Need Help getting Started

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Repomann
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Need Help getting Started

Post by Repomann »

Hi all,
Completed "The End of Alzheimer's" book, started "Program". Close to registering with Apollo. Plan "WAS" to get cognitive tests and labs then have a qualified person (Dr.,Coach, Nurse, or whomever) look them over.

Apollo requires a Apollo certified Doctor or coach to be a part of their program. NOW WHAT. It appears I can't just order the labs and cognitive tests from Apollo and find my own Dr or coach.. they have to be certified by Apollo.

Another option is to sign up with a Doctor that has competed Dr. Bredeson's protocol but has not been formally certified. This Dr. follows their own protocol and orders their own labs based on learning with Dr Bredeson and others in similar fields and at this time will not take referrals from Recode. So if I spend the money and time doing Apollo's labs and cognitive testing they won't be available to a non certified Recode Dr. of my choice

Now what !!

Repomann :
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floramaria
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by floramaria »

Repomann wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 3:02 pm Hi all,
Completed "The End of Alzheimer's" book, started "Program". Close to registering with Apollo. Plan "WAS" to get cognitive tests and labs then have a qualified person (Dr.,Coach, Nurse, or whomever) look them over.

Apollo requires a Apollo certified Doctor or coach to be a part of their program. NOW WHAT. It appears I can't just order the labs and cognitive tests from Apollo and find my own Dr or coach.. they have to be certified by Apollo.

Another option is to sign up with a Doctor that has competed Dr. Bredeson's protocol but has not been formally certified. This Dr. follows their own protocol and orders their own labs based on learning with Dr Bredeson and others in similar fields and at this time will not take referrals from Recode. So if I spend the money and time doing Apollo's labs and cognitive testing they won't be available to a non certified Recode Dr. of my choice

Now what !!

Repomann :
Hi Repomann, My understanding is that Apollo Health has this requirement because they believe it is the best path to good outcomes. The training that Apollo’s Health offers to practitioners and health coaches through its ReCODE 2.0 training is comprehensive. It puts the ReCODE Report into context, uses complex algorithms to provide the subscriber and his/her practitioner with information on what is most likely causing symptoms, and prioritizes where to focus your attention, and recommends what further testing may be valuable based on the ReCODE Basic Panel of lab work.
But, that said, there are people who are putting the plan into practice by following Dr Bredesen’s books. You can get the lab work and look at Dr Bredesen’s recommended ranges and then see how close you are.
Whether following the Bredesen Protocol independently is a good idea may depend on where you are cognitively. That route is probably best for those who are working on prevention or have subjective cognitive impairment.
I’d be wary of doctors who say they have “completed Dr. Bredesen’s protocol” but not been formally certified. Anyone who completes the ReCODE 2.0 training successfully is certified. Apollo Health is requires completion of the most recent training to be certified and listed on their website.
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
IFM/ Bredesen Training in Reversing Cognitive Decline (March 2017)
ReCODE 2.0 Health Coach with Apollo Health
NF52
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by NF52 »

Repomann wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 3:02 pm Hi all,
Completed "The End of Alzheimer's" book, started "Program". Close to registering with Apollo. Plan "WAS" to get cognitive tests and labs then have a qualified person (Dr.,Coach, Nurse, or whomever) look them over.

Apollo requires a Apollo certified Doctor or coach to be a part of their program. NOW WHAT. It appears I can't just order the labs and cognitive tests from Apollo and find my own Dr or coach.. they have to be certified by Apollo.

Another option is to sign up with a Doctor that has competed Dr. Bredeson's protocol but has not been formally certified. This Dr. follows their own protocol and orders their own labs based on learning with Dr Bredeson and others in similar fields and at this time will not take referrals from Recode. So if I spend the money and time doing Apollo's labs and cognitive testing they won't be available to a non certified Recode Dr. of my choice

Now what !!

Repomann :
Hi Repomann,

It's frustrating when you think through options, make a plan to get the ReCODE tests results to someone whom you've chosen to meet the needs of you and your wife, only to find a detour in your route. I'm not affiliated with Apollo Health, so am just offering my perspective as a Senior Support person. I'll also "quote" a great Senior Support member here
floramaria wrote:
who is very familiar with Apollo, in case she has other suggestions.

