Any one here have experience with the so called alternative medicine providers or leaky gut? I could type for days regarding the symptoms and experiences my wife has had but not sure it is really important to the question.

After no success with traditional doctors she went and saw a chiropractor that advertises specializing in the exact types of things she is dealing with. He is convinced she has leaky gut and probably thyroid problems (blood work isn’t back yet). It was pretty amazing that he was able to idenfify several symptoms that she hadn’t listed on her paperwork but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be, it won’t be covered by insurance, and, according to google, seems to be mostly unproven or “unsupported by science”. He requires the spouse to attend her second appointment which is coming up next week and I have really no idea what to expect...

A good friend of mine has had symptoms for years. She didn't go to a chiropractor, but another "alternative practitioner" who did blood work. From that they together made the diagnosis.

The difference was that this practitioner had her read a few books by Dr Terry Wahls and follow that protocol.

Basically, it's go back to a very restrictive diet of things like broth and such very simple foods to give the gut time to heal. After a few months, start adding in more simple foods, making notes of how you feel at each addition. It's taken her almost 3 years now, but she's feeling much better, and has a good handle on the foods that caused her original symptoms so she can avoid them. Her overall health is greatly improved.

My point being: Before continuing with the chiropractor, read the book, start following it's advice, since basically the chiro will be just a go-between.

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
...but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be,

Oh, I do. A series of "adjustments" that never seem to fix anything but will require more "adjustments" to see any results.

Run away and seek out a real doctor.

I could tell you many stories of chiropractors, but I'll relay only the one that got me to quit primary care and go into anesthesia instead.

I was managing a beautiful little 9-year-old girl with asthma who had a less than stellar mother. The girl was doing great for several years in my care, and then mom decided to take her to a chiropractor instead. She was convinced by the chiropractor that her daughter didn't need prescription medication. Instead, what she needed, were a few "adjustments" and some BS herbal concoctions. That beautiful little girl died.

If chiropractors want to crunch bones and fuck peoples' backs up more than they already are, they can knock themselves out if people are stupid enough to go to them. When they step into the realm of real medicine, they should be put in jail IMO.

What’s her current diet? Carbs? Sugars? Processed foods?

Try strict keto for a month. Bet that fixes it.

Try a gastroenterologist. Then get a massage if she wants. Chiro is no-no.

I’m not sure how a chiropractor’s degree would encompass leaky gut. Is there a second degree involved? My husband has been able to discover MANY other conditions when he’s assessing the health of his patients’ eyes, but he ALWAYS refers them on immediately to a specialist in that field for further testing and diagnosis (sometimes they leave his chair and hear straight to the specialist’s office). Never does he try and manage any care outside of his specialty, perhaps comanagement, but again, if it’s out of his purview, he’s not gonna do it. I’m concerned your chiropractor would. Perhaps their degree encompasses more than I previously thought.
I agree with Gustofer and Fredward. Try a GI guy (or gal). Many MDs look into alternative medicine, you can find one that embraces both, but keeps their feet on the solid science ground, and augments with alternative where “it does no harm”...
Best of luck.

I practice Chinese medicine and I've done some work with digestive issues/leaky gut. When it comes to GI issues you really need to start with a GI doc and get a solid diagnosis - symptoms for multiple different issues can overlap and you need someone who can sort through all that.

When patients come to me with this issue, I typically start with either a food elimination diet or a food allergy blood test. If it really is leaky gut, you're not going to get very far without identifying and removing the food(s) causing the inflammation.

Food elimination is a longer road, but cheaper. The big offenders are usually some combination of wheat, eggs, dairy. An easy place for your wife to start would be to remove those food items for 3-4 weeks and see if the symptoms reduce or resolve. If things calm down, start adding food items back with about a week spacing between (in other words: 4 weeks off all wheat, eggs, dairy. Symptoms relieve, add eggs and wait a week, if no issues add wheat and wait a week, if no issues add dairy and wait a week). Typically one or more of the foods will re-create the symptoms when returned to the diet. Once she knows what it is that's causing the problem, she can decide how to proceed.

Chiropractors are essentially making the argument that the spinal nerves being pinched in mis-aligned vertebrae are all or part of the problem. While it's true that vertebrae occasionally become misaligned and this can pinch nerve roots and those nerve roots branch out to influence other structures, I think this is a case of "all I have is a hammer".

