My husband and I have been unable to have a child in our nine years of marriage. We have been on a long journey to figure out the cause of infertility. Along the way, we have learned that I am dealing with painful endometriosis and something called MTHFR.
I sought answers from my primary care physicians, OBGYN, and natural family planning nurse. None of them knew how to explain my symptoms and infertility, nor did they have enough time to investigate. My OBGYN in St. Louis had some idea that my health issues could be stemming from something called MTHFR. He ordered a blood test that confirmed his suspicions. But he could not help me any further. He also ordered a laparoscopy which confirmed the diagnosis of endometriosis. The laparoscopy also relieved some of my pain for about two years afterward. Before Sanctuary, I had tried a common hormone medication that resulted in a side effect that bothered me quite a bit. I had also undergone a surgery to further explore my health symptoms. During my initial appointment with Dr. Potter, I felt a huge sense of relief. Dr. Potter spent close to two hours with me and my husband. He was a good listener, and he validated my concerns. Dr. Potter knew so much about MTHFR! He gave me hope as he described the journey we would go on to figure out the root cause of my issues. Dr. Potter saw me as a unique individual. He figured out that I need to avoid gluten and that my body does not process B vitamins in the same way as everyone else. No other doctor looked at my diet or supplements to improve my health. I appreciate the fact that he prescribes medication when it is necessary but not as a blanket solution for everyone. Because of Dr. Potter, I am much more knowledgeable about my body and my health. Additionally, it means so much to me to have a Christian doctor. He prays during my appointments, asking God for wisdom and giving God the glory as the Healer and Giver of life. If my health was a jigsaw puzzle, every other doctor only saw one piece at a time. They each dealt with a symptom in isolation. Having a functional medicine doctor means having someone who looks at each piece of my health puzzle and considers how it relates to the others. Then he steps back and looks at the whole picture of my life and well-being. I am much more informed about my health and I feel I am better able to make decisions because of how much I have learned from functional medicine. |
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Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
