Dr. Deichert in Seattle

[Valentijn]

He has an office at the Institute of Complementary Medicine on Jefferson St in Seattle, and is quite awesome. He's a naturopathic doctor that teaches at Bastyr University in Seattle, and is a Nurse Practitioner.

He doesn't know about CFS but was very up front about that and interested in learning more. The first appointment was $120 without insurance, and lasted about 75 minutes. He took a detailed history, and had all my info on medications and such.

Despite not know about CFS, he suggested checking my cortisol and epinephrine/norepinehprine levels, and starting on an elimination diet on the short term. He thought I was already on the right supplements (richvank's protocol basically) and just suggested adding D-ribose to it after the elimination diet. He also suggested I get checked for active viruses when I get back to the Netherlands, since my insurance has a better chance of covering it there and it's expensive.

Basically he's going for a whole body approach, in ways consistent with what the CFS experts recommend, despite that he doesn't know anything about CFS. I was impressed that he took such a multi-system view of my problems, and is tackling it from all angles.

 

[*GG*]

So you traveled to the US to see this guy? Curious also as to why you chose him over many others?

GG

 

[Valentijn]

I came to Seattle to visit family and my mom wanted me to see a naturopath where she and my aunt go, and he was available and had a very well-rounded background, including cardiovascular. Basically I got lucky I think

 

[*GG*]

I came to Seattle to visit family and my mom wanted me to see a naturopath where she and my aunt go, and he was available and had a very well-rounded background, including cardiovascular. Basically I got lucky I think

Nice, he sounds good and reasonably priced!

GG

 

[zoe.a.m.]

I had some pretty good experiences with Bastyr when I first got ill and was living about 2 hrs from Seattle. Over time I found out about someone who basically wasn't listed anywhere (just word of mouth for his work with CFS patients) and, even though he is not your average naturopath, I can now look back and see sometimes just how ahead of what was happening to me he was. If you would ever like his name--I know he has patients in Europe, Australia, etc.--and does phone appointments either with salivary samples or another kind of device, let me know. In the meantime, glad you had a good experience with Bastyr. I've worked with 2 amazing acupuncturists who started at Bastyr. WA state is pretty unique in its supply of well-versed alternative docs!

 

[Valentijn]

In the meantime, glad you had a good experience with Bastyr. I've worked with 2 amazing acupuncturists who started at Bastyr. WA state is pretty unique in its supply of well-versed alternative docs!

I've always been a bit leery of naturopaths ... it seems like some practitioners (and patients) view it with almost religious zeal as the One True Way to Healing. But using it as one part of the approach to healing seems much more practical and useful, especially if it includes more of a whole-body approach than specialized medicine these days.