My story started in February 2016 when I experienced severe diarrhea, cramping, and jaundice. I was always curious about functional medicine, as I started the journey to figuring out what was wrong with me by visiting a GI doc at Nashville-based St. Thomas. My symptoms were not getting better. My amazing wife, a holistic nutritionist who now works with Dr. Potter, found Dr. P and Sanctuary Medicine after my liver enzymes had reached epic proportions. After my first visit with Dr. Potter, I knew I had found functional medicine for life and a practice that takes time to get to the root of the problem and not a “quick-pharmaceutical fix”. I ran tests, labs, etc. and after a few months was diagnosed with autoimmune hep and high-gluten sensitivity. With a strict gluten-free diet and exercise to rid toxins out of my body, along with supplements adhered to by Dr. Potter, I never felt better in my life. I did experience a mild recurrence a year ago of a few stomach symptoms, but Sanctuary and Dr. Potter are always so quick to respond and help to alleviate the problem. I now am on a Paleo diet, and feel better as a whole being in my 30’s than my teenage years. I can’t thank the team at Sanctuary enough for their strong help and support to help me through this journey!
Liver enzymes were thru the roof, yellow eyes/jaundice, severe diarrhea. I felt scared and at times as if I was going to have to have a liver transplant as my enzymes and AST/ALT measurements were shockingly high. I was not hungry for weeks and lost 15 pounds upon first symptoms. I saw a few docs at St. Thomas hospital who recommended prednisone, biopsy, etc. Prednisone was never an option for me, a last case resort. But nothing was working.
These specialists, while trained well in the human body, did not diagnose properly. It’s a shame they aren’t taught nutrition/supplements in medical school, because these two things naturally “cured” me of my symptoms, knock on wood. After Dr. Potter’s tests and further diagnosis and then adhering to a gluten-free diet, my liver enzymes, etc. spiraled down to a normal range within months. Why can’t these GP’s or specialized docs give me those options? I don’t know, I’m shocked. But Sanctuary and Dr. Potter did, and I am forever grateful for their services as I”d recommend no one else but this practice. They are a dedicated group of employees who truly care about patients. I took zero medications, zero! Proper nutrition of the body then and now keeps me healthy. “Let food be thy medicine”!
The GI docs recommended an array of pharmaceuticals to me, including prednisone and antibiotics. I did my best to stick with the process and not give in to taking them.
Well for one thing, a doctor who sat down with me for my introductory session for an hour and a half to go thru my complete health history? I don’t think I’ve ever had a doctor stay past the 10 minute mark. I remember before seeing Sanctuary the GI doc actually walked out of the room while I was still asking questions. I was thinking to myself wow…healthcare is broken. But not seeing Dr. Potter! He has a portal online as a patient where you can message the group, search for labs, ask questions, etc. I’ve never had a doctor in my life where I felt like he was invested in me, not just another number to fill the insurance quota. My wife found Dr. Potter on a random google search, and to this day that was the best find ever.
It’s been truly amazing working with Dr. Potter and a functional medical doctor. I absolutely have benefited by this relationship, and can’t imagine the journey I would have taken health-wise if it wasn’t for Dr. Potter’s services.
Ted W, TN
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.