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naturopathic doctors?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/22/2008 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone on here tried their luck dealing with a naturopathic doctor? Have they helped you in any way?

We have one in my area I have been recommended to try. They are expensive. My health benefits cover a little portion, but the rest will be from my pocked + any pills/remedies she suggests. Just wondering if anyone has benefitted from speaking with one.

Thanks

Posted 12/22/2008 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
You might want to educate yourself on Naturopathy and alternative medicines before you spend any money. I am currently reading a book called Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. Great book.

It seems that alternative medicine, isn't really medicine. Here is some excerpts specifically about Naturopathy:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=bZjlC2LELlIC&pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq=naturopathic+doctor+trick+or+treatment&source=web&ots=Qc7hgpC8-2&sig=bciZFEWbbnW8qiw6AEHzxQB90Rk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result
Posted 12/22/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
I saw a natural path for 6 months or so. She was trying to help me pre-diagnosis. She is the one that discovered my gluten intolerance. I took a whole bunch of powder packed with nutrients but I never took it dutifully. Once I was diagnosed she said that I would be on meds all my life and there was nothing she could do about that, however, she could make sure that my body had all the nutrients it needed to stay strong and fight the disease.

I started going for weekly IV treatments--she would give vitamins. They were starting to help, but I got pregnant and stopped going. It was also too expensive.

I would highly recommend a naturopath. I would go back if I could afford it. My naturopath seemed to care SO much for my health. She was so worried. It was nice to have someone care.
Posted 12/22/2008 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, and if you decide to go make sure you say you'll THINK about buying their products and come back!!!! Sometimes you can get certain things cheaper. Because you can easily leave with $100+ worth of stuff.
Posted 12/22/2008 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Just find a good one. Alternative medicine is not meant to be the same as our western medicine.
Posted 12/22/2008 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I got such wonderful help out of my visits with the Naturopath this year, including a better understanding of the disease than I ever got from the GIs in 20 years!
I selected him after studying the website on their practice, which I learned about from my cat's homeopathic vet. The guy I see practices with his brother, they are Iranian, and he had written many articles about digestive disorders, is very knowledgeable and has many patients with UC. The food sensitivity testing was $300 and not covered by insurance but was worth every penny, to know and not have to wonder. He also wanted me to get certain blood screens and told me to go to my regular doctor so it would be covered by insurance, so he is sensitive to that. I have found his prices for probiotics to be competitive with what I could buy them for online. His appts are $45-85 each, I also got some B-12 shots at $30 each. All this made me feel better, brought me out of a lingering flare that really had me worried.
He has suggested another cellular screening, but it's about $1200. He hasn't pushed it although it sounds very intriguing. They test your cells instead of just your blood, for any and all deficiencies. Then you know what supplements you really need.
For now he also suggested certain supplements, including licorice root that is supposed to strenghthen you colon, but I just can't get into the habit of taking them...I wish I could. Also, he gave me a rotational diet plan, which I have only managed to do partly, by trying not to eat the same food but every four days. I just don't eat at home often enough to do it right.

Maybe I got lucky, but I am SO grateful to have found him.
Posted 12/22/2008 11:55 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks guys. I think I might give her a try. My health plan should cover the initial visit plus one...so I should have an idea if I feel comfortable by then.

Even if she just gives me ideas about food sensitivities or helps me with a diet plan. Even suggests some pro-biotics or supplements.

I don't know. I just feel guilty if I'm not proactive...I don't want this disease to win.

Thanks for your inputs

Posted 12/23/2008 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
My naturopath (first time visit) knew that I had inflamation of the intestines by just taking pictures of my eye. He is one of the best of Puerto Rico. It's good to do a mixture of both, western medicine and alternative medicine, that got me into remission, worth the money. I started the "meds" that my naturopath said I should do almost 4 years ago and I'm getting intro remission again.
Posted 12/23/2008 1:23 AM (GMT 0)

Peety said...
which I learned about from my cat's homeopathic vet.

Wow, does the placebo effect work for pets or just their owners? Can parvo be treated with just a sugar pill, or pure water?

