Integrative / Holistic Health Doc -- What Should Be On My Agenda?

[Hoosierfan]

Getting in to see a complementary / integrative doc in a week and a half (yeah!) to try and get a better handle on the following:

(1) My NMH and the root cause (serotonin deficiency, adrenal deficiency, other) and the "kink" that my menstrual cycle adds into the whole thing;

(2) why I'm so darn sensitive to meds and why I can't seem to taper off florinef or SSRIs (florinef being of concern for the moment)

(3) ongoing tummy upset and alternative ways to address (taking prilosec and carafate now, but still bothering me after 6 weeks)

(4) best way to manage daily headaches caused by florinef if we can't get off or have to take a Looooooooooong time for me to get off (meaning the next year or more).

Any suggestions on how to make the best of this appointment, what tests to ask for, what to take with me? My first appointment is 90 minutes (woah!), so there's a lot of time to discuss....

[Dizzysillyak]

Hi,

I see an integrative doctor. On my first visit she ordered stool tests to look for pathogens, gluten

antibidies, fat absorption, digestive enzymes, etc. Metametrix is one of the companies that does this if you want to google what they test for.

She also ordered comprehensive nutrient testing. I used a local lab the first time and spectracell later.

I was already on the paleo / low oxalate diet and off all meds when I met this doctor so I don't know

what to expect here.

Dr terry wahls is now an integrative doctor who cured her ms. She has a 51 minute video on ted that imho,

explains the concept well.

Good luck with your appt. Fwiw, I just heard from someone who's integrative doctor didn't run what I

Thought were the standard tests. Imho, you may want to be sure this doctor orders stool testing, nutrient tests, etc. Mine ran both holistic and traditional tests on me. And I thought that was the norm too.

[issie]

Main thing is make notes of your symptoms - so you do not forget to tell them something. Sometimes even little things will have relevance.

[Hoosierfan]

Thanks, Issie. I was just thinking that in addition to the list of the meds I take that they asked for, that I'd give them the schedule I take them on (seems like every hour I'm taking something), but then I thought that was overkill.....now that you mention it it may not be overkill cause who knows how all these little things interact!!!

[Dizzysillyak]

Hi again,

I wanted to try to explain this again ..

fwiw, here's my understanding of how functional / integrative medicine works .. dr terry wahls explains this too.

This type of doctor believes that ALL chronic illnesses are due to genes, gut dybiosis, pathogens,

hormone imbalances, heavy metals and nutritional deficiencies. I'm sure I forgot something. Lol

How each person's body reacts to any of these root causes doesn't matter. I got oi and pots while joe patient got ms.

Same root problem different outcome. Gluten intolerance is the perfect example of this. Genes, nutritional deficiencies, diet, etc account

for the different outcome.

This means our symptoms really don't matter in the beginning. The base treatments are all the same. Dr myhill explains this too.

She calls anything that can't be fixed by her basic treatments bolt ons ..

Did that make sense ? This seems to be a confusing concept for some. My understanding is that they basically throw out the

way traditional or holistic doctors treat illness and look for ROOT causes. Much unlike a certain

MD turned alternative md, is doing on tv everyday .. Lol ..

Tc .. D

[skiberthoud]

I agree with Issie. I always bring a list with me, not only of symptoms but anything I want to ask about/discuss. I also make sure I have paper and pen with me because I also take notes. But that's just because I never trust my memory I'm very excited for you. Have fun and enjoy your appointment. Let us know how it goes....