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
...but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be,

Oh, I do. A series of "adjustments" that never seem to fix anything but will require more "adjustments" to see any results.

Run away and seek out a real doctor.

I could tell you many stories of chiropractors, but I'll relay only the one that got me to quit primary care and go into anesthesia instead.

I was managing a beautiful little 9-year-old girl with asthma who had a less than stellar mother. The girl was doing great for several years in my care, and then mom decided to take her to a chiropractor instead. She was convinced by the chiropractor that her daughter didn't need prescription medication. Instead, what she needed, were a few "adjustments" and some BS herbal concoctions. That beautiful little girl died.

If chiropractors want to crunch bones and fuck peoples' backs up more than they already are, they can knock themselves out if people are stupid enough to go to them. When they step into the realm of real medicine, they should be put in jail IMO.

Gustopher, Since that one event has had such a profound prejudice against Chiropractors how do you sleep at night knowing so many people have died while under the care of anesthesiologists?

I have used a chiropractor once for a back issue and she worked miracles but I don't think I would see her for a GI issue.

You say you have had no success with traditional doctors and that this guy thinks its also a thyroid problem but the blood work is not back yet. Are you saying that none of the traditional doctors tested her thyroid functions?

I'm dealing with an issue that can be attributed to leaky gut (Psoriasis). I went to a dermatologist and he wanted to put me on very powerful steroids and other medications with bad side effects.

I decided to try a natural approach to fixing "leaky gut" before I went on the prescribed medications.

I've adjusted my diet and removed sugar, grains, liquid dairy, and most carbs. I'm following a Keto diet and supplementing with L-Glutamine, D3, Fish Oil, and a Probiotic. In two weeks I have seen a 90% improvement in my Psoriasis and am feeling great. I've also lost about 15 pounds.

I had never heard of leaky gut until I started researching my condition. The natural remedy seems to be doing something.

Good luck to your wife.

Seems like some additional information is in order, both to answer some questions and address some of the speculation that is going on.

She has been to a gi, three of them in fact. Food allergy tests have been done and those have been eliminated from diet (shell fish and some fruits). Dairy has also been eliminated though she didn’t show an allergy. Thyroid has not been checked and diagnosis is IBS though, so far, nothing has really seemed to be an improvement.

I don’t know what this guys plan might be, and we may not utilize him, but it is not physical... diet and supplements of some sort.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
...but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be,

Oh, I do. A series of "adjustments" that never seem to fix anything but will require more "adjustments" to see any results.

Run away and seek out a real doctor.

I could tell you many stories of chiropractors, but I'll relay only the one that got me to quit primary care and go into anesthesia instead.

I was managing a beautiful little 9-year-old girl with asthma who had a less than stellar mother. The girl was doing great for several years in my care, and then mom decided to take her to a chiropractor instead. She was convinced by the chiropractor that her daughter didn't need prescription medication. Instead, what she needed, were a few "adjustments" and some BS herbal concoctions. That beautiful little girl died.

If chiropractors want to crunch bones and fuck peoples' backs up more than they already are, they can knock themselves out if people are stupid enough to go to them. When they step into the realm of real medicine, they should be put in jail IMO.

Amen.

I don't anything about leaky gut. I also wouldn't try to treat it.

But the science (real science, with actual data) is very clear that chiropractic "medicine" isn't even very useful for back problems. As for other medical problems, it is worthless.

And it also sounds like the OP's guy has some other, non-chiropractor, snake oil for leaky gut.

Run away.

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
...but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be,

Oh, I do. A series of "adjustments" that never seem to fix anything but will require more "adjustments" to see any results.

Run away and seek out a real doctor.

I could tell you many stories of chiropractors, but I'll relay only the one that got me to quit primary care and go into anesthesia instead.

I was managing a beautiful little 9-year-old girl with asthma who had a less than stellar mother. The girl was doing great for several years in my care, and then mom decided to take her to a chiropractor instead. She was convinced by the chiropractor that her daughter didn't need prescription medication. Instead, what she needed, were a few "adjustments" and some BS herbal concoctions. That beautiful little girl died.

If chiropractors want to crunch bones and fuck peoples' backs up more than they already are, they can knock themselves out if people are stupid enough to go to them. When they step into the realm of real medicine, they should be put in jail IMO.