I am a little more interested in Naturopathy, and the tests sound impressive. I'll have to do a little research. I like the idea that these guys are a little more available and have more time spend with patients than a regular GP. That can be beneficial, but don't let them take you away from the establishment.
Posted 12/23/2008 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
A recent survey of doctors from the U.S. finds that nearly two out of three believe it is permissible to use placebos, and one out of two U.S. doctors prescribe placebos to their patients. Surveys of physicians in Israel, Denmark, and Great Britain reveal similar findings. This research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), has prompted well-known author Sally Satel, M.D., to comment on a recent Op/Ed page of the Wall Street Journal that the extent of the use of placebos is “disquieting, even unethical.”

Establishment.
Posted 12/23/2008 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
     I don't think they have Naturopaths in this area...are they the same as nutritionists?  Is chiropractic treatment considered like something along this line?  Years ago (when I was 15) I suffered from spasms of the stomach.  Whenever I ate it just felt like the food wasn't going down.  My family doctor gave me some horrible tasting medicine which never worked.  Someone referred my mom to a chiropracter and she took me.  Well, at first I had to go three times a week for about a month, then twice a week for another month and so forth.  He really helped me!!  It took about six months but I felt great...no stomach spasms.  I am kinda hesitant to go to one now because I have osteoporosis and don't need someone cracking my bones.
Posted 12/23/2008 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
It's just a another alternative medicine. I guess we are like alot of other professions. There are good docs and bad ones. Some do what they can get by with, and some go out of there way to learn everything and help as much as possible. Some employ alot of these other alternative health professions into their office or building so they can really try and help all aspects of a persons health. Actually with the tech we have today, I've treated 90 yr old osteoporotic patients with computerized adjusting.
Posted 12/23/2008 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
No, it is different from nutritionists or chiropractors, except that it's western and eastern medicine (at least mine is).

I'm sorry, you guys totally lost me on the placebo comments!
Posted 12/23/2008 6:43 AM (GMT 0)
I actually noticed that in reading a lot of posts at support boards here at HW and other places that people shared what their naturopathic docs were recommending and it seemed to be pretty much the same advice for IBDers in general, so I just sort of came to my own conclusion of what to try and basically did it on my own without paying someone to tell me what they pretty much tell every IBDer.

And I'll tell you one thing for sure, I never heard about any naturopath suggesting Bee propolis, I got that advice from a CDer at another board and am so gratefull I gave it a try because that gave me the most and almost immediate improvements compared to anything and everything eles I've tried and take.

:)
Posted 12/23/2008 5:49 PM (GMT 0)

I've tried one doc off the internet, one over the phone and one driving 3 hours to see him and he said he could "cure" me. To me, I've noticed they all have the same protocol, testing and supplementation and they all have the answers. This one I'm currently working with specializes in child with autism, I'm getting frustrated b/c I feel he's not researching the past appointments we've had, he's just supplementing me to no end and I explained this yesterday. I'm trying his protocol again, so far I'm just taking probiotics, prenatal (even though I'm not preggers, I need all the vitamins I can get) olive leaf extract, cod liver oil. I was told I have "bad bugs" in my gut a strain of bad bacteria that should not be there which is probably giving me my inflammation. I would love to pop antibiotics to rid myself of the "bad bugs" but the naturopath as we know do not believe in it, so I'm doing the olive leaf extract. I'm so frustrated to no end, b/c no one has the answer. I've spent over $30,000 in doctors, supplements, treatments you name it, I bought it.

I'm just believing one day I will wake up and the inflammation will be gone. No uc meds at this time. I go to the bathroom fruquently in the AM, PM I'm doing pretty good, durning the day, I'm fine, but it seems like the build up starts in the morning and continues all day and then I erupt in the morning. Call me Linda Volcano.

Posted 12/23/2008 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
What brand bee propolis do you get pb4? I tried three months of the stuff several years ago and never ordered it again.
Posted 12/23/2008 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Dr-A, I order mine from puritans pride online, it's 500mg and I take one pill 2X/day.

:)
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