Has anyone even treated or read about treating serotonin syndrome? It’s possible I might have that. I noticed there’s nothing about it here on the site so IDK if anyone has had any experience with it. I take way too many meds. That has to change. Or I won’t know what’s going on.
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
As with most of your questions, the answer is similar - we don’t mention western symptoms/conditions as much because we treat patterns. So, yes, technically serotonin syndrome is treated, as is the entire range of psychological and digestive issues, but proper diagnosis in Chinese Medicine terms of the underlying causes is what is treated, not chasing after each individual symptom.
And you’ve answered your own question, you are over medicated best I can tell from your posts and you do need to eliminate many of your meds, but you need to do that under consistent care of an acupuncturist and herbalist, not by yourself. In theory, you could get a large way there on your own by completely changing your diet but even that is done best with some supervision and guidance - it not least of which to hold you more accountable. I would suggest you read one of the many books on anti-inflammatory diets and work towards that. That will, if anything, be cheaper for you than your current diet as I know finances are one of the things holding you up from getting proper care.
Comment by Archived User
Yes well what I appreciate about you Chad is that you not only understand TCM of course but western medicine too to an extent. You can “translate” some between patterns and western syndromes. I looked on the site and didn’t see “Serotonin Syndrome” mentioned. Ulcer was though and my PCP thinks I might have that too. So I will have to have a scope later I believe. The first time there was no H Pylori so IDK what could’ve happened.
I have medicare and medicaid. It my understanding, it doesn’t cover TCM, unfortunately. There is a woman that does acupuncture here and she charges quite a bit. More than most other places I’ve looked at.
Comment by Archived User
Bill. You might want to google community acupuncture. This is often an affordable way to get acupuncture. Some practices even take ebt cards and perhaps Medicaid. I think Chinese medicine is amazing, but you still want to work closely with your doctor particularly if you are trying to taper of any psych meds.
Chad I’m kind of shocked at your response. You’ve never met or assessed Bill, I’m assuming, how can you possibly confirm he’s taking too many meds? This is very unethical and possibly illegal. And working exclusively with a acupuncturist as you suggest is not going to cut it when it comes to tapering of medication. Again that advice may well be against the law. For the sake of both your patients, readers and yourself I would rethink or clarify the advice you’re offering.
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
Thank you for your concern @Dawnmeshell , but I actually know Bill quite well (and you could as well by reading his many posts here). I suggest you read all of his posts, all my responses, and all the other input before accusing me of being unprofessional. You are reading one snapshot out of many posts with a long history of explanation and discussion - this is exactly how problems start in discussions like this - reacting to one partial aspect of a much longer thread.
Comment by Archived User
So you’ve met and assessed Bill, Sorry Bill to talk about you like you’re not here, because exchanging thoughts on a forum is not the same. Furthermore, I don’t know about the laws where you are but an acupuncturist giving advice on a medical condition or it’s treatment is completely outside the scope of practice.
Serotonin Syndrome can be life threatening. If someone has that they should talk to their doctor immediately and begin titrating meds slowly under their close supervision. You’ve given the impression here that all someone has to do is find a good acupuncturist.
It is not up to me or anyone else to scroll through each encounter on this website. It’s up to you to be clear within each encounter because that is one thing someone reading might be exposed to.
You’ll take this in or not. I’m done here.
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
It is not up to me or anyone else to scroll through each encounter on this website.
It actually is if you are going to comment - that’s why it’s an online “community” not a platform to speak out of turn and without context. There are responsibilities to engage online just like in person.
This interaction is indicative of the “fake news” epidemic. People not taking the time to actually read for one, then to put context on things - then worse speaking out of term, to people who they don’t know or take the time to know and generally, nearly always, with judgement instead of genuine inquisitiveness.
Comment by Archived User
Oh my goodness. Yes Chad has read many of my posts. I wish yinyang house was here. But it’s not. I could save some money there for the community program. I have cut my SSRI a little bit too. Not a whole lot, you have to be careful with psychotropics. I think I might have listed some of my meds at some point. I am very much definitely dealing with the Western Dr.s too here. I used herbs but there came a point I needed to be under a Dr.s care and they don’t use herbs anymore. What do you mean by ebt cards? The way I understand it medicare and Medicaid isn’t going to pay certainly for ongoing Tx. Maybe not even a checkup. I would like to have my pulses checked anyway and TCM intrigues me. Like a lot of medical related things. I recommend the blogs here too.
Comment by Archived User
Yes. TCM intrigues me. Very much. I have many posts here. And I seem to recall mentioning meds I take.
Comment by Archived User
Some doctors treat from the communications level by trying to jump start the pathway that provides the Serotonin. SSRIs tend to work fine at first and then exhaust the overall supply of serotonin. Check out the site on Sanesco Health who often help practitioners address the HPA axis with integrative practitioners and testing so they see what they are doing. Some of those are acupuncturists who combine pattern analysis with functional medicine. They were one of the first to jump into this style of testing.
Comment by Archived User
Well I do not have that. IN so far as I can tell, it’s the Kidney, spleen, liver that might have to do with mental illness. I also have heard heart. Several things. What I like is called I guess “Classsic” TCM. But in Western Medicine a “Syndrome” is something that “happens all the sudden.” There was no expectation and the answer is to be found. IDK if TCM is like that too.