How can a naturopath help?

[cobbiemommy]

I am just curious as to what a naturopath can do for our children. I understand the basics of their practice, but I guess I am a skeptic. How can they complement allopathic medicine?

 

What successes has anyone had with a NP?

[smartyjones]

it can very much depend on the individual and their own independent focus.

 

we saw a NP early on in our journey. i very much liked her and had confidence in her general abilities. however, i wasn't confident in her ability to handle this very specialized situation. just mentioning that as our personal experience with this particular practicioner.

 

we currently see an integrative MD. as much as i like alternative modalities, i am also happy to be under the care of someone who also is an MD, with that background.

 

so my person opinion would be that if you are trying to heal infections, i may be leary. if you are trying to shore up the body to be its healthiest possible situation, i have more confidence. a long time ago, i read an Andrew Weil book and he discussed that allopathic medicine has some very good solutions for particular problems, but is not so good for others. the same with alternative. he suggested not trying to solve certain situations with allopathic and not trying to solve others with alternative. i can't remember his exact list, but there may be some info on his website.

 

now, that said, we use homeopathic medicine, not abx. but again, under the care of an integrative MD.

[tpotter]

Personally, I believe that in order to get through this ordeal we call PANS, we have to use a combination of allopathic and alternative medicine. it's very important to treat the immune system, shore up the gut (which is about 80% of the immune system, anyway), while also treating infection. What I have found is that by treating the immune system, our bodies can better fight off some of the infections itself. That being said, we are still using abx, but are also using vitamins, homeopathic, herbs, as well as chiropractics and acupuncture. We have also treated with PEX and IVIG, and I know that my kids' got excellent results from both (although not lasting, because so much more needed to be treated, as well.) I think that in the end, it really depends on the skills of the individual practioner, his/her experience with different disorders, your comfort level with that person, and honestly, what you also have available to you.

 

I never would have dreamed that I would be doing any "alternative" medicine ever in my life, but the reality is that alternative does, in fact, help. Personally, I don't think it's really one or the other in my own kids' cases.

[jtp]

I actually just made an appt with a Homeopathic practitioner in May. I am going to try it in the hopes of adding more support to keep my son healthy. I plan on keeping our PANS doc for now and especially our Integrative MD. I find we get the most benefit from the Integrative MD. Our goal to is get our son off abx for a while. Stephanie2 who doesn't post much uses homeopathy for PANS and her sons are doing great.

 

I agree with the other postings it depends on what your trying to do and how comfortable you are with the options.

[JuliaFaith]

Naturoepathic and homeopathic are different. Our experience in ND has been allopathic/supplements/tinctures. So all types of medicine. Whereas, the homeopathics I have seen do mostly tinctures.

 

We have had good success treating lyme etc. and bacteria with ND. They do treat the whole body and expect it to heal by doing so. We do see our PANs dr. for nuerofeedback and for PANS flairs a bit still.

 

Our PANS dr. does include some supplements and homeopathic medicine in her practice, as well as, abx and steroids. Steroids turned out to not be good for son because of lyme and lung issues.

 

Best wishes on healing.

Edited April 25, 2013 by JuliaFaith