<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I'm finally getting around to posting the rest of this summary.  I almost
forgot about it!  I originally posted the success I had in recovery from
serious GI disease under the care of an excellent naturopath in Seattle
named Patrick Donovan.
        Please note, that I'm not an anti-MD fanatic.  When you're having chest
pains or get involved in a serious accident, etc., who you gonna call?  I
hope it's your MD, not your ND.  But I believe that many, many
chronically ill people could benefit from the care of an ND.  I also
believe that many serious illnesses can be prevented by following the
advise of NDs.  NDs are especially good at preventive medicine & in
helping the chronically ill recover energy, stamina and health through
nutrition, herbs, homeopathics, etc.  Those are the areas of training
that most MDs are lacking in.  However, more & more MDs these days are
pursueing studies in these areas.  And, of course, there are those MDs
who are really celiac savvy (Steven Holland, Dr. Mercola, Dr. J. Wright,
Dr. Braly to name a few), but most of us don't have access to these guys.

        I also believe that it's not a good idea to pin too much hope on any one
practicioner to cure all that ails you.  No single individual health care
practicioner has all the answers.  While I struggled to recover from the
most severe part of my illness, I benefitted from the care of an MD
internist, two naturopaths, one holistic MD and my family MD.  I was
helped to some degree from each of them.  But, the care that helped me
most was from the ND, and even he didn't find everything that could help
me.  I'm now under the care of a different ND (Katie Data in Fife, WA)
who is helping me with my hormone levels which were ravaged as a result
of years of untreated CD.  I've only seen her once & there are already
measurable improvements in my well being.  I also believe it's important
to educate yourself as much as possible about your condition.  I have a
library of medical self help books and medical texts.  I've read &
studied every one in my quest for better health.  I can honestly say that
I've gathered at lease one piece of helpful information that I've been
able to apply to improve my health from each book I've read.  ~Valerie in
Tacoma
        Here are some the responses I received.  [My comments in brackets.]
--------------
Valerie, it is primarily through your posts that we decided to try
naturopaths and were able to help my daughter to recover as much as we
have (she was diagnosed in April 2003).
        She is still not 100%, but she is off the Nexium and Prevacid and
Prilosec (what worked for her was DGL Plus which was recommended by a
naturopath, which bolstered her stomach mucous) and finding out she had
a casein allergy (lactase was not enough) and taking about 10 supplements
a day.  (When she stopped taking the supplements, she got worse in a
hurry.)  She still has way too many days of headaches and stomach aches
despite our being  religious about being GF, so something is still going
on, but she is definitely doing better.
        All the healing that is going on for her is due to naturopaths - NOT
MDs.
        I guess I should add that in our experience, not all naturopaths are
equally trained or effective (just like any other profession, I suppose).
 We saw one naturopath for a couple of sessions and her approach was
neither compatible with our daughter, nor helpful.  She prescribed about
30 supplements a day (none of them glutamine, mind you) and a powder that
my daughter refused to take and which made her feel sick  when she took a
dosage about 1/10th of the prescribed level in a capsule.  Her attitude
was to keep taking it anyway, even if she
had to take it in capsules - as many as 36 capsules a day plus the other
supplements.  That's a lot of pills for a 12-year old to take every
day!!!  However, it was when the naturopath discussed homeopathy with me
that I decided she didn't know what she was talking about and we decided
not to return. ( I am a big fan of homeopathy -- enough to know that her
approach was not consistent with what I have read.)
        Then we followed friends' recommendations to a different naturopath who
has been much more helpful.
        If you do a summary, I encourage you to let people know that if they go
to one naturopath and the experience isn't helpful, other naturopaths
might be better.  Recommendations from friends and acquaintenances with
similar (or other complex) problems really helps in finding a good
practitioner.  Jackie
[DGL is one of the things that helped me, too.  I read about it in a book
by Jonathan Wright MD ND.]
-------------
After a slew of regular MDs I found a wonderful naturopath who actually
has celiac too! She truly understands what we are all going through! I
have only seen her twice so far but she has already helped immensely. It
turns out my ferretin levels are horrible (8!) yet I had the best blood
count ever! Also, I tested positive for leaky gut and my hormones are off
(low estrogen and high androgens) which I am told is my body's way of
repairing itself after chronic stress.  I am so thankful to have found
her! If only I had found a naturopath before enduring all of these health
problems and 6 years of infertility!  My nat. doctor is Christine Doherty
and her site is www.nashuanaturalmedicine.com  Christine in NH
-----------------
Your story is very much like mine.  I went to Dr. Lamson ND, at Tahoma
Clinic.  I was so tired.  He pulled me out of a "death spiral."  He
claims I did it.  But he put me onto an elevated path for nutrition.  But
not before the ravages of malnutrition.  In my case, the ravages manifest
as achlorhydria (stomach acid not released), tinnitus (ears ringing) and
peripheral neuropathy (pain in toes and fingers).  I learned what happens
when those nerves and their little protective coatings miss their meals
of essential vitamins and minerals.  God bless
you, Earl in Seattle.
[Dr. Lamson makes a good point.  You did it; he only advised you.  I
believe real health care IS self care.  The sooner people understand that
the better off they are!  A lot of people are basically lazy about health
care.  They expect a little pill to do it all for them.  We celiacs know
better!]
-------------
I turned to a naturopath out of frustration with mainstream medical
science - I wanted to know what was causing my problems and how to
prevent and stop causing them!  My naturopath was like a miracle worker
for me!
Presently, I manage my celiac disease (among my other medical issues)
using the wisdom of my naturopath along with my medical doctors'
knowledge.  Peggy nh


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