momto10blessings Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Has anyone ever been to a functional doctor and were you happy with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 How is this different from a naturopathic physician? I've been to many of them and they seemed to practice what I just googled as the definition of functional medicine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I would be interested to know more about this. So I am posting in this thread, with no information to add, just so I will get a little star to mark it for me. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I am getting ready to. I have a few friends who go and are very positive about the help they are getting. I am choosing a functional medical doctor who is actually an MD. A lot in our area are chiropractors and I am not comfortable with that for total body issues. (My friends who go are happy though.) I'm going because of a family history of Alzheimer's and there is a protocol by a doctor at UCLA that makes sense to me. He's published an initial case study group and had positive results. The basic approach is to take a look at any factor that research has shown to be correlated with Alzheimer's issues and treat to an optimal level. (for instance, he wants B 12 at 500 which is "optimal" but much less than that is still technically "normal." Here is the study if anyone is interested: http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v6/n9/full/100690.html Because it's not standard yet, I know a regular doctor would look at me cross-eyed if I requested some of the testing, which is where I would like to start. The tests are things that functional medicine doctors are likely to be willing to order, I think. They are more concerned, for instance, with inflammation. I'm not sure a regular doctor would be too keen on just "checking" on inflammation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I guess I'm not sure what to think. I've been through the mill on odd health issues. I don't think any medical person can know it all as far as what all the disciplines have to offer, and that is one of the reasons I like my MD...he knows really well what he knows and knows that he doesn't know it all, and supports me in my looking for help from chiro, nutritionists (who have been the most help), from environmental md's, from chinese herbalists--and he sends me the results of double-blind research that supports these efforts. But I know I have a gem of an MD...so maybe this is what the functional MDs are doing...being gems... It is so frustrating when you have mutliple and continuing and unremitting issues...or clear markers for serious problems...to track down what will actually be of help and use...it's a major PITB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 I guess I'm not sure what to think. I've been through the mill on odd health issues. I don't think any medical person can know it all as far as what all the disciplines have to offer, and that is one of the reasons I like my MD...he knows really well what he knows and knows that he doesn't know it all, and supports me in my looking for help from chiro, nutritionists (who have been the most help), from environmental md's, from chinese herbalists--and he sends me the results of double-blind research that supports these efforts. But I know I have a gem of an MD...so maybe this is what the functional MDs are doing...being gems... It is so frustrating when you have mutliple and continuing and unremitting issues...or clear markers for serious problems...to track down what will actually be of help and use...it's a major PITB. The functional medicine doctors around here do not take insurance. My impression is that is because the kinds of things they are doing won't qualify for reimbursement and/or because they take a long time per appointment. Around here, the first appt is 2 hours long; follow ups are 45 minutes. They try to order as many tests as possible through labs like LabCorp that are on people's insurance plans, but they also have some labs that they have to special order. (I think of them as the woo-woo labs. I am an open-minded skeptic about some of this!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 Is it the same as "integrative medicine"? I want to try a new doctor but either one I go to will be out of network so I want to make sure I go to the right place. There's a functional practice and integrative practice that both get huge compliments from friends who are finally getting the help they need. Their regular mds were writing prescription after prescription and treating the symptoms instead of finding out the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 I just don't want to waste my time and money!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 The functional medicine doctors around here do not take insurance. My impression is that is because the kinds of things they are doing won't qualify for reimbursement and/or because they take a long time per appointment. Around here, the first appt is 2 hours long; follow ups are 45 minutes. They try to order as many tests as possible through labs like LabCorp that are on people's insurance plans, but they also have some labs that they have to special order. (I think of them as the woo-woo labs. I am an open-minded skeptic about some of this!) The functional dr doesn't take insurance but the integrative dr does (just not mine). The first appointment with the integrative dr is only 15 minutes!! They send you for blood work and the second appointment is longer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 The functional medicine doctors around here do not take insurance. My impression is that is because the kinds of things they are doing won't qualify for reimbursement and/or because they take a long time per appointment. Around here, the first appt is 2 hours long; follow ups are 45 minutes. They try to order as many tests as possible through labs like LabCorp that are on people's insurance plans, but they also have some labs that they have to special order. (I think of them as the woo-woo labs. I am an open-minded skeptic about some of this!) I think we are in the same boat in a lot of ways. Chronic issues, inexplicable by any one practice, and persevering in finding an answer. I like the open-minded skeptic comment. I'm more on the open-minded end but moving toward skeptic, alas. It's getting old. I have had good help from one or two practitioners, who work together closely, and that helps. But I really can't remember the last time insurance covered any medical service that helps, except the annual checkup and a few counseling and chiro sessions... But I will take that. It's part of the reason we have a super high deductible...it's not like I'm going to get the benefit of a low deductible anyway. Well, I hope you find some help. :0) Whatever the doctor calls him/herself...functional, nutritional, environmental, family, chiro. