Integrative Practitioners
“Holistic” or Integrative Practitioners
Patients who have contacted THYROID WA suggest that Integrative Practitioners (GPs) look at the “whole person” when consulting. Most Integrative Practitioners who focus on thyroid patients are General Practitioners who practice naturopathy.
They are generally not a “bulk bill GP” so you may have to ask for their fees in advance. (Some can be expensive and may take months to get a booking for a consultation). Your first appointment will need to be a “long consultation” to impart all your health concerns. All fees can be claimed back via Medicare, but you will have “out of pocket” fees.
Integrative GPs may look at other issues affecting your “overall health” that may also impact on the health of your thyroid. Apart from other blood tests for hormone levels, antibodies etc, they may suggest “looking at what is happening at cellular level regarding toxic chemicals and available nutrients”, by requesting a hair analysis test.
A better understanding of what is happening in your body, your gastrointestinal health (git), your nutritional diet, stress levels and exercise will be the Integrative GPs focus.
The term Integrative Medicine (IM) refers to the blending of conventional and natural/complementary medicines and/or therapies along with lifestyle interventions and a holistic approach – taking into account the physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing of the person – with the aim of using the most appropriate, safe and evidence-based modality(ies) available. Excerpt from the Australian Integrative Medicine Association https://www.aima.net.au
Three Resources for finding a "thyroid savvy" GP
1. To obtain an up-to-date list of Integrative GP’s in your locality you can visit the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine http://www.acnem.org/find-a-practitioner/western-australia Note that they list all medical practitioners including, nurses, dentists etc.
2. Alternatively you could contact your local Compounding Chemists and ask for a name of an integrative practitioner, as generally Integrative GP's use local Compounding Pharmacys. Also most compounding pharmacists are more than willing to speak with you about your prescription and will certainly assist you to find another GP.
3. In addition to Integrative GPs, there are other General Practitioners that are “thyroid savvy”. Some GPs are listening to the symptoms, rather than just reviewing the blood results in isolation. From the HOME page view RESOURCES > MEDICAL CONTACTS
Importantly, as the patient, communicating your symptoms and learning as much as you can, may assist your overall health outcome. Always ask for a copy of your test results!!
THYROID WA liaises with a number of thyroid specialists in Perth, many who have treated our members. It is important to know that THYROID WA does not recommend any specific medical specialist, but we would like feedback if possible.
Disclaimer The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. The contents must not be relied upon in place of advice and treatment from a qualified medical practitioner. THYROID WA SUPPORT GROUP INC. and the author disclaim any liability whatsoever.