Should Conventional Medicine start blending with Functional Medicine to improve Western healthcare systems?

[Pickle500]

This is my question of the day...

We are all suffering horribly. From ignorance, mainly.

Sorry to point it out...

Management of B12, of gut health, of everything that happens to a body relies on holistic, functional medicine. It is not the domain of conventional medicine, e.g. the NHS.

So where does B12 sit in all this? It still makes people anemic, right? That's a blood disease that can be fatal.

But B12 is potentially an anomaly in this case, isn't it? Which other vitamins have the power to devastate the body in this way? I'm not sure I know of one that carries such magnitude.

So we can NEVER expect to get sufficient support, proper healthcare, or even a vague understanding of what we're going through if modern medicine is overlooking nutrition. So what's the solution?

A blend of functional and conventional medicine free at the point of service.

I really can't see any other way through.

[210272]

Vitamin D depletion (when severe) can mimic FND symptoms or those associated with dementia and low levels of magnesium can make most neurological conditions worse. In the UK vitamin and mineral deficiencies are often measured against a patient population (IE people who are not well) rather than the general population so 'low but within normal range' can be a misleading result. Also 'normal' has changed a lot since 30-40 years ago when more of us worked outside (at least some of the time) and there was less processed food around.

Unfortunately the term 'functional' medicine means different things to different people but I do agree that we need a medical system that takes adequate nutrition into account.

[Pickle500 in reply to 210272]

Thank you

I actually intended this for the Pernicious Anemia/B12 page but mustn't have deleted it.

I was diagnosed with FND but it was a farce - I have undiagnosed B12 deficiency but there's no way to prove it.

Thanks again

[210272 in reply to Pickle500]

My pleasure I've heard from a few people with Pernicious Anaemia in the UK who have recently accessed their medical records and found 'functional' or 'MUS' in their notes, despite there being no mention of these terms during their consultations. Is this something that's happening a lot, do you think?

Were you given a thorough rationale for your FND dx? That is meant to happen and if it didn't then I'd suggest that you have good grounds for asking for this dx to be redacted from your notes, if that's your preference.

[Pickle500 in reply to 210272]

It was given to me as a diagnosis but I challenged it and rejected it. I was proven right after going to St George's in Tooting and being offered antidepressants. Hardly the 'multi-disciplinary approach' promised by NHNN who suggested to my GP I be referred there. It was all a mistake of thr blood tests. But clear that it was B12, judging by the gaping mouth and nervous look the consultant gave me as I explained myself.

It does say on my record that 'patient rejects FND label'. So I hope that's enough.

And yes I think a large number of people get FND who are B12 deficient. Its an easy referral for neurologists to make when the blood tests don't show deficiency. There is nowhere else to go, unless they want to throw the GP under the bus (which of course they never would)!

Thanks again