Pracitioners

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
Post Reply
atreides
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:09 pm

Pracitioners

Post by atreides »

Hi, all, I have just joined this website. I was diagnosed with MCI. I have not had genetic testing but will be getting it soon. I read Dr. Bredesen's book and am very interested in his approach. I am really having a hard time understanding what practitioners offer treatment based on his approach. Also is this approach not covered by insurance? I live in Arizona and would like to see someone in this state. I am also willing to travel if that is necessary. Thanks for your help!
ro.oconnor
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:21 am
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Pracitioners

Post by ro.oconnor »

atreides wrote:Hi, all, I have just joined this website. I was diagnosed with MCI. I have not had genetic testing but will be getting it soon. I read Dr. Bredesen's book and am very interested in his approach. I am really having a hard time understanding what practitioners offer treatment based on his approach. Also is this approach not covered by insurance? I live in Arizona and would like to see someone in this state. I am also willing to travel if that is necessary. Thanks for your help!
Welcome atreides,

I'm so glad that you've found this site because you don't have to take this journey alone. I hope that you will find this community both supportive and informative.

Furthermore, I am happy to be able to direct you to our wiki, which contains a helpful How-to Guide and includes suggestions for how to get the most out of this website. It also contains Searching for a Healthcare Practitioner ,a list of ApoE4-Aware Healthcare Practitioners as well as health coaches . Hopefully you can find one that works for you within reasonable proximity. I have noticed that more and more practitioners are offering their services virtually, so you may not want to discount those that are not close to home if telehealth something you would be comfortable with.

In addition to that, there are two other avenues that might be of interest to you. First, several clinical trials (both drug and non-drug) are seeking people with MCI who may be interested in interventions. Secondly, there is a medication called Aducanumab (brand name Aduhelm) which has recently been approved by the FDA for MCI. However, it is not widely available yet.

As far as your question about insurance coverage goes, I think your best bet is to check with the individual health care providers as well as with your insurance provider.

You may also want to take a look at the Primer, which is authored by a member physician and includes researched-based prevention strategies. And finally, I invite you to browse the stories of other members and if you are comfortable, share your own.

I hope you will continue to find the site helpful on your health journey. If there is anything else you want to know and can't find it on the site, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Warmly,
Rosanne O'Connor
ro.oconnor
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach

ApoE 3/4
atreides
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:09 pm

Re: Pracitioners

Post by atreides »

Thanks so much! I am trying not to freak out. I think I will find the help I need. Right now it is scary. The neurologist I saw said to follow a Mediterranean diet, reduce stress, sleep 8 hours a night and exercise. Come back in a year. When I pushed back he did give me a referral to another neurologist who apparently does dementia studies. I have not heard from the referral yet. When I get the appointment I am going to ask if he is familiar with the Bredesen protocol. I have already implemented the diet-have some questions about that, sleep 8 hours per night and exercise. Have also looked at supplements but it seems you have to have tests to see which ones you should take. I am 65 years old btw. I did make an appointment with a Dr. on the list who is in California. But found they only take people that live in California.
atreides
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:09 pm

Re: Pracitioners

Post by atreides »

The "tips for searching for practitioners" and ApoE4 aware practitioners went to a site with nothing on it.
ro.oconnor
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:21 am
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Pracitioners

Post by ro.oconnor »

atreides wrote:The "tips for searching for practitioners" and ApoE4 aware practitioners went to a site with nothing on it.
Hi atreides,

I'm so sorry that the links that I gave you were incorrect. Hopefully these links will work for you. If they don't take you to the correct page, just click on the Wiki heading at the top of this page and then go to each corresponding section:

The tips on searching for a practitioner can be found in 10.5 of the wiki. You can click here to find it.

The list of ApoE4 practitioners can be found in 10.6 of the wiki. Click here to find it.

You may want to explore other areas of the wiki as well. There is a wealth of resources there, including information on direct to consumer lab testing (10.8) and where to purchase supplements (10.11).

I wish you the best with finding a practitioner.

Warmly,
Rosanne
ro.oconnor
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach

ApoE 3/4
atreides
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:09 pm

Re: Pracitioners

Post by atreides »

Thanks, those links worked and are helpful.
JD2020
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 185
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2019 4:22 pm

Re: Pracitioners

Post by JD2020 »

atreides wrote:I was diagnosed with MCI. I read Dr. Bredesen's book and am very interested in his approach. I am really having a hard time understanding what practitioners offer treatment based on his approach. Also is this approach not covered by insurance?
Hello and welcome. I have been working the protocol imperfectly for almost 2 years now, for prevention, as I currently watch a parent decline. The good news is that you are early to the game, young enough to implement, and aware of the existence of this hope.

I suggest that you need a practitioner specifically trained in this protocol because it is so personal and so comprehensive. You must find your vulnerabilities and optimize everything. Finding the vulnerabilities involves a lot of specific testing, much of which is not covered by insurance. Just for example, two big surprises for me were the state of my gut biome and the ongoing mold problem that exists in my body. I had no idea, and mainstream medical never would have bothered to look for these issues.

You are correct - not covered by insurance. When a doc spends two hours on an initial appointment and 1 1/2 hours of follow-up, she really can't afford to accept the measly insurance reimbursement. This program is expensive and not for those who are not committed.

I tried to get my parent's doc and family on board, and I failed completely. This disease only goes one direction without dramatic intervention. I wish you the very best of luck.
atreides
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:09 pm

Re: Pracitioners

Post by atreides »

Thanks!
Post Reply