I understand why Apollo Health wants to have people working closely with providers who aren't starting from zero in applying the Protocol. Since it's important to you to have someone whom you like at a reasonable cost for everything, it may be helpful to talk directly with Apollo about your specific circumstances: where you live, whether you want someone you can drive to and see in person, or could work with by Zoom or FaceTime. You could ask about having a meet-and-greet with that person BEFORE signing up for the program to understand the process and. the full costs.

Another suggestion would be prioritize issues and tackle a few at a time. It might help to ask your wife (and yourself) what would make the biggest difference in her ability to enjoy life, and your ability to support her. It sounds from an earlier post like she's convinced that geothermal disruptions are harming her. It's possible that having someone trained in "cognitive behavioral therapy" could give both of you some ways to cope or reduce those fears. (Not disputing what you feel; when my son was facing heart surgery at age 5, I needed to focus on what I could control and not on the "what-ifs".) Most practicing psychologists and many clinical social workers are very skilled in short-term therapy for people with real and disabling fears and they wouldn't need to be Bredesen-certified to help with that area. Skills like re-framing, relaxation breathing, and others are not "woo-woo" and can be easy to learn and practice.

It also sounds like your wife has some short-term memory issues, which might affect her remembering how and when to take her pills, plan for meals, use appliances, or maybe just enjoy her favorite TV shows. Some of those may be issues that a skilled health coach could you find workarounds. (I know someone whose desk was covered with post-it notes and who had a watch to remind him of his next appointment. His career was built on Post-It notes!) Sometimes realizing you have memory issues is the source of deep anxiety about the future to the person who is aware of changes. Short-term therapy and possibly even joining a support group with others having similar issues might help with that, while you work on suggestions from the protocol.

COVID-19 has harmed many people's mental health by keeping them isolated from friends and families. If that's true for your wife, maybe getting her back with long-time friends (and gently explaining her memory issues beforehand) or taking a trip to see the grandkids or to a long-desired destination would allow both of you to see life as joyful. Many of us have deep affection for our pets, and know that they are ready for a walk, or lap time, anytime. If your wife is, or could be, one of those people, a pet may be a wonderful "supplement" to her routine.

If your wife hasn't seen her own doctor in a while, that person should be able to order some of the tests that Dr. Bredesen's program would use, although definitely not all. These are listed on Dr. Stavia's Primer under Biomarkers. She mentions:
* Vitamin B12: [ideally the level is above 500; the recommended version for ApoE 4 is methylcobalamin, not the cyanocobalamin seen in CVS and other stores. You can easily order it on Amazon and get a cherry-flavored lozenge that dissolves--my kind of pill! I learned I was slightly low on B-12 through a clinical trial and am grateful that they pointed that out.]
* Vitamin D3
* TSH, T3, T4 (thyroid function)
* Liver functions
* Homocysteine
* CRP [C-reactive protein] (inflammation) (to define values under 1, a high sensitivity assay is used - denoted hsCRP)
* Full blood count (FBC) also called complete blood count (CBC) in the USA, measures the red cells, white cells and platelets in the blood.
* Ferritin (measure of iron stores but also goes up in chronic inflammation)

And while you may not want a memory evaluation by a hospital or clinic that offers that, it would be covered by Medicare and would give you both a more detailed sense of her strengths and areas that need support. I have taken those kinds of tests as a participant in clinical trials, and so have met the doctors, nurses and psychologists who work together with patients and spouses or care partners. I found them to be unfailingly kind, patient, willing to take time to talk and able to explain blood work (and sometimes imaging like MRIs). You could ask your doctor for place near you that do that; or check with the local teaching hospital.
The path ahead got a little more convoluted, with more options in some areas and maybe fewer in others. But I'm a big believer that even small steps to make things easier on both of you are well worthwhile.

Keep us posted; you are obviously a gem of a husband!

Nancy
4/4 and still an optimist!
Repomann
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by Repomann »

"But, that said, there are people who are putting the plan into practice by following Dr Bredesen’s books. You can get the lab work and look at Dr Bredesen’s recommended ranges and then see how close you are.
Whether following the Bredesen Protocol independently is a good idea may depend on where you are cognitively. That route is probably best for those who are working on prevention or have subjective cognitive impairment.
I’d be wary of doctors who say they have “completed Dr. Bredesen’s protocol” but not been formally certified. Anyone who completes the ReCODE 2.0 training successfully is certified. Apollo Health is requires completion of the most recent training to be certified and listed on their website."

