What type of doctor has helped you the most? (MD, neuro, IM, FM, chiro, naturopath etc)

[eric_gladiator]

any! In my case they made me worse with drugs and strange effects, I should always have paid attention to continue with the natural

 

[Groggy Doggy]

Thanks for all your replies! I think I was hoping for a magic bullet of sorts (which I know doesn't exist )

I tend to agree that it's the individual doctor who is open-minded and willing to be educated, etc. who is the most effective, rather than any specialist. My original doctor who helped me get disability for ME/CFS (he died last year unfortunately) did not know much about ME/CFS (though who does?!), but he was extremely knowledgeable about nutrition and was also very open-minded and willing to help me try new things that I would bring to his attention. I haven't found anyone to replace him yet.

I did see Dr. Kaufman at OMI and he was not able to help me, though he was a nice man. Most of the help I have gotten has been either through my own research and self-experimentation or from muscle testing done by a competent practitioner.

I am going to see a naturopath/chiropractor/doctor of Oriental medicine on Thursday to see if he can help with sleep issues - it's a crap shoot, either he will or won't - wish me luck!

As another alternative health suggestion, is to find the very best acupuncturist in your area, to be a part of the new support team you are building. My goal is not to find a perfect cure from a provider (I consider this to be more of a fantasy) but to find treatments that improve my QOL over time. Some people get lucky and can make small adjustments to derive a big gain. Others like me, are more complex, and need complex solutions.

I wish you the best of luck!!!

 

[Bead Dog]

The best doctor that I have dealt with was cash only, specializing in osteopathic/homeopathic/acupuncture. After being seen regularly for three months ( without much improvement), he told me he could not really help me. Recommended I get an MRI. I appreciated his honesty.

 

[Mary]

As another alternative health suggestion, is to find the very best acupuncturist in your area, to be a part of the new support team you are building. My goal is not to find a perfect cure from a provider (I consider this to be more of a fantasy) but to find treatments that improve my QOL over time. Some people get lucky and can make small adjustments to derive a big gain. Others like me, are more complex, and need complex solutions.

I wish you the best of luck!!!

Thanks @Groggy Doggy! Yes, I don't have any hopes of a cure from anyone. Actually the only thing I am hoping for from the naturopath/Oriental medicine doctor/chiropractor is help with severe insomnia related to a benzo taper. I don't expect him to have any knowledge or expertise or ability to help re ME/CFS.

The reason I did this post is that from time to time I see posts where doctors have done what I consider to be extraordinary testing trying to figure things out (most don't) and I was wondering what types of doctors are most likely to do that. But again I am thinking, as others have said here, it really does have more to do with each individual doctor, rather than one specialty.

I have made many small adjustments over many years which have improved my QOL (a LOT of trial and many many errors) - but there's always a point past which I can't go (but I keep trying! )

 

[Groggy Doggy]

Thanks @Groggy Doggy! Yes, I don't have any hopes of a cure from anyone. Actually the only thing I am hoping for from the naturopath/Oriental medicine doctor/chiropractor is help with severe insomnia related to a benzo taper. I don't expect him to have any knowledge or expertise or ability to help re ME/CFS.

The reason I did this post is that from time to time I see posts where doctors have done what I consider to be extraordinary testing trying to figure things out (most don't) and I was wondering what types of doctors are most likely to do that. But again I am thinking, as others have said here, it really does have more to do with each individual doctor, rather than one specialty.

I have made many small adjustments over many years which have improved my QOL (a LOT of trial and many many errors) - but there's always a point past which I can't go (but I keep trying! )

Hoping the answers about getting a good night rest comes soon. And hoping it improves your QOL!

 

[Mary]

any! In my case they made me worse with drugs and strange effects, I should always have paid attention to continue with the natural

I don't do well with drugs either, and avoid them as much as possible. None of us are sick from lack of drugs.

 

[renski]

Functional medicine MD.. chiropractors and naturopaths are clueless and shouldn't be allowed to practice functional medicine

 

[Learner1]

Functional medicine MD.. chiropractors and naturopaths are clueless and shouldn't be allowed to practice functional medicine

I'm continually surprised by those who keep their heads so firmly in the sand dismissing promising solutions. And seek to dissuade others from these potentially promising approaches.

