Are Functional Medicine Doctors Better Than “Normal” Doctors?

Are Functional Medicine Doctors Better Than “Normal” Doctors? Dr. Buck goes on a rant about how wrong the concept of Functional Medicine Doctors being “better” than doctors.

Dr. Buck Parker, MD is a Board Certified General Surgeon and can be found here online here:

IG: @drbuckparker
Twitter: @drbuckparker
Snapchat: buckparker

[G.Bfit.]

Went to many doctors. Almost killed myself due to the endless suffering. Pins and needles that wouldn't go away, chronic diarrhea, constant brain fog, memory issues, joint pain, dry skin, inability to fall and stay asleep, erectile dysfunction, feeling of glass in my eyes, ringing in my ears, and even more. Doctors only gaslighted me and told me it was anxiety and that I was making it all up because the symptoms didn't come together. Took a functional medicine doctor to treat me as a human being and understand that I had multiple issues going on causing symptoms. It was a combination of early stage diabetes, hashimoto's, and hypogonadism due to broad autoimmunity. Now I'm much better and it's only because it took someone with brains to see that there may be underlying systemic issues causing multiple problems as opposed to trying to fit all symptoms into one disease and call someone a liar when they're too dumb to see things in a bigger-picture way. Haven't met a SINGLE good doctor. I went to school with these people. They didn't care about learning to be a professional and healing people. They just wanted money.

[ryanjohnston]

You're a functional medicine doctor :) I have plenty of experience with MDs. They just prescribe drugs without providing any education. Many doctors know very little about nutrition, psychology or spirituality. Once I asked a doctor if I should take magnesium for my muscle pain. He went white like he saw a ghost. He didn't know, but was happy to provide a muscle relaxer. He was obviously not a functional medicine doctor. There is a real difference between the two.

[victordean]

I see your point and don't disagree. I will say, I don't see enough physicians giving people the benefit of the doubt, educating their patients, and allowing them the chance to make lifestyle modifications before prescribing a drug to "fix" the problem. As a personal trainer with a Master's Degree in Nutrition, I see lots of clients with conditions such as high cholesterol. After I briefly explain the basic science of how processed foods with high amounts of sugars jack up a person's cholesterol, 9 out of 10 patients tell me their doctor never explained that to them...they just put them on a statin. Yes, lifestyle modifications are difficult but I think patients should be educated about their condition and given the chance to fail before they are handed a script.

[cyhwh]

I was called a train wreck, so serious that I've been told, I'm sorry there is nothing I can do for you'. Would you have given up on me? I'm still here. In my experience most Doctors (and I see a lot!) are willing to give drugs to shut down the awareness of a particular symptom and call it a treatment. And they'll send you to the next specialist for the next symptom. Then starts the downward spiral of treating the symptoms from the drug side effects.

Thank God I lean towards going natural and loaded up on vitamins, minerals, and herbs to support the failing systems and resisted some of the drugs they offered...often with dire scare tactics and worse side effects.

There are so many specialists, that it is refreshing to see the trend towards looking at the body as a whole and finally getting to the cause of the symptoms.

But hey if you want to label someone that's been ill fighting chronic illness as 'untreatable', please AT LEAST have enough compassion to let them have the hope of a better life and send them to someone else to give it a try. If you've given up on them what is the harm in them trying functional medicine?

I am speaking from experience, 6 years post aortic dissection, (currently most major arteries are still dissected, from the Iliac up to both carotids!). Granted they kept me alive, and I'd go to the ER if something breaks again...But for chronic issues I was very disappointed. Far to sick after the dissection to have the aorta replace, I was told to get my life in order...6 years ago, and repeatedly by more doctors that I can count since then. Like you, the doctors and specialists figured I was too far gone to help, resulting in 6 years of horrible suffering. Finally a doctor sat down and asked a lot of questions and looked at ALL the varied symptoms involved not just the ones under her specialty.

After so many years she realize I was suffering from the root illness of malabsorption and malnutrition due to Chronic c-diff contracted during the hospital stay from my surgery...It's harsh but I had to suffer through that for so long while trying to recover from the dissection.

Sadly, how many of you Doctors would have given up and labeled me as untreatable?

I'm personally very thankful for the new trend toward treating the body as a system and to CURE it!!! And the doctors that took the interest to look at the whole story!!!

