A: MDs encouraging patients to stop their UNDAs

[Guest guest]

Lorraine,

This is all too common and very frustrating - I had it yesterday where someone's

elevated liver enzymes were " likely caused by the homeopathics " according to

their MD!!

Aside from taking a breath and trying to not get rattled by it I find that the

only thing so far that has helped is to tell the patient that the MD is not

going to know about the remedies - they aren't trained in them and they may have

biases about them but that if there are any questions or concerns to have their

MD contact me as their Naturopathic practitioner. Never have I had a phonecall.

Perhaps a handout explaining how to integrate Naturopathic and Allopathic

medicine (to the patient) may be helpful - just haven't done that yet. The more

you can say in advance the greater the trust they have in you vs. after the fact

when their MD has already discounted what you have recommended.

Ultimately it all comes down to does the patient have trust in your treatments

and understand what you are doing together and why.

Having practiced in both countries it seems to me to be a much stronger issue in

Canada where health consumers defer to their MD more often and where the concept

of integrative medicine is at least 10 years behind.

The more I think about it the more I think the handout would be good idea.

Good luck and would love to hear from other folks!

Polinsky, ND

Vancouver, B.C.

Family Medicine

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>From: " lorrainemccarthynd " <lorraine_mccarthy@...>

>Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:16:25 -0000

>

>Subject: MDs encouraging patients to stop their UNDAs

>

>Hello UNDA group,

>I am hoping for some advice about how to handle the situation in

>which MDs convince patients to go off their UNDA remedies. I am a

>new practitioner and have had this happen a few times already. In

>the interest of being transparent with their MDs, my patients have

>told their medical docs that they are consulting with an ND and have

>shown them what they are taking (UNDAs, tissue salts and a few

>supplements in each case). My patients have reported that the MDs

>have said statements to the effect of naturopathic therapies don't

>work, it's better if not too many people are involved in the health

>care of the patient, the supplements and/or remedies are likely

>causing/contributing to the symptoms, and so on.

>

>I'm guessing that most of this must be about how I communicate with

>and educate my patients. Does anyone have any advice or experience

>to share with me so I can help prevent this from happening in the

>future? Is this a common experience?

>

>Interestingly, just last week I attended a Health Canada symposium on

>herb-drug-nutrient interactions and the message from the medical docs

>there was that they were very supportive of other therapies but were

>emphasizing the need for patients to be open and up front with them

>about all non-prescription drugs they are on so they can be fully

>informed.

>

>Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts,

>Lorraine McCarthy

>Ottawa, Ontario

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