A Good Doctor?

[Zach Mitchell]

Hello All!

So I recently got my blood work done. I don't go to the Dr.'s office too often so I had just picked out the closest. BIG MISTAKE. Not only was it a chore explaining why I wanted certain tests done (A1c, Testosterone) and convince them that I found them necessary, I had to convince the Doc that my high fat/protein and low carb WASN'T Atkins and that it ACTUALLY IS healthy for me. Ofcourse when my results came back he was taken aback in disbelief. I believe he said something like, "if you come back in 6 months and these numbers get even better...than I will have to re-evaluate my nutrition perspective..."

Anyway...so now I am on the hunt for a Dr. like Dr. G. Someone who aligns well with my lifestyle. I know they're few and far between, but come on, there has to be SOMEONE in the Chicagoland area that I can trust!

Has anyone else had problems like this? It is kinda sad that as an athlete we know more about the right way to treat our bodies than professional physicians do!

Thanks in advance!

Zach

[Susie Rosenberg]

Originally Posted by Zach Mitchell

Hello All!

So I recently got my blood work done. I don't go to the Dr.'s office too often so I had just picked out the closest. BIG MISTAKE. Not only was it a chore explaining why I wanted certain tests done (A1c, Testosterone) and convince them that I found them necessary, I had to convince the Doc that my high fat/protein and low carb WASN'T Atkins and that it ACTUALLY IS healthy for me. Ofcourse when my results came back he was taken aback in disbelief. I believe he said something like, "if you come back in 6 months and these numbers get even better...than I will have to re-evaluate my nutrition perspective..."

Anyway...so now I am on the hunt for a Dr. like Dr. G. Someone who aligns well with my lifestyle. I know they're few and far between, but come on, there has to be SOMEONE in the Chicagoland area that I can trust!

Has anyone else had problems like this? It is kinda sad that as an athlete we know more about the right way to treat our bodies than professional physicians do!

Thanks in advance!

Zach

"Regular" allopathic doctors---which means most MDs and DOs---are trained to treat diseases using drugs or surgery. For the most part, their training focuses on pathology and linear casualities. They are not trained to think systemically about disease, either, as in, "what's going on in my patient's life that increased his/her susteptibility to illness?" They are taught very, very little about health, and even less about fitness. (I am an MD btw, and a former nurse, so I speak at least two professional "languages.")

If I broke my leg, I'd look for treatment from an orthopedic surgeon, not an herbalist. If I want help with maximizing wellness or fitness, I'd seek out well-trained coaches, naturopathic physicians (with ND degree), acupuncturists, chiropracters, and holistic MDs.

I get my health care from a holistic nurse pratictioner who works with a complementary medicine MD, a naturopathic MD, and a group with massage therapists, Reiki masters, acupuncture and Chinese medicine practictioners.

Good luck!

Susie

[John Alston]

Zach, do his patients, and their families, a favor and get a blood test in 6mon showing your continued excellent blood profile, show it to the doc, and you'll open the doc's mind big time. Shoot, you should ask him to pay for it.

[Zach Mitchell]

John,

I hope so. I guess I am more or less trying to prepare for the worst. That being the scenario where he is still skeptical and I have to take ANOTHER test or some crazy thing. Meanwhile I have other problems that I believe could be properly treated if I went to someone who comprehended my lifestyle. But I fully agree about how much good that would do for his life should he realize the real reasons my blood results are improving.

Susie,

The for the great buzz words. I will start researching those types of docs in my area!

Thank you for the responses!

Zach

[Tony Ferous]

You could try one of these, i found one who was more than happy to test for T and a battery of other stuff...

http://www.lef.org/doctors/directoryofdoctors01.htm

[Garrett Smith]

Zach,
I do work with people (and their labs) via phone, if you are interested. Folks who want to do this need to have their own PCP and realize that they are technically only receiving health advice/suggestions, not medical prescriptions.

While it may not be covered by insurance, I'm also of the belief that any test that you want run, you should be able to get run no problem. It's your body.

[Patrick Donnelly]

Re: Zach
I don't have any doctor recommendations, but I would like to say that I agree with John. Take the second blood test in a few months! Also, if you have a FitDay and a workout log, keep them up to date.

[Yael Grauer]

I am really lucky in that I have a kick-ass doc who will run any test I want her to run. She does say she's limited to running tests that she can convince the insurance I need to have done, and wants to do so in a way that won't make me look like I have prior conditions (so my insurance won't go up) so we find creative (and honest) ways to get around that...family histories, etc.

[Camille Lore]

Thanks for providing that link. It turned up several in my area. Is there a similar listing for NDs?

[Garrett Smith]

www.findnd.com

http://naturopathic.org/findannd.php

I'd suggest you look to both sites, as not all NDs are listed on both.