Advice about Alternative Medicine
Parent Q&A
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Seeking Treatment for Severe Gastroparesis/Colon Inertia
–Jan 17, 2025I am desperately seeking GI specialists who deal with gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, motility, and colonic inertia. Both the diagnosis and cause are unknown. I'm also looking for alternative therapies to address this problem, such as vagal nerve stimulation, acupuncture, and anything else that might relieve the symptoms of this condition: nausea, pain, and total inability to vacate. We've done an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and CT scan, none of which showed anything. Thank you so much.
Jan 17, 2025Functional Health Doctor for Deeply Exhausted Mom
–Oct 23, 2024I’m in my early 40s with two young kids, and though I have always felt “deeply exhausted,” more recently I have felt such deep deep levels of exhaustion that it has caught me a bit off guard. No amount of sleep makes me feel better, and I’m beginning to feel pain in my body.
I don’t eat well nor do I exercise - I’m just trying to juggle life is an active mother, lawyer, cook, cleaner, etc.What I’m looking for is a functional medicine doctor that can help me through what I’m hoping to be a journey to good health. Maybe even a message therapist too? I want to fix this, but I don’t know where to start really.
Oct 23, 2024Functional Medicine Doctor
–Feb 25, 2023Hello, I'm looking for recommendations for a functional medicine doctor for my 75-year old mother. She has, among other things, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, low sodium levels, and a poorly functioning kidney, some of which seems to have been caused by various medicines she's been prescribed. She sees a long list of specialists but I'm not convinced that any of them are looking at her health holistically or considering the new problems they may be creating with the solutions they provide. Thank you for any recommendations. We are in the East Bay (Berkeley area) but willing to travel.
Feb 25, 2023Hello,
I am the primary and sole custodial parent of a 13 year old, and a DV survivor. I was diagnosed with IBS in 2018. Is started overnight on day, so I strongly doubted being handed my doctor's "chronic illness with no cure" sentence. I have since treated for SIBO three times (2x antibiotics, 1x herbal) and am currently treating for Candida. My hunch is it could be both, also with some Vagus nerve disregulation due to prolonged stress and trauma. We live in West Oakland, and I have just discovered air pollution can cause this. I feel neglected by the medical system and potential bait for endless, expensive, exploitative alternative services. Does anyone know of a highly experienced, skillful functional medicine doctor who can provide care on a sliding scale or find a way to use my insurance? I am not at the beginning of this journey. My level of health knowledge and action is high. My dysfunction is currently disabling.
THANK YOU!
Nov 17, 20224 month old - alternative practitioner for reflux?
–Dec 30, 2021Hi there, we have a four month old who I (and a doctor) suspect has acid reflux. We’re dealing with lots of crying, spit up, back arching, only feeding when drowsy, etc. I’m wondering if anyone has a recommendation for an osteopath / naturopath / or chiropractic care to effectively deal with a similar issue. Thanks!
Dec 30, 2021I'm a 40 ish year old mom of a 1 1/2 year old and I'm curious about any integrative medicine practitioners that anyone has used for anxiety. I'm looking for a practitioner that has more of a holistic approach. Preferably someone who works online with telemedicine.
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thank you!
Dec 13, 2021Looking for Alternatives
–Aug 28, 2020I have been experiencing total body responses to most food. This started suddenly and has been getting worse over two months. Western medicine MDs have done lots of tests - no diagnosis, no remedies. I am looking for recommendations for alternative practice providers - Naturopathic, Chinese Medicine, etc. Please, if you have ideas for me or have experienced similar reactions (joint swelling/pain, airway constriction, etc.) I would love to hear from you. I am currently limited to approx 10 foods. Thank you
Aug 28, 2020Holistic healthcare providers for PMDD
–Mar 5, 2019Hello,
I'm slowly realizing that what has previously been diagnosed as anxiety/depression might actually be premenstrual dsyphoric disorder (PMDD). I talked with my Kaiser doctor and psychiatrist about it and they didn't have much to offer other than hormonal birth control or a SSRI. I'd like to explore more holistic approaches, such as acupuncture, herbs, specific exercise or diets, as well as social support from other women/parents who struggle with this. Any leads welcome, or personal messages if you have experience navigating this. Thanks!
Mar 5, 2019Seeking Functional Medicine MD
–Jan 15, 2018Hello!
I am looking for recommendations for a Functional Medicine MD in the east bay to treat low energy/fatigue, very difficult PMS, depression and anxiety.
