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My wife is looking for a PCP in western Washington. Looking through past recommendations on this site it seems like the vast majority of recommendations are for NDs, with the rare superstar MD like Kaufman thrown in the mix. I was wondering what is it that results in the lists of doctors being so heavily skewed towards NDs?
Is it that NDs receive specialized training as part of their education that helps them better treat ME? That they are more open minded and therefore more willing to work with their patients in running tests a MD might think unnecessary? Is it just a matter of "traditional" medicine having a lot of harmful biases about ME so it's hard to find a MD who isn't just going to suggest CBT and GET? I would also think that a DO would offer a good balance between a ND and a MD but I don't see them recommended either, but maybe that's just cause there aren't a lot of them.
So: what type of doctor do you prefer, and why?
I've been calling doctors offices for a few days now and it seems like almost no one is seeing new patients. We've given up hopes of getting a doc who's an expert on ME, and just want to find someone who is compassionate and understanding and will stick with us trying to get some of my wife's symptoms under control. My wife was preferring not to see a ND - she had one when she first got sick and it wasn't a good experience and also they're not covered by our insurance, but ultimately we just want the best possible care for her regardless of the alphabet soup that comes after the doctors name.
Is it that NDs receive specialized training as part of their education that helps them better treat ME? That they are more open minded and therefore more willing to work with their patients in running tests a MD might think unnecessary? Is it just a matter of "traditional" medicine having a lot of harmful biases about ME so it's hard to find a MD who isn't just going to suggest CBT and GET? I would also think that a DO would offer a good balance between a ND and a MD but I don't see them recommended either, but maybe that's just cause there aren't a lot of them.
So: what type of doctor do you prefer, and why?
I've been calling doctors offices for a few days now and it seems like almost no one is seeing new patients. We've given up hopes of getting a doc who's an expert on ME, and just want to find someone who is compassionate and understanding and will stick with us trying to get some of my wife's symptoms under control. My wife was preferring not to see a ND - she had one when she first got sick and it wasn't a good experience and also they're not covered by our insurance, but ultimately we just want the best possible care for her regardless of the alphabet soup that comes after the doctors name.