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Thread: Functional medicine doctor

  1. #1

    Functional medicine doctor

    Hi
    I have been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome after a consultation with a consultant. He has recommended I see a functional medicine doctor who will look at what's gong on in my gut as he feels there is an imbalance that needs resolving.
    I have suffered for years with various food intolerances type symptoms so think this could be relevant.
    Has anyone here seen one of these consultants. I must admit I never heard of them until my visit.
    I have been referred to one who is a mind boggling £560 per appointment Plus £1000 tests followed by another £560 appointment.
    Thanks
    Andy

  2. #2
    Master Franco's Avatar
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    If really is dry eye syndrome (keratocongiuntivitis sicca) it is often sufficient to use Hypromellose eye drops 0.3% (no added agents) and it resolves quickly. Being often constitutional it will come back 3-4 times a year, and you will use the drops again.

    I do not believe in Functional Medicine, I think is pseudoscientific silly medicine.

    You will need to see a specialist only if:

    a- you also have blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids)
    b- if you are on antidepressants, beta-blockers, allergy pills, diuretics. These in some patients can give dry eye
    c- in pregnancy, with contraceptive pill


    If instead it is Sjogren's syndrome, then it is a different matter all together

    BWs
    Franco
    Last edited by Franco; 7th December 2018 at 18:55.

  3. #3
    I do have blephartis. I tried the drops but for some reason drops in my eyes made me feel nauseous. I've had to abandon contact lenses. It's a strange one.
    Why do you not agree with functional medicine?

  4. #4
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    In what setting were you seen by a consultant OP?

    Was it after referral by your GP?

    Were you seen in outpatients in an NHS clinic?

  5. #5
    Thanks John,

    I had some pain in my eye after after a fleck of metal was removed at hospital. My optician noticed it on a routine check. I had antibiotic cream which I think caused the problem afterwards.
    i tried to put a contact lens in after 4 weeks break but in it made me feel nauseous. I claimed on my private medical insurance and they referred me to a ophthalmic surgeon who dianosed dry eye. He gave a various exercises and after 3 months nothing much had changed and said to see a functional doctor.
    My cover does not cover chronic issues so I'm paying which I don't mind but it's a bit of a minefield.

  6. #6
    Craftsman
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    Do such doctors exist on the NHS? £560 is obscene.

    Best of luck with it though!

  7. #7
    Master Papa Hotel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MTM84 View Post
    Do such doctors exist on the NHS? £560 is obscene.

    Best of luck with it though!
    They have homeopaths, so I guess anything is possible. The NHS is on its knees but we're paying for people to work barely a step ahead of witch doctors.

  8. #8
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    Functional medicine doctor

    Quote Originally Posted by awright101 View Post
    Thanks John,

    I had some pain in my eye after after a fleck of metal was removed at hospital. My optician noticed it on a routine check. I had antibiotic cream which I think caused the problem afterwards.
    i tried to put a contact lens in after 4 weeks break but in it made me feel nauseous. I claimed on my private medical insurance and they referred me to a ophthalmic surgeon who dianosed dry eye. He gave a various exercises and after 3 months nothing much had changed and said to see a functional doctor.
    My cover does not cover chronic issues so I'm paying which I don't mind but it's a bit of a minefield.
    Always difficult when you go part-way down the road of private treatment then hit an obstacle in terms of cover.

    I’m not an ophthalmologist so am not sure if you would have received the same advice regarding a referral to functional medicine had you gone down the route of seeing your GP first.

    You still have that option open to you, i.e. see your GP and ask their opinion and see if they will refer you to see an NHS ophthalmologist.

  9. #9
    Grand Master VDG's Avatar
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    HyloTear, Sodium Hyaluronate 0.1% eye drops available over the counter. And while you are there talk to the pharmacist re blepharatis, plenty of remedies to ease the condition. Hope you feel better soon.
    Fas est ab hoste doceri

  10. #10
    Thanks, I've tried the drops but they make it worse.

    I saw a few NHS specialists at Brighton eye hospital when I first had the issue and they advised it was dry eye and recommended the drops. It was so bad last xmas. It's manageable now but I'm trying to understand if my allergies are related as I've a strong feeling that they are. It seems strange to me that me eyes were absolutely fine, no problem whatsoever, then 5 days of antibiotic cream and I'm suffering with this. I'm convinced there is a link.

  11. #11
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Where are you based Andy?
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  12. #12
    I'm in west sussex

  13. #13
    Craftsman
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    Functional medicine doctor

    £560 for an appointment is outrageous.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Craftsman
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    How can they even justify such a price. Bupa’s Ross Hall charge around £150 upwards to see a Consultant!

  15. #15
    Journeyman
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    Quote Originally Posted by j0hnbarker View Post
    Always difficult when you go part-way down the road of private treatment then hit an obstacle in terms of cover.

    I’m not an ophthalmologist so am not sure if you would have received the same advice regarding a referral to functional medicine had you gone down the route of seeing your GP first.

    You still have that option open to you, i.e. see your GP and ask their opinion and see if they will refer you to see an NHS ophthalmologist.
    As a GP, there is absolutely NO WAY I would have referred you to a "Functional Medicine Specialist"......2 reasons.......
    1) I have no idea what one is, or does....aside from charge like a wounded bull.
    2) Sounds like absolute tat to me...dry eyes are simply sorted with an ocular lubricant in the vast majority of cases.

    I'm intrigued to know what "tests" will be done for the princely sum of 1000 pounds.
    Last edited by DrDunc; 8th December 2018 at 10:48.

  16. #16
    Thanks for the replies.

    To be fair im not the thinking of going to a functional medicine doctor because of dry eyes. I've seen two specialists at a eye hospital and a consultant twice. They have confirmed its dry eye, hard luck and get on with it.
    The consultant felt it should of improved after using a heated eye pad, drops and eye massages that I did for 3 months. He feels that there is an underlying issue, which of course there is. I suffer from candida like systems that my GP cannot get to the bottom of.
    I did research this type of doctor and they focus on imbalances and the microflora ( good bacteria) which I believe I suffer with.
    I will look further a field for a more reasonable cost
    Thanks
    Andy

  17. #17
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    Thanks for clarifying Andy - it seems like this is something you want to pursue anyway and as others have correctly pointed out, you are unlikely to be referred for this type of treatment on the NHS.

    The reason for that is that the evidence base is questionable but if you want to explore this then that is entirely within your prerogative.

    There will be a number of practitioners in this field, some with primary medical qualifications and entitled to refer to themselves as ‘doctors’, but most will not. If you are going down this route then do your research carefully.

  18. #18
    Apprentice
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    Functional medicine doctors may be around your area, though you’d find most physicians practice the traditional approach of helping the patient to recover.

    A functional medicine doctor can be reached through website of Timur Vladimirovich Artemiev in case if you’re interested in booking a consultation.
    Last edited by LikeLight1; 25th December 2018 at 10:48.

  19. #19
    Grand Master VDG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LikeLight1 View Post
    Functional medicine doctors may be around your area, though you’d find most physicians practice the traditional approach of helping the patient to recover.

    A functional medicine doctor can be reached through website of Timur Vladimirovich Artemiev in case if you’re interested in booking a consultation.
    Does he know a friendly travel agent?
    Fas est ab hoste doceri

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