Where to turn when traditional Western medicine fails

I’ve hit a road block yet again.

Three weeks ago I made an appointment with my endocrinologist because I haven’t been feeling all that great. I’ve been gaining weight instead of losing weight even though I’m working out and eating healthy, I feel bloated and swollen more often than not, hot flashes, significant pain in my wrist and hip and just plain ‘ole tired & lethargic.

So he ordered a panel of blood tests and everything came back normal (don’t you just love when they say that - what the hell is normal anyway? Just because it’s considered normal for some people, doesn’t mean it’s normal for my body). All except my growth hormone; it was on the low side.

He wanted to make sure that it was in fact low, so he had me do another test and sent it off to a specialist…2 & 1/2 weeks later I got a call saying that my growth hormone is in the normal range. There is nothing more frustrating than a doctor telling me there’s nothing wrong, that all my tests are normal when I don’t feel normal. It makes me feel like it’s all in my head, like I’m going crazy. But I know it can’t all be in my head because my symptoms are real.

I was talking to a friend earlier this week about my dilemma and she suggested taking a different approach to my health care - what about seeing a doctor who has holistic approach, a doctor who not only treats the symptoms, but focuses on the body as a whole?

At this point in my recovery, I don’t know that there’s any hard evidence of what’s causing my current aliments. I think my body is simply unbalanced. Personally I feel there’s a time & a place for Western medicine, but I don’t think it’s the end all, be all either. I think taking a more natural approach is definitely worth exploring at this point.

So based on a recommendation from this friend, I made an appointment at The Institute of Complementary Medicine. Their philosophy is that ‘health is more than the absence of disease; it is a state in which the body, mind, and spirit thrive in balance. Our approach to medicine recognizes that without addressing the underlying imbalances, drugs and supplements can only mask the symptoms.’

I’m excited to start this new journey and hope that it’ll help my body to find balance again. I’ll be sure to share more in future posts!

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