Someone who will prescribe dessicated natural thryroid?? (Houston, Friendswood: insurance, chapel)

[juilletdix]

I've read all the postings about thyroid doctors in Houston (Hotze, Arem, etc...) but I'd really like to find a doctor that will take my insurance (Aetna).

In Chicago, my internist prescribed a combination of T4 (levoxyl) and T3 (compounded natural thryroid) and it worked out great for me. I found the Piney Point Pharmacy (a compounding pharmacy that make the kind of meds I take) and the pharmacist was nice enough to include a list of doctors that he said would prescribe the product I want. (Note - not speaking of Armour Thyroid. This is compounded specially for each patient).

However, I've called each doctor trying to get an appointment for a consultation and I'm asking ahead of time if they will prescribe this medicine for me. So far, none of them do.

Natural T3 supplementation is not weird or "new age-y", I'm really surprised at the difficulty I'm having. Anyone out there take dessicated thyroid that would be willing to refer me to their doc??

Thanks very much!

[pegotty]

I've been surprised at how behind the times the doctors are here. We've been here 6 months and we tend to lean toward the natural end of things but would like to go to an MD who does integrative medicine. As far as I can tell, they don't exist here. And things that used to exist solely in naturopathy but there is now good research backing up the practice, drs. here don't seem to know about it.

[juilletdix]

I agree! It seems like any doctor who might have a somewhat open mind practices in some sort of "wellness/longevity spa". My online research keeps turning up these pretty websites with photos of beautiful, ageless people. I get it - these doctors want to make money and offering supplements, botox and massages bring in the cash.

[pegotty]

Originally Posted by juilletdix

I agree! It seems like any doctor who might have a somewhat open mind practices in some sort of "wellness/longevity spa". My online research keeps turning up these pretty websites with photos of beautiful, ageless people. I get it - these doctors want to make money and offering supplements, botox and massages bring in the cash.

Exactly what I've noticed! I called one a few months ago. An MD, doesn't take insurance and charges you almost $3000 just to walk through the door. I found later that she simultaneously runs a weight loss clinic. Capitalism+medicine=disgusting.

[juilletdix]

@pegotty,
Have you found *anyone* that you'd recommend??

[texas7]

Part of the problem may not be the doctor but more the insurance. Most insurances do not cover anything holistic or bio-identical so you pay out of pocket. Paying out of pocket is when you want to find someone who doesn't charge $3k for a workup.

Dr. Shawn Holt - Clear Lake Area
Shaun Holt, MD
This next one says initial fees "start" at $395 and has a West Loop location
Texas Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Doctors
Dr. Jill Taylor
Taylor Wellness Advantage (Kingwood,TX)
Dr. John Johnson
ICON Wellness Center - Medical Team
2246906929

There is a doctor in Friendswood that I have heard good things about but can't remember the name, if I do, I will add a post.

[Supermac34]

Houston is home to the Houston Medical Center, one of the most well respected and advanced medical centers in the world. Within Houston you have some of the best Doctors in the world researching and developing leading edge medicine with some of the most advanced techniques available in the entire world, utilizing the scientific method, advanced researching, and in partnership with top notch Universities.

Maybe it should be a personal signal that in a city with one of the finest medical communities in the world, it is difficult to procure "alternative" and "holistic" medicine or the fact that this kind of medicine is relegated to "wellness spas".

[texas7]

I still think it has a lot to do with insurance. Insurance typically won't cover that kind of medicine. The market for people willing to pay outside of insurance is small so makes sense physicians aren't jumping all over this.

[pegotty]

Originally Posted by Supermac34

Houston is home to the Houston Medical Center, one of the most well respected and advanced medical centers in the world. Within Houston you have some of the best Doctors in the world researching and developing leading edge medicine with some of the most advanced techniques available in the entire world, utilizing the scientific method, advanced researching, and in partnership with top notch Universities.

Maybe it should be a personal signal that in a city with one of the finest medical communities in the world, it is difficult to procure "alternative" and "holistic" medicine or the fact that this kind of medicine is relegated to "wellness spas".

]

Where I came from, the Research Triangle area of NC is home to Duke University. Duke has an integrative medicine center that combines the best of holistic and traditional medicine. Home - Duke Integrative Medicine Duke is a world class medical center by any definition.

My naturopathic doctor speaks annually at the UNC Chapel Hill medical school, also in the Triangle, which is another top notch university. It's becoming much more common in the east for family practices to include the services of board certified naturopathic doctors.

Up until fairly recently, naturopathic scientific studies were unusual and the ones that had been done were small. Research was financed exclusively by drug companies who were looking to turn a profit. But more research dollars have been poured into naturopathy in the last 20 years or so, I assume by philanthropists, so that naturopathy is no longer based on anecdotal evidence. It just takes time for that research to trickle down. It also takes a desire by the medical doctors practicing and the research universities to focus on alternative care which is what seems isn't the case here, at least from my limited searching.

[pegotty]

Originally Posted by juilletdix

@pegotty,
Have you found *anyone* that you'd recommend??

I haven't. I'm still looking.