Any Thought On Going The Natrapathic Route?

[Akgirl]

I am following my docs orders, and am still having convulsive syncope and other bad pots symptoms!! I am really having a hard time keeping my spirits up!! It feels like no matter what I do I still am NOT better!!! I am currently on 4 medications, salt loading, and wearing compression stockings constantly. I am now to the point were I am going to start some non traditional routes and was wondering of anyone has any thoughts about this?? Tomorrow I have my first acupuncture apt. And I have also been rolfed. I am thinking about seeing a herbalist?? Any ideas or experiences would be great

[MomtoGiuliana]

I saw a naturopathic doctor when I was really sick w POTS. She prescribed many different supplements. Some I was too scared to try. Some I tried but they didn't help. It was expensive and not covered by insurance. I would just recommend that you ask your medical dr(s) prior to taking any supplements especially b/c you are on other meds already. Some of the supplements my doctor OK'ed, a couple he definitely advised against.

There are some supplements that do seem to help POTS symptoms, depending on what your symptoms and issues are--licorice root, to name one. But again, would recommend you consult your dr before trying any supplement.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Angela]

yeah, i want to see a naturpath dr but insurance doesn't cover. a friend of mine, who is hyper somehow the super naturpath specialist she went to did some sort of test that showed she was not compatible with florenisef (sp) which she has been taking for years as well as a bb, she is hyper for sure, only discovered in last yr or so but her ne levels are so high.. on the other hand, a lady i work with has adrenal disorder of she takes a naturapathic which has licorice root, she said it is to correct her thyroid mainly.

[Dizzysillyak]

I see an integrative / functional doctor who prescribes medications or supplements depending on which one she thinks will work best for me. If you're interested, you can google integrative doctor in your area you should be able to find one. I found my doctor by asking the people at a local health food store to recommend someone.

I chose an md who was also into holistic treatments because I wanted someone who could handle any medical emergencies I had as well as guide me in healing my body.

FWIW, My understanding is that this type of doctor will have you switch to a paleo type diet asap, within reason, to see if this helps. This diet eliminates all common food intolerances and chemicals. Meanwhile you'll have some testing done to determine your gut health, hormone levels, nutritional deficiencies, etc . I found out that my labs were off on so many things that I'd never even heard of, like hyperinsulinemia, DHEA and pregnenolone.

So far, diet and learning which supplements or meds my body needs has helped me tremendously but I still have OI and PEM. But after being disabled for 23 years, I probably have permanent damage at this point. I had ataxia for 16 1/2 years so I can't imagine this type of brain damage completely heals. I wish I'd made these changes sooner ... tc ... d

[Akgirl]

Dizzysillyak, do you only see a integrative doctor for your pots? Right now I am seeing and being treated by a neurologist. I am kind of nervous to ask him about anything off the beaten path!! He seems VERY western medicine

[Angela]

Dizzysillyak, please don't be offended but i so question long term with the paleo diet. i know you have ataxia but who, what dr. recommended that diet? I'm glad its helping you for now th0!

[AussieOI]

I have been seeing an acupuncturist for about 4 months. Personally I have found that it has been helpful for me. He gave me some funny tasting herbs to drink and it has not been cheap though.

My feeling is that alternative therapists can definitely help however it is probably a mixture of diet, excercise, good sleep, alternative therapies which can all work together to help although they don't 'cure' the problem only make the symptoms more manageable. It is also very much dependant on the therapist you choose how good they are etc.

[ramakentesh]

Had much better luck with tcm herbal practioners than western naturopaths who gave me two herbs that are ace inhititors and made me profoundly worse.

main herbal treatments for which I have heard some success with are licorice, butchers broom and horse chestnut ( the later put me into hypertensive crisis! )

be very careful with herbs as they combine with other meds.

Chinese herbs given to myself and other patients vary.

[Dizzysillyak]

Dizzysillyak, do you only see a integrative doctor for your pots? Right now I am seeing and being treated by a neurologist. I am kind of nervous to ask him about anything off the beaten path!! He seems VERY western medicine

Hi,

Integrative or functional doctors look at all symptoms as being signs that our body is

struggling with digestive problems, inc gut bacteria, parasites and digestive enzymes, nutritional

deficiencies, hormone irregularities, heavy metals, etc. With their objective being to

rectify the root cause.

Imho, dr terry wahls explains functional medicine very well in her ted video. Much better than me.

If it were me, I'd go ahead and ask him about non traditional treatment options. He might surprise you.

Tc ... D

[Dizzysillyak]

Dizzysillyak, please don't be offended but i so question long term with the paleo diet. i know you have ataxia but who, what dr. recommended that diet? I'm glad its helping you for now th0!

Hi,

I'm not offended. I appreciate people giving me feedback. I HAD ataxia from 1990 - 2006 but it went away in Sept 2006.

I had been on a GFCFSF + chemical free diet since 2005. I started the paleo diet 1 - 2 years later. I was already on the paleo diet when I met my integrative dr.

The paleo diet is just eating bioavailable foods like organic meats, fruits and veggies. I follow Cordains idea of paleo not some of the others. IMHO, Dr. Terry Wahls has a great diet plan too. She recommends more veggies than I can eat but imho her concept is good.

tc ... d

[bebe127]

Akgirl,

I am in much the same boat as you. I am following dr. orders, and can function a bit better now, although not too sure if it is the meds, or I'm just used to feeling like crap and have just accepted it.

