should I see this new doctor? I know you can't tell me yes/no but I'd love some thought partners!

I already work with an integrative doctor I like, though he is on the other coast so it's phone consults. I can't afford any of the lyme specialists in my area.

I was recommended via an acupuncturist to check out a local homeopath. I don't think I'd be replacing my doctor, just supplementing. Though because my doctor is integrative and this new guy is a homeopath, it might be a bad idea because of overlap.

He spent a half hr with me on the phone talking about my case and about lyme which I thought was very generous. He said he was hesitant to take on a case of late stage lyme because we're so sick he's not sure he can really help. He has worked with lyme before and was recommended due to this expertise. His comment felt both discouraging and pleasantly sober. He said to come in and pay a nominal fee of $50 (still a lot for me at this point) to have a longer conversation about whether he can help. He says he does energy testing (not sure if this is too woo-woo for me), acupuncture (but doesn't think acupuncture helps with lyme because acupuncture moves energy and with lyme the issue is a deficit of energy-- that makes so much sense to me and is why I've instinctively avoided acupuncture), he'd want to send away for tests not covered by insurance, and he'd work with herbs.

I think the more information the better. If you can afford the money to hear what he has to say, then go for it. You cannot have too much information.

But ask yourself this ..... What is your gut instinct? I honestly think that within us we know a lot more than we give ourselves credit for. Go with your gut!

Oh thanks so much for the thoughts!

PeteZa, it was interesting.. I had the conversation with him yesterday and I woke up this morning with a feeling of terror.. I know that sounds dramatic but it's true.. I wanted to call and cancel and just make the appt go away!! I think I just feel SO VULNERABLE opening up my health situation to another person, potentially changing course, all of it. I have a hard time discerning if this is my gut instinct that I should learn to trust, or whether I'm just totally wound up and anxious because of lyme and need to override my anxiety to let in new experiences. Does that make any sense? I'd like to think my gut instinct is still good.

On a more practical level, I wonder if I ought to be looking for a local bona fide LLMD, rather than supplementing my current long-distance medical relationship with a local homeopath/energy-testing type.. It's just, of all of the doctors I've been to, the one on the other coast is the best and most affordable.

Jrpsf! I'm in Oakland! Very curious who you see. I believe my email is activated if you want to keep the name off the internet. Is he affordable? The one Bay Area LLMD I saw was one of those $800 for the first appointment situations, and I didn't even get to see the doctor for 3 visits, just the nurse practitioner... And also he made me worse...

I too would encourage you to find a more local LLMD to use.

But also don't discount the benefits of acupuncture!! If they have enough experience and are intuitive enough, it can do wonders!! I came off of some heavy pain meds (Oxycodone) because they weren't helping, yet the acupuncture I received worked better!! It also helped tremendously with the symptoms I was dealing with - so I would say that while the doctor you spoke to about this form of medicine isn't the one to use, don't discount this treatment modality completely. It can do wonders if the right practitioner is used.

Please be aware that sleep is one of the most difficult medical issues to deal with since it has to do with the brain and it's functioning. I have suffered with sleep issues for many, many years and have to keep changing what I do to help me sleep, but!! if you have pain that is keeping you from resting, muscle issues that are keeping you from sleeping well, and other issues like that interfering, acupuncture can be of help.

Not to mention it can help your organs function better as well which will help with things like detoxing and hormonal balance and more.

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and acupuncture were so very incredibly helpful to me, that I can't hardly speak highly enough of it to be honest. I had an highly experienced and highly intuitive practitioner and, well, I went into the whole thing in this post if you are interested:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3500622