At the start of 2020, my life was dominated by a new chronic issue after a 24 hour stomach bug detailed in Chapter 2 of My Story. Despite numerous visits to specialists, endless tests, and prescription medications, I was still no closer to understanding what was going on inside me. My symptoms were debilitating, and the medical system seemed to be failing me at every turn.
After doing research on my symptoms, I heard about functional medicine, a more holistic approach that aimed to go after root causes of illness. I knew my symptoms were not ordinary, and it sounded like exactly what I needed. So, in desperation I found a local clinic and booked a consultation, hoping it be the key to getting my life back.
This is my first experience with Functional Medicine, where I go into detail on testing and results, costs, mounting doubts related to care, and my lessons learned.
Functional Medicine Consultation
Before I could even set up an appointment, I had a 30-minute screening with one of the clinic’s owners. The goal was to determine if my issues were something they could or were willing to take on. By the end of the conversation, I was assured that they had seen many patients like me before and that I was "right up their wheelhouse." It was comforting to hear, but then came the cost estimate for initial testing. It was steep, at least $2k, which made me want to throw up, but I wanted answers, and I was ready to get started.
The journey began with an extensive two-hour consultation that left me feeling heard for the first time in years. It was different than the rushed, 15-minute appointments I had become accustomed to with conventional doctors. I had the space to explain every symptom, every change in my body, and treatments that hadn’t worked.
The physician was attentive and seemed to genuinely care about my story. I was asked questions I normally don’t get, and I could tell he was passionate about what he does and enjoyed challenging cases like mine.
At the end of the appointment, I had a plan, a roadmap to my body’s dysfunctions and, ideally, to healing. I was filled with hope until we reached the costs to get started. Between the treatment plan and the testing, the physician wanted to run, I was given a cost of over $3k to get started. It was an all or nothing situation, where to proceed with care, I had to pay for everything up front, and certain tests couldn’t be delayed offsetting payments. Looking back, this might have been a red flag for a toxic clinic.
The costs during the consultation also didn’t include the diet program that was recommended, nor the supplements and repeated visits and tests. I was also early in my career with not much money saved up, but I was at a low point and desperate. I truly believed that I would get some relief from this. So, my partner and I scrapped up the money and signed the dotted line. Let’s do this.
A Battery of Tests
The first step in my treatment involved extensive testing, far beyond anything I’ve done before. Functional medicine prides itself on thorough diagnostics, however, not without controversy. But I wanted to dive in with an open mind and to get a better understanding of what could be going wrong.
Extensive Blood Work
Bloodwork came first, which was much more detailed than I expected. There were markers for inflammation, hormone levels, liver function, extended thyroid panel, nutrient deficiencies, and more. Each marker could provide a piece of the puzzle, and I was eager to start fitting them together.
After receiving my results, there wasn’t anything alarming that popped up. It showed that I had a low BUN/Creatinine ratio, high cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, and a high TSH.
Organic Acids Test
I also completed an organic acids test, which measures metabolic byproducts in urine to look at things like mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter balance, and nutrient deficiencies. It sounded complex, but the promise was that these tests would show exactly where my body was malfunctioning on a cellular level.
After receiving my results, it was both overwhelming and confusing. My functional doctor did his best explaining what some of the abnormal results could mean and how it will affect my treatment plan. Abnormal results showed signs of yeast/fungal and small intestine overgrowth, and low Vitamin C. Again, nothing alarming, but there was optimizing that could be done to promote balanced health.
Comprehensive Stool Test
A comprehensive stool test was next. This test analyzes the gut microbiome, looking for imbalances and infections. This is where I was first introduced to the gut-brain connection. I had never considered the gut as a source of problems before, but functional medicine views the body as interconnected. The idea that an issue in my gut could be affecting my entire body made sense.
After having an upper endoscopy and a colonoscopy prior, I was curious to see what results this test would come up with. Overall, my results were mostly normal but showed evidence of parasites.
