Andy Update - November 8th

Today we went and saw Dr. Dramov (a Naturopath) about Andy’s G.I. issues.

He was referred to me by my friend April who had some similar “we can’t figure it out” issues w/Laci when she was young. He was able to find her “intolerances” thru a blood test – a finger poke. Her G.I. issues have been manageable since. I was willing to try it!


It took us SIX weeks to get in to see him, but we decided to give it a try. We have seen more doctors in the last 3 ½ months than I can even remember now. We have heard different theories, approaches, conclusions, etc. We have been dismissed, taken seriously, then dismissed again. We have gotten conflicting advice and treatment options from every single doctor/nurse we have seen. If I hear “Oh, I wouldn’t have advised that” from one more doctor, I will scream. Mark may words – I will. It has been frustrating to say the least.

I don’t want to “overreact” and spend months chasing a problem that doesn’t exist, but as a mom it just doesn’t sit right with me to ignore it and just dismiss it because no one seems worried – today. They have been worried in the past. What has changed other than they can’t find what the issue is and they have hit too many deadends? That is the part I don’t like. It might be nothing. But, tell me why it is nothing.

This was not a gradual change. It was a drastic one, and it happened right when he started getting a lot of “normal” foods – for a lack of a better term. So, in my mind, it has to be SOMETHING. Or, it WAS something and his system just never fully recovered? I don’t know. That is the problem.

Anyway, I’m getting off topic… We went to see Dr. Dramov today and he is the FIRST doctor that we have seen that actually let me get thru the entire history before interrupting and diagnosing the issue w/out even looking at Andy or getting the entire story. Right there he made me feel more at ease.

I flat out told him that he was our last stop. If he told me that it was “Normal”, I would buy it and accept it and move on. I would feel like I had exhausted all my options - three different types of doctors telling me this is “normal”, I would move on. Right there he could have said a lot of things. He said “this is NOT normal. No one should have to life like this.”

He seems to think we can find a “fix”. My first thought was “cocky”, my second was “good luck”. Then, the more I talked to him, the more I liked what he was saying. He explained to me why things might work, why some things might not have, actually made some connections between some other “symptoms” that Andy has had and what might be the issue given his age, history, even the fact he was a c-section baby. He didn’t order 10,000 tests that he never gave me the names of. He ordered ONE – the food intolerance finger poke. He also gave us some other Probiotic regiments to try while we are waiting for the results of the blood test (3 weeks).

Anyway… that is the update. Nice guy, good appointment, more stuff to try, more tests, etc.
I’m far from optimistic at this point – because it has been so long w/no resolve or explanation. But, I feel that if he doesn’t have the answer, he will tell me why. He also doesn’t strike me as someone that will stop until we are both statisfied – unlike some others I have been dealing with.
His office manager was very helpful as far as what insurance would cover, and would not, given his specialty. I don’t feel like they wanted my money and were going to test the world out of him until they got it all. They recognized that we needed to be very mindful of that and communicating to me on everything before anything was done that would hit our pocket book.

So there you go. There is the update on Andy – nothing new!!! Haha...
But, we did have a positive experience at a Doctor’s Office and that is ½ the battle right now!

We have a follow up appointment on December 1st to find out the results of the intolerance testing and then we will go from there.