[felipeherrerasalinas]

I’m in a fellowship of Functional Medicine and I can tell you that the approach and curriculum is totally different than a regular Med school doctor, is another world, you see totally new things and the consult is totally different to.
Cheers!

[blackphoenix_]

There's a huge difference between getting something a la carte as opposed to getting something whole and in depth they can use to help themselves...quality of care should be a valuable experience where the patient can take away from their circumstance not just be turned away because a medical professional assumes they're not going to change their lifestyle.

[LouisRaskin]

nah dude. you completely missed the mark on this one. 7:10 "even normal doctors treat them in a functional medicine fashion." No. They don't. You want to know why? Because they weren't trained in functional medicine. That's like saying that acupuncturists treat patients in a regular doctor fashion. They don't. They're two completely different things which require tons of study. Are you certified in functional medicine? If you're not, then there is no way that you would know.

Maybe you can "identify the people who are willing to change" and treat them in a functional medicine fashion by teaching them all about detoxification, nutrition, healing inflammation and the other components of functional medicine, but something tells me you (and 99.99% of "normal doctors") don't take the time to do that. Seriously think if you can think of ANY allopathic doctor who tells his patients who have inflammatory diseases like ulcerative colitis or arthritis that they can heal themselves through functional medicine and diet and lifestyle. Out of the dozens of doctors (friends I met at Uni) I can't think of one of them who would inform their patients of this and give them the option to go that route or to go the traditional route of pharmaceuticals or do a combination of both. Allopathic doctors don't even inform their patients of the options they have, mostly because the doctors aren't even aware of it themselves, or they don't believe it is possible to heal certain diseases, even though functional medicine helps so many people recover from terrible diseases that they've been dealing (and managing with meds from their normal doctors) with for years. And yet, after doing functional medicine, they get off their medications they were told they would need to be on for the rest of their lives and they feel like a whole new person.

And what's up with saying people "can't" change? Yeah, a lot of people don't want to change, but almost everyone can do something to improve their health. It's not a matter of can or can't for 95% of people. It's a matter of will or will not, or priorities. Yeah, you break your neck or something of that sort, you're not going to miraculously heal thanks to any medicine. But inflammatory diseases... with the right actions, anyone can improve their situation. It's just a matter of if they will.

The Cleveland Clinic has a waiting list of hundreds (maybe thousands at this point) of people wanting to see functional medicine doctors for a reason.

People are sick and tired of not even being told their options.

I hope you explain to your patients that they can cover up their symptoms and take medication OR use functional medicine to actual heal the underlying root causes of their ailments.

[rondepewwoodworking]

In 3 years I saw 4 cardiologists and 2 neurologist and all of them had no clue as to what I had going on. A functional medicine doctor discovered through an MMA test & homocysteine test that I was B12 deficient - they also discovered that I have several environmental toxins and heavy metals that are off the charts. Functional Medicine has been of more help for me personally.

[bigdsmiley]

From personal experience there are doctors that gloss over patient’s symptoms and don’t listen to the patient. I have been told that there is no reason I should be feeling the way I’m feeling because it doesn’t jive with what my blood tests show....but I still feel like shit! For me this means that I need to change doctors and try a different approach.

[browpetj]

The main reason that disease becomes chronic is because of the allopathic system itself. Most patients dont know what is going on. They will take allopathic or functional. Most doctors can't articulate the benefits of functional medicine or the dangers of the allopathic approach to their customers. They don't give both choices becasue they are bias and uninformed. There is a bottle neck with insurance or government health services, more red tape with functional medicine. There is less paperwork and more profit in allopathic... for now.

[dr.aliciamillernd]

I agree that a lot of patients do not want to change. Even as a ND, I spend a lot of time encouraging patients to make the changes while supporting them with supplements and occasional pharmaceuticals. I do practice Functional Medicine and Anti-Aging medicine. The patients that seek me out are many autoimmune and gut issues. I fill the deficit where their doctors are not helping. I support all Doctors and hear their frustrations with how insurance dictates the time they have with their patients. The system needs to change! Many of my MD friends have stopped taking insurance so they can spend more time with their patients and actually help them. We all go into this field wanting to help patients and make a difference. We should all be working together and stop tearing each other down. Blessings to you!

[teribarr]

No sorry. Maybe just speak for yourself as a doctor but most doctors I see don’t know anything about nutrients and how to supplement with what and why. My GYN asked me why I take magnesium glycinate at night before bed. Shouldn’t every doctor know what vitamins and minerals 70 % of all people are sub clinically deficient in and how those deficiencies can effect a body long term?

