
I mentioned a concern that I might suffer from PMDD which triggers anxiety-​related sleep problems, a disorder I had to explain to Dr. Polito. He did not approve of menstruation suppression to relieve PMDD, saying that because of my gender, it was natural to suffer from severe depression, anxiety and detriment to my quality of life every month (2). He even suggested marking off a week on a calendar every month during which time loved ones should just ignore what I say and how I feel.
Next, Dr. Polito erroneously explained that even after days without sleep, my body will fall asleep when I need to. I refer to studies showing sleep deprivation for over 2 days resulted in cognitive impairment, and over a week in death, and even increased risk for Type 2 diabetes over time (1, 3, 4). His recommendation was to stop being nervous about falling asleep, and that a new perspective would do the trick.
Finally, Dr. Polito discussed hormone imbalance in the brain, promoting the use of topical lotions to increase hormone production, which he «doesn’t know how it works, don’t ask me, but my wife uses it.» If I wanted an untested supplement, I would have gone to the grocery store.
Dr. Polito offered one gem of advice: when my life becomes less stressful, I could try going off sleep medication.
In short, Dr. Polito’s recommendation to aid chronic insomnia was a) just deal with severe, crippling effects of PMDD, b) don’t be scared of sleep, but a lack of sleep even over a week won’t kill you, and c) lotions with no known, recorded, or understood health benefits can balance your sleep-​inducing hormones.
I do not recommend Dr. Polito for sleep therapy, or a physician in general.
References:
1. Durber, J. and D. Dinges. 2005. Neurocognitive consequences of sleep deprivation. Seminal Neurology 25(1): 117 – 129.
2. Moline, M., et al. 2003. Sleep in women across the life cycle from adulthood through menopause. Sleep Medicine Reviews 7(2): 155 – 177.
3. Rechtschaffen, R., et al. 1983. Physiological correlates of prolonged sleep deprivation in rats. Science 221(4606): 182 – 184.
4. Spiegel, K., et al. 2005. Sleep loss: a novel risk factor for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Journal of Applied Physiology 99: 2008 – 2019.
…to name a few.