Diet friendly/holistic GI doctors

[Elizajp]

I am dealing with some pretty bad fistulas right now. I was on SCD for months and have gone to a slightly modified version more like GAPS (I eat cocoa powder and kefir.)

Anyway, don't really notice any difference but I'm sticking to it and other natural healing methods. In the meantime, my doctor has put me on Humira. I haven't noticed a difference from it and I really don't want it to be a long term solution. My doctor is not holistic or diet minded at all (typical "diet makes no difference" mentality.) im also seeing a naturopath type doctor who has me on LDN and a new treatment called LDA (haven't noticed a difference from these either.)

But I would really like to find a GI doctor who is open to unconventional treatments and diets- SCD, things like fecal transplants, just anything other than only biologics.

I live in the southeast but am willing to travel pretty far. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Basmah]

I just heard of doctors practicing something called functional medicine. They are more patient focused than traditional. You might be able to find one in your area. https://www.functionalmedicine.org/What_is_Functional_Medicine/AboutFM/

 

[Elizajp]

Thanks! Will look at that site

 

[InkyStinky]

Maybe a GAPS practitioner in addition to your GI? http://www.gaps.me/preview/?page_id=496 (I'm just starting to research GAPS stuff, so I haven't worked with a practitioner myself)

 

[Elizajp]

@Cit I see that you had fistulas. Were they pretty bad? And they closed just on GAPS? How long were you on it before they started closing?

I have been on GAPS for like five months. I recently started cheating a little because I had seen no difference and had to go on Humira and I'm just so discouraged. I was committed to it 100% and still am for the most part. I eat grass fed high quality meat and fish and lots of grass fed butter and coconut oil. I eat vegetables and fruits and nuts and some honey. I drink bone broth. I eat tons of kefir and yogurt and I eat sauerkraut. I tried cutting out eggs, all dairy, nuts at different points and saw no difference. I never did GAPS intro- I hbe a toddler and I feel so bad I just could not fathom doing GAPS intro.

Anyway, I would love to think there was some way to make GAPS work alone but I've literally seen no change in anything since I began it. When my flare first started last February I originally went on SCD intro. I remember reading people saying you should have the diarrhea stop within a few days. I was on it for a week and I was still going 20 times a day till I ended up on IV steroids which stopped it. I just feel like there's some missing link but I'm never going to find it and I'm totally running out of patience and energy to keep searching. But I would love to make it work!

 

[Elizajp]

And no I avtually purchase my bone broth from "realbonebroth.com" it's legit and grass fed and cooked the right way and shipped frozen. I make my kefir and I take all the supplements (cod liver oil, biokult.)

 

[Elizajp]

No I don't have access to raw milk and I know it's super nutritious but it makes me nervous with the Humira and everything.

I actually take that cod liver oil/butter oil! That's really interesting about the suppositories- so they help the actual fistula? Where did you get the idea?

When you say the first week on GAPS they went down so much- was that regular GAPS or GAPS intro?

 

[Elizajp]

Yeah I saw no improvement on SCD and I wasn't cheating. Non homogenized organic low pasteurized milk

 

[Elizajp]

I'm also taking LDN and even trying this new alternative treatment called LDA. I also do acupuncture! And just started Humira I don't know why nothing is working!

 

[Lady Organic]

hi Elizajp, Im in the same boat as you. Ive been dieting seriously for 3 years and still got 2 major flares. I am not giving hope of a better future and I am convinced to do the best I can for my future and health, but I no longer have expectations based on diet alone. diets works for some, and extremly lucky are they, but I know it doesnt work for every patient. i have also tried many alternative treatments like you including acupuncture for arthritis and it didnt help either. The only thing that helped arthrtis was curcumin (tumeric extract) but didnt help for CD.
best wishes

 

[Elizajp]

@cit I just contacted one in my area. Thanks for the info!

@Ladyorganic, so sorry to hear you haven't had results either! I just started turmeric too. Hope we can both get some results eventually!

 

[CavsFan]

Any updates on people's experiences with functional medicine?