I have gotten excellent help from my naturopathic doctor and a noted ME/CFS specialist, both of whom practice functional medicine.

My naturopathic doctor has done excellent diagnostic lab work and prescribed a ketogenic diet, hormones, drugs, nutrients and botanicals that have kept me functioning. The specialist was able to take that good work and drill down deeper to get me farther down the road and I never would have sought him out without the work my ND had done.

This is after getting absolutely no help from over a dozen MDs, including a rheumatologist, an endocrinologist, a neurologist, a hematologist, and an infectious disease specialist.

Here is some info on functional medicine:

https://p.widencdn.net/xazlwe/Intro_Functional_Medicine

 

[Thinktank]

Doctors have only damaged me with their misdiagnosis and drugs, and i've seen many. I would be way more functional in life did i not follow their treatments. Story of my life.

 

[renski]

I'm continually surprised by those who keep their heads so firmly in the sand dismissing promising solutions. And seek to dissuade others from these potentially promising approaches.

I have gotten excellent help from my naturopathic doctor and a noted ME/CFS specialist, both of whom practice functional medicine.

My naturopathic doctor has done excellent diagnostic lab work and prescribed a ketogenic diet, hormones, drugs, nutrients and botanicals that have kept me functioning. The specialist was able to take that good work and drill down deeper to get me farther down the road and I never would have sought him out without the work my ND had done.

This is after getting absolutely no help from over a dozen MDs, including a rheumatologist, an endocrinologist, a neurologist, a hematologist, and an infectious disease specialist.

Here is some info on functional medicine:

https://p.widencdn.net/xazlwe/Intro_Functional_Medicine

I'm getting help from a functional medicine MD, but naturopaths/chiros stuffed me around. Good that you have had help from a naturopath.

 

[Learner1]

I'm getting help from a functional medicine MD, but naturopaths/chiros stuffed me around. Good that you have had help from a naturopath.

Thank you. I have.

I have had much worse care from MDs.

There are good and bad doctors of all types out there. Its important to ask questions and be a proactive patient to sniff out the good ones from the bad.

But bashing an entire profession because you had a bad experience might put off other patients that might find help from people with those credentials.

With the plethora of research on the metabalomics of CFS, we need to find providers who can help us get good lab work and try what are in essence, "experimental" treatments, as we all know there are no FDA approved treatments for CFS. And some of these treatments help some of us...there's no magic cure.

My ND does exactly that, but I have also met ARNPs, DCs, DOs, and MDs who can and do take a thoughtful well thought out functional medicine approach.

 

[Mary]

@renski - I have found that with whatever type of doctor I am working with, that I have to educate myself first. I would never put myself in someone else's hands and say, "fix me, I'll do whatever you want", regardless of whether it was an MD, naturopath, chiropractor, endocrinologist, etc. There are good and bad in all professions, though I've found regular MDs to be the most clueless and potentially most harmful for people with ME/CFS. They don't know what they don't know, and don't pay attention to how drugs actually affect people, and know very little about nutrition, etc.

As others have said, I think functional medicine doctors probably have the best record with regard to ME/CFS. And, I have had some very good results with my chiropractor. But I'm not saying all chiropractors can help with this illness. And again, I do a ton of research on my own and do my own experimenting, after educating myself, and then using muscle testing as a guide.

Many people on the board have had good results with B2. I tried it a couple of times and it never went well with me. I finally gave it up, but I don't blame the people who had good results. I have had good results with extra B1, though initially it boosted my energy and then wiped me out - and it was through my reading and muscle testing that I determined the B1 had caused my phosphorous levels tank - a hallmark of refeeding syndrome - and when I increased my phosphorous (primarily through kefir), I found my body liked B1 a lot. It's an involved story how I determined all this and won't go into it here, but the moral of the story is to learn as much as you can. I don't know if there is any doctor who can know as much as we seem to need to know.

 

[Alvin2]

Neurologist and supportive GP. I wanted some test done or a referral sent having someone willing to admit they can't do much but open minded is a god send (until a treatment is found).

One thing i've learned is that medicine is more about good physicians then it is about the condition, it should not be this way but finding good care only slightly easier then winning the lottery.