Food Allergy Testing
While I had already been tested for celiac disease and tested negative, the idea that certain foods could be triggering or making my symptoms worse was worth exploring. The food panel tests included IgG/IgA Elisa 96, and Immunoglobins.
Most of the sensitivities came from eggs, dairy, gluten, shellfish, and a couple types of seeds. The Immunoglobulins report that tested 12 different foods, showed no reactions.
The Cost of Hope
Functional medicine is notoriously expensive, and my experience was no exception. Insurance covers little to none of the appointments, testing, or treatments. My appointments alone cost $150 each time I went in. The costs added up quickly. Just to get started, and complete the ordered tests, I had already spent over $3k before even starting treatment.
But at that point, the cost seemed worth it. I was hopeful. If functional medicine could finally give me relief, what I was desperate for, I was willing to invest in it.
Once the test results came back, I had another long meeting with the doctor to go over everything. He took the time to explain each result in detail, trying to connect the dots between my symptoms and the test findings. It was both fascinating and a little overwhelming. Armed with this information, we created a treatment plan that included dietary changes, supplements, experimental therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
One of the biggest parts of the plan was a strict elimination/Paleo-style diet under the care of a dietician at the clinic. I was to cut out grains, dairy, most fruit, legumes, most spices, and various others. It was bare bones and restrictive to start, but the idea was to eliminate any potential inflammatory triggers from my diet, and slowly introduce foods after a month to see how my body reacts.
Minimal Progress and Mounting Doubts
For six months, I adhered strictly to the elimination diet. I took the recommended supplements religiously, despite the growing cost of adding more bottles to my plan. I went through 6 sessions of Bowen Therapy, which is a gentle bodywork technique that the physician recommended to address the head pressure that I had been dealing with since 2013. I was hopeful, disciplined, and determined to get better.
Despite my dedication, I didn’t experience the kind of progress I had hoped for. Some of my symptoms improved slightly, but nothing substantial changed. I started to feel discouraged. Functional medicine had promised a lot, and I had invested so much emotionally, physically, and financially, yet I wasn’t feeling the kind of improvement that I had expected.
Over time, my doctor became hyper focused on my cholesterol levels. It felt strange because that had never been a concern of mine, nor was it something I felt contributed to my chronic illness. It felt like he was moving away from the major complaints I came in with. He also began repeating some of the same tests I had already done, and it all started to feel redundant. That’s when doubts began to creep in.
Was I Being Taken Advantage Of?
As months wore on, I started to question if it was all worth it. The costs were mounting, and the results were minimal. Was all of this testing and retesting, supplementation necessary, or was I just being taken advantage of?
The doctor kept changing and adding new supplements, running the same bloodwork and parasite tests, appointments, it became overwhelming. I found myself wondering if the clinic was more interested in making money off me than actually helping me get better. Functional medicine had promised to find the root cause of my illness, but at that point, it felt like we were just treating symptoms, something I had been trying to avoid from the start.
Looking Back: Lessons Learned
My first experience with functional medicine was a mixed bag. On the one hand, I felt heard and validated in a way I never had with conventional medicine. The in-depth testing and personalized approach gave me hope, and for a while, I believed that I was finally on the path to healing.
But after a while, the lack of substantial improvement, combined with the mounting costs, made me question if I was on the right path. I felt like I was caught in an endless cycle, so I ended up cutting ties after a year working with the clinic. By the end, I paid roughly $10k or more for treatment.
Functional medicine may work for some people, and I still believe in the potential of its approach. But for me, that first experience was ultimately a disappointment. I learned that no matter how promising a treatment plan may seem, it’s important to stay critical and ask questions. If something feels off, it probably is.
I’m still on my journey, still searching for answers. Functional medicine didn’t provide the cure I hoped for, but it did teach me a lot about my body, my limits, and the importance of being my own advocate. And for that, I’m grateful.
Do you have any experience with Functional Medicine? Tell me your story below!
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