Thank you,
Brooke
Jan 15, 2018Good Holistic Doctor?
–Nov 5, 2017I am trying to help my friend find a good holistic doctor in the Berkeley area. Any leads/ information would be appreciated.
Nov 5, 2017Heavy metal hair testing for two year old
–Apr 11, 2017We are investigating some persistent health concerns and temperament issues with my younger daughter, and our practitioner has suggested doing some heavy metal testing (using hair analysis, rather than the more accurate urine). I am wondering if others have undertaken this with such a young child, and if so, what it has shown and how they have addressed any deficiencies, excesses, imbalances, or disregulation that has shown up. I am a fan of alternative modalities, and use homeopathy, acupuncture, et al. frequently, but have never gone this route in particular. Thank you.
Apr 11, 2017
Archived Q&A and Reviews
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Dr Sergio Azzolino in SF does great functional medicine for these kinds of symptoms. Good luck!
I'm in a similar situation. Have had all the same tests, none of which showed anything. Have also seen three different Kaiser GI specialists all of whom had no ideas. Everyone just ends up giving you a generic "IBS" diagnosis which just means "something is happening but we don't know what it is." I ended up paying $900 out of pocket (yes, that's right, $900) for a 30 minute virtual appointment with a GI specialist at Stanford's motility clinic. She also had nothing more to offer than a "slow motility" diagnosis, the usual over-the-counter constipation suggestions, and the depressing news that this sort of thing often never gets better.
The thing that has actually been the most help to me is the constipation advice reddit pages. Every possible idea you could try, both western and alternative, can be found here. I suggest this as a good starting place: https://www.reddit.com/r/ConstipationAdvice/comments/inylod/step_1_lets_identify_your_issue_start_here/
My answers is dated (~8 years ago) since my gastroparesis symptoms improved over the years and with significant diet changes (cut out sugar and did keto, and now still doing high protein/low sugar diet), but I figure I'd contribute in case it's helpful.
Locally the GI doctors I saw checked gut bacteria and did the endoscopy and colonoscopy with no luck. Just knew from the gastric emptying test that I had gastroparesis with unknown cause and uncertain what to do to not feel so awful. Out of desperation and because it was covered by my insurance at the time, I booked an appointment at the Mayo clinic in Minnesota. An acquaintance recommended it as she had a daughter who had debilitating GI problems that weren't being resolved with doctors locally, and the doctors at Mayo ended up identifying the cause and fixed the problem (was a surgery in a very specific part between the stomach/small intestine, don't fully remember the details). I didn't have that same experience unfortunately, but I did like how thorough they were in checking what they could, and knowing the daughter's experience if there is some obscure cause contributing to someone's particular case they may be able to identify and address it.
Another route to consider is seeing a functional medicine doctor to help improve symptoms. I've seen Dr. Onna Lo (https://onnalomd.com, she's in Albany, but can do telehealth appointments) for other health questions recently and I know she frequently works with patients who have GI issues. Someone like her may be able to do a broader exam and have different supplemental/dietary/etc recommendations that might improve symptoms.
I also followed Crystal Saltrelli (https://www.livingwellwithgastroparesis.com) who has gastroparesis and created a wealth of content over the years for how to navigate living with the condition.
I hope others can chime in with more recommendations and I wish you good luck in getting better. It was a truly awful few years feeling sick everyday and hope you can find ways to feel better.
Biofeedback for this specific problem. Ask your gastroenterologist. Kids can do it as well as adults.
Been there. I was on a medication for a nasty colon infection. When i stopped the medication everything stopped. I tried everything over the counter. Acupuncture. Gastro guy who told me I had IBS (after 5 minutes) and shoved some pills at me. Colonics (helped), didn't solve. Walked 6 times a day, huge amounts of water, fiber, warm lemon water first thing in a.m., etc.Then, I spoke with an Ayurvedic practitioner and she recommended a remedy called Triphala. I was skeptical. After 3 days everything changed. It was easy. None of that Montezuma's revenge purging. No pain, no cramping. It seriously changed my life for the better. I referred it to a friend who had lung surgery and was on opioids. She was miserable. Triphala helped her in 3 days. I use Organic India Brand, but there are others. 2 caps in a.m. before a meal, two at bed (no eating after). I rarely have to take it but it is a staple in my home, especially when i travel. Everyone's system is different, and this may not help, but I was desperate after 2 weeks and fortunately Triphala worked for me.