Holostic dr. - Alternative Medicine Message Board

whatishappening · 10-28-2007, 08:45 AM

Hi, has anyone here gone to a holistic dr ? Just wondering if anyone has had some positive results that they couldn't get from a md.

Shannatoo · 10-28-2007, 07:43 PM

Well I have been seeing a naturopathic doctor for four months now and it is the best decision I have ever made! While I do believe that a MD could have treated my problems, there is no doubt it would have been through several medications. Instead, I am taking a few dietary supplements that have no side effects and no long term effects on the liver!

Also, the personal level holistic or specifically naturopathic care is exceptional. I am only 18 but I have never had a doctor spend that much time with me and genuinely cared about me as a whole person, not just my symptoms.

The only downfall of holistic care is that many insurance companies do not cover the costs. However if you can afford it (my visits are $80 for 30 minutes plus the cost of supplements), definitely go for it!

Good Luck!

Shanna

stephanie867 · 10-29-2007, 02:53 PM

I love my naturopathic doctor. Actually, I've seen 2. The lady I was seeing closed her office because her husband got transferred. She was wonderful. I am now seeing a male doctor and he's just fantastic. He CARES. He doesn't bring me into his office, prescription pad in hand, and see how fast he can get me out of there.

Even the atmosphere is different. There are candles burning in the waiting room, soft music playing, and it's painted in reds and golds, not "doctor's office white".

The only drawback is that you need to make appts. well in advance. If you wake up ill in the morning and feel like you need a doctor (pink eye, ear infection, etc.) chances are that I wouldn't be able to be seen that day. So what he recommended was that I still keep up a relationship with an md's office for those types of emergencies...BUT, just let them know that I'm there for a diagnosis, then when I find out what's wrong, call him and he'll give me something homeopathic.

Some insurances will cover naturopaths. I have Anthem...and there are no naturopathic doctors listed under my insurance coverage...but I called their customer service dept and asked them if they had a list of naturopathic doctors that are covered and they did. Just seems that part of their website wasn't working that day...hmmmm...frankly, I just don't think they're all that up on naturopaths. But there are 5 or 6 in my area that were covered and I'm in a pretty small town.

I really believe that homeopathic remedies are the way to go. My son is 11 and has had the sniffles and cough for almost a month. We've tried all the over the counter stuff, and a prescription from his pediatrician. Nothing has helped. I gave him some homeopathic stuff that I bought online, and within 2 days, he's all cleared up and feeling tons better....

whatishappening · 10-29-2007, 03:12 PM

Hi, thanks for responding ! I totally agree with you about them caring about you as a person. I actually went to a holistic dr. about two weeks ago and had an hour consulation ! They are looking into the source of my problem as just opposed to my dr. giving me meds. Well to make a long story short, i am having food allergy testing along with other tests done soon. I have bad authritis in my knees kind of like Rhum. authritis. And my dr. actually thinks i might have a food allergy that caused all of this ! It is expensive to go there, god it is !! But if they can fix me !! I have to have my liver watched with blood tests so nothing goes wrong ect... with taking my meds, it sucks. So w/b if you feel like talking .

stephanie867 · 10-31-2007, 12:23 PM

Just a quick story that might be interesting to you....

My son started having allergies when he was about 7 or 8. He sniffled and sneezed all year round. His pediatrician put him on Zyrtec. He was on it probably 10 months out of the year. It got to the point where even the zyrtec wasn't helping anymore.

I took him to see my naturopath when he was 11. She did food allergy testing and determined he had a dairy allergy. Every single dairy item she tested, he came back allergic to. She told me to take him off zyrtec & put him on a vitamin C powder and a probiotic powder and then told him to limit his dairy intake (no more milk - just rice milk; no cheese, no ice cream, but yogurt in small amounts was ok). Her belief was that the dairy allergy was causing his sinus issues.

My son loves dairy products...I told him to give it 6 months and if it didn't work, then we'd go back to the pediatrician.

In 2 months, his nose cleared up. Completely.

He's 14 now, and still limits his dairy products. And when his nose starts to feel sniffly or he knows he's got parties coming up, he comes and takes his "powders" because he knows they'll help him feel better. He just started taking them again last week, in fact, ...he's got a Halloween party, a couple of birthday parties, then Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. He'll be eating lots of pizza and probably ice cream and doesn't want to worry about his nose stuffing up. The vitamin C, as I understand it, helps with inflammation in the high dose that he was given, and the probiotic helps with his digestion of the dairy products.

I asked the pediatrician what she thought about what the naturopath said. She wrinkled her nose and said "I'm sure it's just a coincidence...children grow into and out of allergies all the time.". Yeah, some coincidence!