posted
I am meeting w/ the naturopath dr. tomorrow and would like to discuss being tested (blood? urinalysis?) for vitamin/mineral deficiencies.
Any input on which test or tests are most accurate?
I am on a bunch of supplements based on symptoms alone and I am realizing more and more that I want to have factual info where I can to dictate what I am taking rather than just experimenting w/ a bunch of different supplements/vitamins.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Posts: 376 | From New York | Registered: Jan 2011
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momindeep
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7618
posted
SPECTRCELL LABORATORIES can do a comprehensive work-up.
Posts: 1512 | From Glenwood City WI | Registered: Jul 2005
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Spectracell is very expensive unless your insurance covers it. Aetna covers. It is $1800 otherwise. Make sure if they cover, they will cover if ordered from a naturopath. They covered mine (multiple) which came from a MD and a licensed nutritionist.
-------------------- Garden
"Fibromylagia" for 8+ years Pos IgeneX WB per both Igenex and CDC Pos Neuroscience MyLymeImmuneID Started tx for Lyme in March 2011 Posts: 245 | From East Coast | Registered: May 2011
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Wow. I just assume I am lacking in all vitamins and minerals. I just try to cover all the bases with a very good multi and minerals.
My naturopath looked at darkfield bloodsmear and analyzed my blood in '03. Blood tests always show my mineral and vitamin levels fine from regular labs. But reg labs aren't the sharpest.
For $1800 I can buy alot of vitamins and minerals. Believe me she wasn't charging that kind of money to tell me my blood was lacking and sick.
I knew that my blood cells were sick, I could feel their pain. Eating foods that are high in Vitamins & multi and supp in minerals.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Pam, can a darkfield analysis really show mineral levels in blood? Never heard of that.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Good info. There are just SO many vitamins and supplements to choose from and instead of playing a guessing game on what ones and what dosages to take I'd really like to know what I really need.
$1800 is way too much for me to spend though but I will see if it would be covered at all.
Thanks!
Posts: 376 | From New York | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
Aetna covered mine 100%. I wouldn't have paid out of pocket. It was so helpful, though.
One of my children had totally fine levels of some vitamins and ROCK BOTTOM levels of others. She needs way more than a multi to correct the deficiencies - and we are sure to give her pre-digested forms, since it's possible the issue is processing and not adsorption.
The issue was not intake at all - she was very low in B12, even though she was (at the time) a milk-a-holic, ate plenty of eggs, and ate poultry/meat every night at dinner (B12 comes from animal products).
Spectracell reveals far more that intake. It is called functional vitamin testing. It shows how much usable vitamin/mineral you have in your blood.
It also showed both my children had dangerously low levels of glutathione. Mine was fine.
You might need high levels of one vitamin and nothing additional of another.
Our nutritionist developed a custom rx for a liquid vitamin supplement meeting her exact needs. Our local compounding pharmacy makes it, flavors it, and my child gets her needs met with a single dose.
-------------------- Garden
"Fibromylagia" for 8+ years Pos IgeneX WB per both Igenex and CDC Pos Neuroscience MyLymeImmuneID Started tx for Lyme in March 2011 Posts: 245 | From East Coast | Registered: May 2011
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
No the darkfield didn't show vit or mineral deficientcy, but sick sick red blood cells, parasites, aspergillus niger,etc
I'd have to pull out my copy of my slides and see all the medical terminology and explnation of why my blood said "WARNING WARNING SICK PATIENT"
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I realize that I did alot more than just multi & minerals years ago. I just can't tell you how many different things for years.
Expensive stuff, more stuff than I can remember. I followed the naturopath and then a muscle testing chiro for 4 yrs.
I've done tons of major stuff. But today I can say since there has been improvement I can take good multi's and minerals and it is of benefit to me.
I should of told more details of where I've been the last 12 yrs. I've had many great healers in my journey.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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chiquita incognita
Unregistered
posted
A good pocket-sized book to get an idea of which nutrients you are deficient in, which you may be taking excess of, and what optimal dosages are:
Earl Mindells the Vitamin Bible.
It doesn' t have a self-diagnostic model per se, but it does have a quick-format reference on each supplement and what the deficiency symptoms are, the excess symptoms, the optimal ones....
then you can get some idea of where you are at.
I have heard about hair analysis that on the one hand it is excellent, on the other hand it's not reliable because of shampoos et al.
The truth is that your ND will have the best input about which test is best to do.
I think it's smart to test for nutrient levels because yes, there is such a thing as taking excess or being deficient as Garden has pointed out.
If you can't afford the testing, the book could be some help. It's well written and easy as quick reference.
posted
Thank you. I met w/ the naturopathic dr. yesterday and he told me some of my options for testing, but he didn't feel it was necessary.
I do get caught up in all the reading I do and thinking I need every test when in reality I am actually feeling pretty good. We changed a couple of my supplements around but what I am taking is working for me.
So for right now I will not be doing any formal tests (I have had the general tests done for B, D, iron etc) but glad to know about it for future use!
Posts: 376 | From New York | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
Best way save the money in your pocket . If you ben on treatment with antibiotics more then 4 months without stoping them no way in the earth that you are not deficient on vitamins minerals and nutricients.In other words nothing is as should be in your body .So the best is take them and some of them in IV or IM form like B12,B6,Bcomplex,mineralsalso if your to sick .
Posts: 482 | From Nebraska | Registered: Feb 2010
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