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Best use of money

Messages
43
I am on disability and money is pretty tight. We have enough to buy good quality food (not organic) with lots of veggies and a lot of chicken. I am looking to maximize a one time payout of 800 USD. I live in Canada so if I can convince my doctor she can run blood tests for free. I don't have 3rd party insurance to pay part of the naturopaths fee.

I wanted help in evaluating what my best course of action should be. I sent an email to a naturopath in Cali and realized that getting her help would be out of my price range. She charged 500ish for the first session and then suggested the Yasko protocol, which I imagine involves supplements that aren't cheap. As well there are blood test and follow up sessions.

I have been doing my best learning about the different protocols but there is so much I don't know and can't understand.

Most articles suggest getting medical help but there are no mthfr practitioners in a 5 hour radius. And if they charge what the lady above charges they might as well be on the moon.

Thx.

+/+: VDR:BSM, ApoE4
+/-: MAOA, ACAT1_2, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTHFR P39P, MTRA2576G, BHMT-02, BHMT-08, CBS C699T
 

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
Most articles suggest getting medical help but there are no mthfr practitioners in a 5 hour radius. And if they charge what the lady above charges they might as well be on the moon.

@sleepingbeautycan I can understand your dilemma. My city has two functional medicine doctors, but they charge either $450 or $500 for a half-hour appointment -- definitely not affordable, especially for those of us whose disability incomes have been eaten away by decades of inflation. I've sometimes wondered what the fees are for "skype" appointments with practitioners in other locations. After all, we Canadians are usually required to have our specialty medical tests done in the US -- an additional cost on top of the appointment fee. Then, with the exchange rate . . . it's not a pretty picture. I hope someone can provide suggestions for you.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
I sent an email to a naturopath in Cali and realized that getting her help would be out of my price range.

I don't know if this will be of any help but am hoping it will. I live in Cali and saw an ND for about six months (early 2014) that was ultimately of no use for me. Naturopaths in CA are never reimbursable by any insurance company so it is all private pay and they are fighting this law. In some other states, however, insurance will reimburse for ND's. I am not sure how this will relate to being in Canada but I wondered if you chose one not in CA, if this could change anything insurance-wise?

Also, I would laser focus as much as you can to what is your specific problem and try to target that. When I saw the naturopath, I had absolutely no idea what was wrong with me (except I knew I had hashimoto's and suspected POTS) and I tried a million tests and supplements with her which were a complete waste of my time and money in retrospect.)

At present, I have a much better idea of what is wrong and am focusing my energy and money in that direction. It is not easy and I was just flat-out denied treatment that I thought I was going to get so am starting over with Plan B. But my long-winded point, is to find whoever you think is the best match for your current issues and just b/c an ND is in Cali, doesn't mean they have a clue (and am speaking as someone who lives here.)

Best wishes!
 
Messages
43
LOL... I don't think it was because she was in Cali. It was because she was recommended as a person who knew her stuff. But if I can't afford it, It isn't an option, even if she does live in the land of sunshine and unicorns ;-).

That is a really good idea about figuring out what is wrong with me. It is hard to know as it keeps changing. I guess I could distill it down into 4 things that stop me from working and go from there.
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
I think spending on doctors is a bad idea, especially if you can't afford to do followups with the same doctor.

Did you already have a genetic test? I would try to get one for free, but if not, I think $100-150 on that makes sense. Then you can figure out what supplements to take for free, or by doing $5-15 reports, or finding someone for around $35-75.

Then about $150 on the supplements based on your MTHFR results, and I would suggest at least another $50 of other supplements, unless you've tried lots and lots of them already.
 

PeterPositive

Senior Member
Messages
1,426
@sleepingbeautycan I can understand your dilemma. My city has two functional medicine doctors, but they charge either $450 or $500 for a half-hour appointment -- definitely not affordable
Holy crap on a cracker!! :jaw-drop:
$500 for 1/2 hour consultation? $1000 an hour?
Do they offer you at least a glass of champagne and caviar tarts while at their office? :lol:
 
Messages
43
I think spending on doctors is a bad idea, especially if you can't afford to do followups with the same doctor.

I guess that makes sense. I guess I am wondering if I can figure it all out.

Did you already have a genetic test? I would try to get one for free, but if not, I think $100-150 on that makes sense. Then you can figure out what supplements to take for free, or by doing $5-15 reports, or finding someone for around $35-75.

I got the 23andme test for my birthday. I am compound MTHFR and a bunch of other reds and yellows. I have made about 3 run throughs of the data and keep learning new things. I noticed a couple snps that could point to heavy metal issues (apoe4 (+/+) and I can't find the other one =(. I've never considered heavy metals could be a big problem because I never had fillings and haven't considered myself having a high level of exposure. But when I think about when I had really severe health issues is when I started some health regimen that had a chelation component to it.

Then about $150 on the supplements based on your MTHFR results, and I would suggest at least another $50 of other supplements, unless you've tried lots and lots of them already.

I am hoping that I can figure stuff out. Thanks for your help.
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
Did you get a "Detox Profile" for free from Genetic Genie? That might show the other SNP you can't find.

Maybe you could get your doctor to check some blood levels of heavy metals, or pay for a hair analysis.
 

Kathevans

Senior Member
Messages
689
Location
Boston, Massachusetts
I am compound MTHFR
Meaning +/+? You don't list it in your signature, so I just wanted to clarify. As to your BHMT snp, zinc is a cofactor for it, and could help it to function better, thus improving what Yasko calls the short loop, or some such in the Methionine Pathway. I've found it's better to take lower doses--I haven't gone higher than 25mg, as I don't want to throw my copper out of balance. check out pumpkin and sunflower seeds, one of them is high in zinc, the other in copper. It's one small way of keeping things in line.

Good luck. Your list is long!
 

Johnmac

Senior Member
Messages
756
Location
Cambodia
I've slogged thru most of my problems myself. I had an awful lot more time to give than a doc would have. I saw docs occasionally (usually to get tests), but overall I made better decisions that the docs did.

There's a lot of free help out there. I've learned three progressively better methylation protocols here, for example, that have turned my health around in important ways.

I am on disability and money is pretty tight. We have enough to buy good quality food (not organic) with lots of veggies and a lot of chicken. I am looking to maximize a one time payout of 800 USD. I live in Canada so if I can convince my doctor she can run blood tests for free. I don't have 3rd party insurance to pay part of the naturopaths fee.

I wanted help in evaluating what my best course of action should be. I sent an email to a naturopath in Cali and realized that getting her help would be out of my price range. She charged 500ish for the first session and then suggested the Yasko protocol, which I imagine involves supplements that aren't cheap. As well there are blood test and follow up sessions.

I have been doing my best learning about the different protocols but there is so much I don't know and can't understand.

Most articles suggest getting medical help but there are no mthfr practitioners in a 5 hour radius. And if they charge what the lady above charges they might as well be on the moon.

Thx.

+/+: VDR:BSM, ApoE4
+/-: MAOA, ACAT1_2, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTHFR P39P, MTRA2576G, BHMT-02, BHMT-08, CBS C699T