My réponse to above and other comments:
* Apollo is saying they won't print report until I've assigned a coach or practitioner
* Apollo has a "Pending" clasification attached to some of their recommendations for coaches or practitioners who have completed the training Protocol
* I’m trying to decide what type of provider or coach I should be looking for...

* one of the providers I was interested in has decided to not take any referrals from Apollo??? Why would a provider after getting close to being certified, (they are pending), decide to not take referrals?? ... is there something going on at Apollo I that we should know about?

* If we get the cognitive testing done for my wife and myself, then the labs, what type of person are the members on the forum using and what kind of experiences are they having with coaches and or medical Dr. types ?

* One of the Doctors I contacted who is suppose to be certified advises me that they “have their own protocol”..???? and don't use the Protocol so why go thru the certification process with Apollo and not follow their protocol ???? very confusing

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Julie G
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by Julie G »

My réponse to above and other comments:
* Apollo is saying they won't print report until I've assigned a coach or practitioner
* Apollo has a "Pending" clasification attached to some of their recommendations for coaches or practitioners who have completed the training Protocol
* I’m trying to decide what type of provider or coach I should be looking for...

* one of the providers I was interested in has decided to not take any referrals from Apollo??? Why would a provider after getting close to being certified, (they are pending), decide to not take referrals?? ... is there something going on at Apollo I that we should know about?

* If we get the cognitive testing done for my wife and myself, then the labs, what type of person are the members on the forum using and what kind of experiences are they having with coaches and or medical Dr. types ?

* One of the Doctors I contacted who is suppose to be certified advises me that they “have their own protocol”..???? and don't use the Protocol so why go thru the certification process with Apollo and not follow their protocol ???? very confusing
Hi repoman. While ApoE4.Info isn't associated with Apollo Health, I do some consulting work for them and would be happy to try to help. It sounds as though you haven't subscribed, but are thinking about it and want to get your practitioner in place before moving forward (?) This sounds very reasonable. Please let me know if I've gotten the scenario wrong. I'll be happy to set you up with a customer service call so that you can verify the practitioners they have for you.

As Floramaria described, as of Jan. 1 they only plan to refer to the most highly trained practitioners in order to get best outcomes for their participants. Some practitioners are pending if they haven't completed their training or onboarding and some practitioners (who have completed training) periodically find their practices full with other patients and temporarily ask to be taken off the referral list. As you know, functional medIcine is very time consuming and there are only so many hours in the day. Many Apollo participants end up using telemedicine which has relaxed state-to-state rules because of COVID.

If you and your wife are both in the ReCODE program, I would recommend using a ReCODE 2.0 certified MD or DO. Their customer service can help you identify this person. While a health coach is super helpful, they don't take the place of this lead practitioner. My guess is that the practitioner with his/her own protocol isn't ReCODE 2.0 certified (?) I would encourage you to work with someone who has the most up-to-date training and is using Dr. Bredesen's protocol. Best of luck and don't hesitate to reach out if I can help you get connected to customer service to answer your questions.
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by Repomann »

Hi All,
Has had any experience with a Dr. Nancy Rizzo. She has a device that is called a "Best Scan" which is used for diagnosis. In lay person language the patient puts all 10 fingers into the machine, one at a time where they are photographed. This device measures potential issues in all parts of body that if found are used to fix causes of Alzheimer's.

https://44lifeforce.com/about


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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by Julie G »

Has had any experience with a Dr. Nancy Rizzo. She has a device that is called a "Best Scan" which is used for diagnosis. In lay person language the patient puts all 10 fingers into the machine, one at a time where they are photographed. This device measures potential issues in all parts of body that if found are used to fix causes of Alzheimer's.
Hi there. Your link isn't working so we can't check it out. I don't know anything about this practitioner, but I'm highly skeptical based on this technology...but open to learning something new.
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floramaria
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by floramaria »