[donkeyfruit]

I disagree. Medical schools are so focused on knowing, knowing the symptoms, the cause, the biology. Just knowing isn’t going to treat underlying cause. How about teaching doctors to become better interpersonal communicators: discussing different food options, asking deep questions to clients in poverty about their lifestyle, etc. You are doing a disservice to a patient if you are only treating their symptoms and not giving all of your greatest effort to treat to underlying cause first.

[lickakek]

This is why preventative, multidisciplinary health care is so important. Doctors only have so much time in a day to tell people to modify their diets. These lifestyle/social determinants need to be focused on more by supporting professionals.

You're right though, You can't shake people into changing habits.

[dalecuva]

I tried diet modifications only with a genetic dyslipidemia. She was so severe the NIH flew her up to test her and told her there was nothing to be done. We tried diet modification again but added milk thistle, berberine and some other supplements and her off the charts lipids and LFTs went to normal and stayed down which accorded to the NIH was impossible for her given the severity of her genetic disorder. There were other patients with "incurable" issues that responded to diet AND herbs. I think we need to open up to all possibilities for patients not just diet. In the past herbal teas, bitters, fermented were a normal part of life. We need to reconsider if we need to go back to the old ways of eating that included burdock, horseradish, bitter foods tea made from whatever could be collected, etc. We have forgotten that we are picky eaters and don't eat foraged foods anymore and have a very limited pallet compared to old times and this is making us sick.

[emiliac]

Why is everyone complaining the MDs should get training in Functional medicine then they will see what everyone is talking about .. it’s called putting more tools in your tool box 🤦🏻‍♀️

[LaurentSaintJean]

Hello Dr Parker, you're the first medical doctor that I hear talking about lifestyle changes. Over here in France, conventional Drs only have 15 minutes for you, listen to your symptoms, and prescribe chemical drugs to make the symptom disappear, not worrying about the underlying causes. I'm soon turning 60, so I've seen lots of Drs, and most of them are exactly the same. Lately I've consulted Functional Med Dr, and I must say the one I have right now, whilst the idea is good, i.e. spending time doing a wide ranging battery of tests, and looking at the big picture, is still prescribing expensive premium brands of supplements, (when you. start reading on the ingredients, it's mostly the usual vitamins and minerals, plus some herbs, nothing fancy. So yes, some functional Drs are also taking us for a ride! We need modern medicine that start really looking at the root cause of illness, and slow down pushing on chemical drugs so fast. All the best!

[IslamElayan]

He doesn’t understand functional medicine as a specialty or interpretation of lab values compared to conventional standards. I agree though that conventional doctors can still treat the whole person and recommend lifestyle changes, but that’s not the entire picture of functional medicine. Most people who turn to functional medicine do so after being passed from one specialty to the next, treating each organ as if it’s separate, and they hardly talk to each other - I’m one of them. If you don’t understand the problem, you probably haven’t experienced it. Drs miss infections, heavy metal poisoning etc that cause diseases that you call chronic and irreversible, and when people see a functional medicine doctor who finds those things, suddenly it’s no longer chronic, is in fact reversible, and they stop suffering. It’s about looking deeper and listening to the patient, not just the standard labs that come back negative till it’s too far advanced that they can’t be saved anymore.

[jesscnelson]

To the questions of other commenters: I looked into what it means to be a functional doctor. An MD can get training in functional medicine. It’s not an “either, or” type of thing. Basically it is an approach to take a longer time obtaining histories and focus on prevention and treating underlying causes through diet and lifestyle. I’m not implying that “normal” docs don’t do this. Some do and some don’t.

I have a relative who was concerned that she was on the road to developing Type II diabetes. She had several conversations expressing her concerns with her “normal” physician who told her that there was no treatment until she crossed the threshold for the diabetes diagnosis. There was no discussion of how she could improve her condition and prevent the disease. She now has diabetes and is taking medication for it. This is what functional medicine training aims to prevent. However any doctor could have (and should have) counseled her on changing her lifestyle. I just think that a lot of doctors get tired of trying to get patients to change their lifestyle when what they really want is the pills (like Dr. Buck said). They give up on trying and just go for offering the pills.

[kye]

Most regular docs look at labs within normal range as "normal".When in fact and for example thyroid and testosterone in range but not optimized can cause major symptons..Functional med docs get this..