Success with integrative medicine?

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to ask if anyone has had success working with an integrative medical practice or doctor in treating lyme? Specifically one who is not listed as an LLMD.

I am seeing an LLMD now, the only one I could find in my state and get an appointment in quickly, but I question some of her methods and her competence.

I have been looking into other options and I know integrative medicine combines western medicine with holistic more natural options. They treat the whole person, not just the symptoms. It seems many of them work with chronic illness, I just don't see lyme on most lists.

Has anyone worked with an integrative medical doctor/practice and had success, even if lyme is not mentioned on their site?

No I haven't. It can be useful for some things but has its own limitations. I'm actually shadowing an integrative doctor right now and I've peeked at his textbooks in between patients. Interestingly some of them are fairly critical of chronic Lyme yet fairly supportive of homeopathy. Go figure. In my experiences as a patient I've often times just been sold a bunch of supplements that did nothing. Or diverted down unhelpful paths such as "toxic mold". But it really depends on the doctor. Many LLMD's are integrative doctors. Everyone has a different philosophy and part of the problem (and also benefit of it) is that these philosophies and approaches are not homogenized and standardized. So you very may well find someone who treats you the way you're looking to be treated, or someone who loads you up on unhelpful supplements. Just depends.

Psilociraptor said...
No I haven't. It can be useful for some things but has its own limitations. I'm actually shadowing an integrative doctor right now and I've peeked at his textbooks in between patients. Interestingly some of them are fairly critical of chronic Lyme yet fairly supportive of homeopathy. Go figure. In my experiences as a patient I've often times just been sold a bunch of supplements that did nothing. Or diverted down unhelpful paths such as "toxic mold". But it really depends on the doctor. Many LLMD's are integrative doctors. Everyone has a different philosophy and part of the problem (and also benefit of it) is that these philosophies and approaches are not homogenized and standardized. So you very may well find someone who treats you the way you're looking to be treated, or someone who loads you up on unhelpful supplements. Just depends.

This was helpful and good to know! I am trying to find the best treatment plan for me. I will have been on 8 weeks of antibiotics at the end of this month and just feel I have more symptoms from those then I do lyme itself. I do believe in pharmaceutical medicine as a treatment option, I just want less of it and more options to boost my immune system with natural substances as my symptoms are not debilitating or severe (at this time). If only the medical community would catch up to the times on lyme disease!

I strongly believe in functional medicine, which looks at addressing the root cause of an issue.

I personally believe in integrative medicine, which for me means combining the best of both worlds to help us individually.

I have had epic failures in BOTH allopathic and alternative medicines/practitioners.

The practitioners who have been the most helpful to us personally are a functional medicine MD and a naturopath. Both have their limitations but also strengths.

I have seen plenty of truly terrible MDs (allopathic), as well as various alternative practitioners who were not helpful (and, at times, rather harmful and toxic).

jrpsf said...
I see a Lyme Literate Naturopathic doctor. In most states they are able to rx all meds but controlled substances. They also have a very broad knowledge of herbs and support supplements.

Can they prescribe Mepron/malarone?


That was the issue with my LLND. (in BC, Canada)

Integrated ducs may look at things like clifford test ,4 pt adrenal, stool test , mineral balance ,emotional spiritual and structual health, methylation, sulferatuon ,ammonia and comt genes , they may have frequency medicine and or iv protocols like patricia kane ,uvb ,mah with ozone , mine has a compounding pham on site and lymph specialist and 2 apitherpists and a osteostrong ....

If they did script mepron i hope they would supp coq10 for the subsequent blues

BuckeyeSDH said...

k07 said...
What state? OH by chance?

Yes, I am located in Ohio

I’m near cinci. There’s 2 integrative practices here that treat lyme. One does mold as well. In my experience most integrative type docs are “lyme friendly” not necessarily lyme literate. I often know more than they do. That’s often an issue for me bc I lose trust. However, if they offer supportive treatment like iv’s, ozone, it may be worth it to try.

Girlie have you ever been to a functional or integrative duc? Are naturopaths the closest to up there..?

k07 said...

BuckeyeSDH said...

k07 said...
What state? OH by chance?

Yes, I am located in Ohio

I’m near cinci. There’s 2 integrative practices here that treat lyme.

K07 - the LLMD I am seeing is actually in the Cinci area. Do you have experience with Dr. R?

K07 can certainly email with any feedback they may have. I have seen others post with doctor initials and locations so I apologize if I broke any rules. THe forum moderators can certainly delete or edit the post if so.

Hi Gianna, welcome to our community

Did you recently get a tick bite that you know of?


(I'm wondering if your Lupus diagnosis was actually lyme all along)

i saw an integrative doctor and they did nothing but steal my money and lots of it! sure they knew a little about lyme and did some abx but it wasn't nearly enough to get me well. what they did a good job of is for me to take all sorts of high priced fancy supplements which were a waste of time.

some people rave about them but my wife and myself wasted our time and money there.

Buckeye - i sent you a message. I figured out who dr. R is. Have not heard anything about her.