I did try acupuncture shortly after I was diagnosed. I am friends with the wife of the acupuncturist and when he heard of my plight offered the sessions to me. I began with twice a week, but only went for about six weeks. I wish I could've gone for a longer duration, but my husband's work schedule didn't allow at the time (he has to take me most places). I didn't really see too much improvement, although I really think that it takes a while of consistant visits before any difference is seen.

I have friends that have seen an MD that has a center for Holistic Healing near me. I guess she works with western medicine as well as alternative medicine. I have heard really great things about her. She begins at the beginning and is interested in finding the root cause instead of just treating the symptoms, although I think she treats symptoms while the process of investigating what is going on. She begins with an hour long consultation and then does bloodwork. I've heard she checks for everything under the sun. To my knowledge, every time I've had blood taken, I've only been tested for the regular stuff, CBC, etc. She doesn't accept insurance, which isn't a deal breaker for me, but I often wonder why these types of dr.s tend not to accept it. Anywho, I'm seriously thinking about going to see her. Husband is not too thrilled, but I think at this point, I'm willing to try anything.

I do think too, though, that care needs to be taken when trying any supplements or herbal remedies, especially if you are already on medication. Always consult your doctor.

Much luck to you in finding relief and answers

[Akgirl]

Thanks so much!! Bebe127, I hear you with the insurance!!! It's so expensive! And then of course I start thinking... Well, if it worked so good why wouldn't insurance cover??? Is it a hoax??? Wich I know is not true, but the thought does run through!! Hopefully between doubling the atenolol and acupuncture ect. I can stop having bad convulsive syncope and at least get get back my license!! Thanks everyone for your input! It really helps

[Dizzysillyak]

Hi, Just wanted to say that Medicare paid for ALL of my holistic tests, including stool tests, hormone / saliva tests, etc ordered by my integrative doctor. For me this negates the idea that any of it is a scam. That and we found things wrong with my body that explains a lot.

I don't know why this type of doctor doesn't normally take insurance. Mine doesn't either nowadays but did when I first met her.

In my case, it's been the best money I've ever spent on my health. The best part is that the tests she ran showed me a lot of what was going wrong in my body that no one else had ever discovered. I have no idea what it all means but my doctor does ... tc ... d

[ramakentesh]

The Paleo diet seems to do wonders in general for many autoimmune disorders.

[AussieOI]

Dizzysilk - are you located in Melb? Interesting Medicare paid for those tests thats great! Did you go to a medical doctor who practices integrative medicine?

[bebe127]

A bit of a correction,

The MD/Holistic dr. that I was referring to doesn't take insurance for the visits and such. The initial visit is $350 and subsequent visits (and she does email visits) cost anywhere from $50-$250 I think depending on the time spent at the visit. I do believe that insurance does cover labs and such. I don't think it's a hoax at all (I know a few ladies that have been to her for various reasons and have all had positive experiences). I just wonder why she doesn't accept insurance if she is an MD. Maybe the office doesn't want to deal with all the red tape. I can surely understand that, I hate dealing with insurance companies too! And that is not to say that I couldn't possibly send a claim in on my own and see what happens.

I've heard really good things about this dr., and like I said, she tests for everything under the sun.

Here is what her website says that she tests for: Additional tests ordered might include a detailed vitamin, mineral, and nutrient assessment to determine any deficiencies you currently have. You will learn the significance of any deficiencies and what to include in your diet or supplements to replace them. An extensive analysis of your digestive tract includes information such as digestive enzymes, inflammation, abnormal bacteria, yeasts or parasites, and a lack of protective bacteria. Saliva or blood specimens may be ordered to evaluate female hormones, adrenal (stress) hormones, or thyroid hormones and antibodies. Urine tests can determine presence of toxic heavy metals. They can also reveal levels of brain neurochemicals to target treatment and approaches. Blood tests can be ordered to evaluate food allergies and sensitivities.

None of my previous dr.s have tested for these things, nor have they ever suggested me being tested. I think too, that if she can find something through these tests that can help me find the root cause or at least get closer to the problem, there is a better chance of finding a better protocol. And if that could happen, I don't really care that she doesn't take insurance.

It also says on her website that: Often patients come who have chronic problems for which traditional treatment has been ineffective (such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or multiple symptoms without a diagnosis), or for which they prefer a more personalized or natural approach.

I think that it certainly is worth a try.

Although, I will reiterate to contact your dr. if you intend on taking supplements and/or herbal remedies especially if you are on any type of medication already.

Be well

[Dizzysillyak]

Dizzysilk - are you located in Melb? Interesting Medicare paid for those tests thats great! Did you go to a medical doctor who practices integrative medicine?

I live in central florida. I was impressed that Medicare paid for everything. FWIW, I don't know what diagnosis codes, if it matters, may have helped in getting them to pay for these. I only know that when I go in for other blood work, etc, the office that's running the tests makes sure that I have the appropriate medical diagnosis code to justify getting the test.

I see a doctor who used to be a traditional doctor complete with hospital priveleges, etc etc but became more interested in holistic treatments when she noticed that her patients were having success with some of these. It's great because she knows which traditional tests to run as well as holistic. So you get the best of both worlds ... Well worth the money ...

Dr. Terry Wahls talks about how as an MD she didn't learn how to heal the body and only learned this once she failed to respond to traditional MS treatments. This is in her TED video ... She was wheelchair bound and now is able to go horseback riding or ride a bike ..

tc ... d