Repomann wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 1:01 pm Hi All,
Has had any experience with a Dr. Nancy Rizzo. She has a device that is called a "Best Scan" which is used for diagnosis. In lay person language the patient puts all 10 fingers into the machine, one at a time where they are photographed. This device measures potential issues in all parts of body that if found are used to fix causes of Alzheimer's.
https://44lifeforce.com/about
RepoMann
HI Repomann, Like JulieG, I was unable to use the link you provided. I tired typing LifeForce.com into search engine and go a website associated with Tony Robbins. Then I typed in Dr “Nancy Rizzo + Best Scan”. This is what I got:
https://www.healthecircuits.com/about-us/
If I have located the correct Dr Nancy Rizzo, she is not a medical doctor, rather a PhD. Best Scan is a program she developed herself. I don’t know what led you to her and Best Scan, but it does not look to me like it offers anything even remotely comparable to a proven protocol like what you get through Apollo Health.
Other than that, I can’t comment because I have no experience in this area at all. What is this area? Maybe there is some value to it? Is there real science behind it? Anyone can put anything on the internet. Before plunking down my dollars, I’d want to see some evidence that BEST (Biofields Energy Systems Technology) would provide real benefits.
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
IFM/ Bredesen Training in Reversing Cognitive Decline (March 2017)
ReCODE 2.0 Health Coach with Apollo Health
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by Repomann »

Hi FloraMaria,
Nancy Rizzo was referred to me by an Apollo, Recode 2.0 pending Dr. who is using Dr. Rizzo's Best Scan for diagnostics. Yes you have located the correct Nancy Rizzo. It looks to me to be legit but as the late Ronald Reagan said.... "Trust but Verify" (Just finished reading Bill O'Reilly's book.. "Killing Reagan" great read and its goes into great detail about how he and Nancy Reagan dealt with his Alzheimer's)

thanks in advance for any help,

RePoMann
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Re: Need Help getting Started

Post by NF52 »

Repomann wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:04 am Hi FloraMaria,
Nancy Rizzo was referred to me by an Apollo, Recode 2.0 pending Dr. who is using Dr. Rizzo's Best Scan for diagnostics....
Hi RePoMann,

You're to be commended for all the effort you're making to help your wife. But since I'm not in any way affiliated with Dr. Bredesen or Apollo or Dr. Rizzo, I would gently suggest that someone who is "pending" certification as a ReCode practitioner is not the same as someone certified. Dr. Rizzo's website [https://www.healthecircuits.com/about-us/] says that she got dual doctorates in 2002 from Holos University, an online school that describes itself as a "Graduate Seminary" https://uums.org/7431-2/ This appears to be VERY different than a program which provides a rigorous PhD, usually taking 4-7 years, followed by post-doctoral fellowships.

In simple terms, she spent a year or 18 months to get two online "doctorates" which would not make her eligible to practice in any reputable physics lab, I suspect.

Dr. Rizzo's website says that FAST SCAN is an FDA-approved Class 1 device, BUT it does not explain that
Class I devices are low-risk devices. Examples include bandages, handheld surgical instruments, and nonelectric wheelchairs....Most class I and some class II devices are exempt from review if they are extremely low risk or very similar to existing devices. These exempt devices still must comply with manufacturing and quality control standards.
FDA Authorization of Medical Devices The FDA does NOT require clinical trials or proof that the device works, merely that it doesn't harm someone.

Speaking just for myself, I'd give the device a hard pass and have some serious qualms about that doctor. I've had PET scans and MRIs as a participant in a clinical study for people at risk of Alzheimer's and even with that level of detail, the doctors are careful to say "There's a lot we don't know."

If you want some great, easy-to-read advice, try Dr. Stavia's Primer. She is someone with two copies of ApoE 4/4 and has recovered from two serious brain injuries to resume being a family medicine doctor. Here's an excerpt from the Primer with links to some of its sections:
We need to start on simple steps.

I will be discussing possible positive strategies such as:

1. Lowering insulin resistance Many researchers and doctors, and many on our forum including myself, think this is the very most important thing you can do to hopefully prevent AD. In addition, it is critical for prevention of CVD. This latter statement is not controversial at all.
2. Exercise
3. Sleep
4. Stress management
5. Eating a healthy diet with heaps of micronutrients. These include vitamins, minerals and the amazing molecules made by plants - called phytochemicals. There are also nutrients in animal-based food. See this article. We will discuss what a "healthy" diet means to different people.
6. Cognitive enhancement
7. Social enhancement
8. Taking some important supplements if you are not able to get what you need from diet or sunlight. We will also discuss the range of possible supplements you can consider.
at is the way I can explain more clearly), it is as important as insulin resistance in my opinion[/i].
4/4 and still an optimist!
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