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Posting in this thread to be able to find it more easily. It sounds intriguing. I suspect I'll be spending more time on google later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) My dh sees a llmd and an integrative doctor along with his primary doctor. He sees a lot of doctors in an effort to get well. I like the integrative doc but she is a bit of a woo woo doctor at times. The lyme doc occasionally has a bit of woo woo going on as well. My dh has done some alternative therapies but some that are suggested are a little too far outside the comfort zone and sound like junk science. Neither takes insurance but will use whatever lab your insurance uses for tests. However, those two doctors were able to help my husband. Unlike the neurologist(s)- chronic Lyme doesn't exist, here are your pain pills. The pain management specialist-don't know why you are still in pain, here are your pain pills and come back for some injections. The vein specialist-don't know why you are in pain go see a neurologist. The sleep specialist- yes, you have sleep apnea but that is not causing the pain and brain fog. Here is your cpap and go aee a neurologist. The infectious disease doctor-chronic lyme doesn't exist. You may have post lyme syndrome, there is no cure for that. You definitely have something but it is not lyme or an infectious disease, see a neurologist. Edited December 1, 2015 by kewb 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) I thought functional and integrative were the same thing. My impression is that quality varies widely. Do your own reading on what the doc recommends. Edited August 12, 2016 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 The functional dr doesn't take insurance but the integrative dr does (just not mine). The first appointment with the integrative dr is only 15 minutes!! They send you for blood work and the second appointment is longer... Around here, it is the same. Integrative medicine docs practice traditional medicine but with more of a holistic approach. They may also prescribe some alternate therapies. Hence, they can and do take insurance. One of the major teaching hospitals nearby has an integrative medicine branch. There, you pay a flat fee (like $2-3000) for unlimited visits with the doctor so that you can get longer appointments. A physician I know works there. She has told me that one of the first things she does is evaluate meds. She can often take patients off most of them safely. The functional medicine docs don't take insurance because they are typically treating things like gluten intolerance, etc. that are not mainstream yet and insurance companies don't pay. So people pay out of pocket. It's about $350 for the first long appt and something less than $100 for follow up appts that are shorter, like 45 min or so. Plus, you pay for any labs that your insurance won't cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Around here, it is the same. Integrative medicine docs practice traditional medicine but with more of a holistic approach. They may also prescribe some alternate therapies. Hence, they can and do take insurance. One of the major teaching hospitals nearby has an integrative medicine branch. There, you pay a flat fee (like $2-3000) for unlimited visits with the doctor so that you can get longer appointments. A physician I know works there. She has told me that one of the first things she does is evaluate meds. She can often take patients off most of them safely. The functional medicine docs don't take insurance because they are typically treating things like gluten intolerance, etc. that are not mainstream yet and insurance companies don't pay. So people pay out of pocket. It's about $350 for the first long appt and something less than $100 for follow up appts that are shorter, like 45 min or so. Plus, you pay for any labs that your insurance won't cover. This definitely sounds more appealing than our regular system. I don't think you're anywhere around me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 I just don't know if it's going to be worth the $200... m I going to walk out of there rolling my eyes at their woo-woo medical practice and thinking about what I could have bought for that $200 I just paid. Decisions, decisions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 What does their website (or printed materials) say regarding their diagnostic procedures? I personally stay away from the Muscle testing type of diagnostics. I've done it. And lab tests showed that I was given false information. (For example they told me that my vitamin D levels were just great literally weeks before lab tests showed that I had very low vitamin D levels.) Do they use homeopathy? Another red flag for me personally. Do they use herbs and supplements? Great. Do they urge you to buy their herbs and supplements? (Not just having them available if you want to buy them for convenience sake). Red flag for me because that is a huge money maker for them and conflict of interest. Do they spend a lot of time working with you on lifestyle issues or physio therapy type things? Huge plus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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