Doctor who treats overall inflammation? Does such a thing exist?

I have hormoonal acne too and I've used spiro with good results - ortho wipes my acne out in 2-3 weeks every time. The problem with it is that estrogen seems to cause migraines. I was on a pill called cerazette which worked wonders for my period but eventually I broke out really badly. Now I am back on Mircette and I have migraines and spotting ALL the time but no acne. On cerazette, I had no spotting and no period for the most part. Sometimes I would have a day of light bleeding but nothing like a regular period. So strange how I spot on estrogen but without it I have great periods and pimples. My UC was also well behaved the whole time I was on cerazette. I think a smart doctor should be able to figure this out but they can't.

Well, I did some research and found a naturopath and a general practitioner who specializes in ayurvedic medicine. I emailed the ayurvedic doc to find out if she has experience treating UC along with various manifestations of inflammation and she said yup and that her aim will be to "stop the fire inside" my body. Can't hurt to give it a shot. Next up, will be that naturopath.

Here's what the doc wroteback: "Usually Ayurveda medicine can reduce symptoms in colitis with special diet, herbs and very often necessary changes in life style. Best would be a cleansing, which would take about a week. You very rarely can totally heal it. Polycystic ovary syndrome would need a slightly different approach."

So, itsalwayssomething, looks like you're right...

You might be better off researching on HealingWell and other support sites, especially if you have to pay completely out of pocket.

I've also noticed that a lot of naturopathic/alternative practitioners sell their own supplements at exorbitant prices, claiming that their products are higher quality. However, there's no way of knowing that because supplements are not regulated.

This is a fascinating thread!

Cherchezlafemme, I am in a similar situation and mindset right now in that I have IBD but a bunch of other I guess extra intestinal manifestation of IBD that are all inflammation based. I just had to go back on prednisone to calm my extra symptoms down (mouth sores, fevers) so I could avoid another hospital stay and I am very frustrated that all I am offered is strong possibly toxic drugs that aren't even getting to the root of whatever is making my body so angry. I looked into nutrition and supplements a couple years ago, and I know I need to see someone again to help me make sure I am on the right path.

Does anyone know if there is a significant difference between a Naturopath dr and a functional medicine dr?

cherchezlafemme - My naturopath (and my wife's homeopath) told me that eczema is usually caused by something that your body finds toxic. I had dyshidrodic eczema on the palms of my hands and the insoles of my feet. It was very very itchy with tiny serum filled blisters. It started slowly in mid Oct 2012 and progressively got worse. I saw my PCP and a dermatologist who diagnosed it. They both said there's no known cause or cure for this type of eczema and that I should use a steriod cream to "manage it". I was given a high potency steriod cream that I used on my feet and only sparingly on my hands (it was greasy like vaseline). The steriod seemed to help on my feet but as it improved on my feet, my hands got worse. This is just what my naturopath said would happen. That the steriod is just suppressing the problem and it would crop up somewhere else, which it did. He also said the eczema usually shows up on the inside flexor of a joint (behind knee, insoles, palms and psoriasis usually shows up on outside of joint flex points (elbows, knees). At the end of Dec, I stopped taking an iron supplement that I was taking for a low ferritin level. My ferrrtin was low and my PCP suggested I take an iron supplement to build it back up, which worked. But within days of stopping the iron supplement (MegaFood Blood Builder), the eczema just went completely away! I checked back to when I started taking the iron supplement, which was the end of Sept 2012. It was pretty easy to deduce that the iron supplement was causing the eczema. I talked to my wife's homeopath about it and she thought it was probably the yeast that was in the iron supplement that was causing the problem. My naturopath and PCP also agreed. So it was a big learning experience for me and now I know to do if it comes back - look for what's different in my diet, meds, or supplements. Also, I've learned through this and other experiences that a skin rash is a key sign of some type of adverse reaction to something you're taking or exposed to. Hope this us helpful.

I tried a naturopath, he did not tell me anything I did not already know from researching this disease. Worse I led with my reason for seeing him : Get LDN.

He went into his schpeel and never mentioned it. I asked his secretary to have him email me yes/no during payment and he never got back to me. That tells me all I need to know.

I strongly suggest you try this :

www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet
www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html

Compare 'celery raw' to 'ranch salad dressing' notice the inflammation factor, fullness factor, caloric ration and nutritional spectrums

Celery Raw : Inflammation Factor => 14

nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2396/2

Ranch : Inflammation Factor => -19

nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/7206/2