WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR 1ST NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT
Every naturopathic doctor will have their approach but overall there will be mostly similarities. I’ll describe what it’s like to visit with me for your first appointment compared to what you may have experienced at your mainstream medical appointment.
Naturopaths Take Time
The biggest difference is that there is more time allotted to the appointment. The time determined for conventional medical appointments is usually dictated by insurance companies. The primary goal is to make a profit and it’s based on sick care, not preventative medicine. For example, a specific medical diagnosis like diabetes is required for a conventional practitioner to bill insurance for nutritional counseling.
A naturopathic appointment is longer because we are trained to take into consideration all the aspects that are contributing to the individual’s health.
Naturopaths are going to ask about the following:
Health history
Sleep
Mental health
Hormones
Digestion
Diet
Exercise
Current concerns
Goals
Medications and supplements
Naturopathic Exam and Labs
A physical exam is an important part of this assessment. Depending on the concerns and how long the last exam had been for the patient, it may be focused or it may be comprehensive.
People will often bring in past lab reports and imaging that they’ve had. This is important to see what has been worked up before and often, what hasn’t been explored. A new fresh set of eyes can be really helpful.
We’re able to utilize functional lab testing in addition to conventional testing to help determine if systems of the body are operating in the healthiest way possible and if not, we have ways to help shift that.
Connecting the Dots
Speaking of a fresh set of eyes, a comprehensive approach to health like this will often reveal connections that weren’t realized before. This happens a lot.
Symptoms that seem to be independent and not connected, often are connected.
This can be hard to parse when a person is getting evaluations from specialists but no one is stepping back and taking in the whole picture.
Naturopathic Treatment Plan
The treatment plan created by a naturopathic doctor is quite different from a conventional medicine treatment plan. A naturopathic treatment plan will usually have the following components:
Lifestyle recommendations
Diet recommendations
Supplement prescription
Medication (at times)
How is Prescribing Medication Naturopathic?
When naturopaths prescribe medication, it’s often done while addressing underlying issues. The medication used is likely to be medication with a milder side effect profile. An example would be that I prescribe a lot of bioidentical hormones. One of them is desiccated thyroid hormone which is prescription and from a natural source. At the same time, I’ll include recommendations that help to prevent further damage to the thyroid gland and to optimize its production of thyroid hormone. A long-term goal may include needing less of the medication or to be able to discontinue it eventually.
Feeling Heard by Your Naturopath
Sadly, people often don’t feel like their conventional providers are attentive to them during their appointments. When people find a naturopath that they feel comfortable with, they tend to stick with them and have a connection that they haven’t had with prior providers. I hear from my patients daily that this is the first time they’ve had someone really listen to them.