Gustopher, Since that one event has had such a profound prejudice against Chiropractors how do you sleep at night knowing so many people have died while under the care of anesthesiologists?

Oh lord. There is no possible explanation about how chiropractors' treatments could possibly cure allergy problems. There is no logical connection between what they do and how it could cure anyone of anything but a stiff neck. There is no rational, causal mechanism between the two.

An anesthesiologist can, of course, make a mistake, but we understand that what they are doing is related to the desired outcome.

Chiro probably sells vitamins, herbs, and spices too.

My wife went to a chiropractor for a back problem. On her second visit I was required to attend and sit through a presentation that would put a time share presentation to shame. The reason for having me there was so I would be able to see the need for years of treatments and tens of thousands of dollars spent to cure her back problem. I was done right then and there, but my wife wanted to give it a try. She took treatments for two months with zero improvement. I went to a chiropractor years ago. He fixed my back in ten min. and said there would be no need for me to come back. Sadly he died. Huge difference between old time chiropractors and the new ones. I hope your wife has better luck than mine had.
Rod

I maintain a high-fiber diet. Many foods, but oats are the star of the show – lots of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Tasty, too.

“A recent study[1] published in Cell Host & Microbe reveals that good gut bacteria – specifically bifidobacteria – rely upon fiber as a nutritional source to maintain a healthy mucus layer in the colon. This layer protects against gut permeability, which can lead to leaky gut syndrome as well as a host of other digestive concerns. While the findings demonstrate that fiber contributes to colonic health, many people still are not getting adequate fiber in their diets. Past research shows that low-fiber diets can lead to weight gain and diabetes. However, not all types of fiber are created equal. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you are getting enough of the good stuff…”

https://blog.bulletproof.com/fiber-gut-health/

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
Seems like some additional information is in order, both to answer some questions and address some of the speculation that is going on.

She has been to a gi, three of them in fact. Food allergy tests have been done and those have been eliminated from diet (shell fish and some fruits). Dairy has also been eliminated though she didn’t show an allergy. Thyroid has not been checked and diagnosis is IBS though, so far, nothing has really seemed to be an improvement.

I don’t know what this guys plan might be, and we may not utilize him, but it is not physical... diet and supplements of some sort.

Ok, if you've seen GI docs, have an IBS diagnosis and have already modified diet then I don't see how chiropractic care, more diet modification or adding supplements is going to affect her situation one way or the other.

Her situation is actually fairly ideal for someone who practices Chinese medicine/acupuncture. It's usually at this point when people turn up in my office looking for an alternative to pharmaceuticals. If you/she are open to it, go out to NCCAOM.org and use their 'find a practitioner' lookup to see if there's anyone in your area.

IBS typically responds fairly well to acupuncture and there are several good studies out there showing acupuncture effectiveness vs pharma options. Here's one study link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3930986/

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:
such a profound prejudice against Chiropractors

Oh christ here comes the victim card.

Stick to backs, quacks.

Chiropractic may be OK for a very narrow range of spine related ailments, but I don't have to be a doctor, just have common sense, to know that it is not appropriate for this.

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by Garret Blaine:
...but we don’t know what his “prescription” for fixing it will be,

Oh, I do. A series of "adjustments" that never seem to fix anything but will require more "adjustments" to see any results.

Run away and seek out a real doctor.

I could tell you many stories of chiropractors, but I'll relay only the one that got me to quit primary care and go into anesthesia instead.

I was managing a beautiful little 9-year-old girl with asthma who had a less than stellar mother. The girl was doing great for several years in my care, and then mom decided to take her to a chiropractor instead. She was convinced by the chiropractor that her daughter didn't need prescription medication. Instead, what she needed, were a few "adjustments" and some BS herbal concoctions. That beautiful little girl died.

If chiropractors want to crunch bones and fuck peoples' backs up more than they already are, they can knock themselves out if people are stupid enough to go to them. When they step into the realm of real medicine, they should be put in jail IMO.

Gustopher, Since that one event has had such a profound prejudice against Chiropractors how do you sleep at night knowing so many people have died while under the care of anesthesiologists?

What a stupid thing to say.
Keeping dying, critical, medically unstable and obese patients properly and adequately perfused on an operating room table is an awesome responsibility. Not trashing chiro but come on get a grip man.