VITAMINTESTING.COM: Test Your Vitamin Levels

So, you’ve selected an alternative healthcare provider.  Congratulations!  Now, it’s time to get prepared for your first visit.

Checking Your Vitamin Supplement Levels: What to bring with you

• A list of all medications and vitamin supplements you take
• A list of your current health conditions and significant health history
• Details of your primary complaints (refer to symptoms for deficiencies/excesses on the Overview Page for common issues that could be vitamin-related).  Remember, your practitioner will need these in order to determine the best tests for you and to justify these tests to your healthcare insurer.
• Research you’ve done (see Research: Step-by-Step Process Page) which indicates drug-vitamin interactions, drug-induced vitamin deficiencies, disease-related deficiencies and symptoms you have which may indicate deficiencies or vitamin excesses.  If your provider questions the source of your information and/or its credibility, you may want to ask her to double check your research using resources she deems credible (like the Physician’s Desk Reference on Nutritional Supplements and Physician’s Desk Reference on Herbal Medicine).  If she doesn’t have the resources to verify or refute the information you’ve provided, it may be an indication that you’re not with the right provider. 
• A list of questions that you have.  You may also wish to bring along a family member or friend to help you remember your questions or to take notes.  Sometimes, patients have brought along a tape recorder (but please first ask for permission before you record any sessions).

Questions You May Want to Ask

• In what ways can you help me with my current health conditions?
• How would you work in conjunction with my primary care physician and conventional medical treatments I am now receiving? 
• Would any therapy or recommendations you make be things my physician would object to?  If so, how would you advise that we handle this?
• What would be covered by my insurance and what wouldn’t?
• What tests are you ordering?  Are these the best possible tests?
• Do these tests evaluate all the possible vitamin and nutrition-related reasons for my current health condition(s)?  If not, what’s not being evaluated and why?
• Are the specific vitamin levels that my research shows I may be depleted in due to the prescription drugs I take and/or health conditions I have being tested?  If not, why not?
• What specific vitamin supplements or brands should I use in order to ensure I’m taking high-quality supplements?  Have these vitamin supplements been tested by an independent organization (see Potency Tests)?

We recommend that you bring a written list of questions to your first visit.  This ensures you don’t forget important questions and get the best possible care and tests.

Questions To Ask Yourself After The First Visit

• Was the practitioner easy to talk to?  Did she make me feel comfortable?
• Did she appear to be reasonably fit and in good health?  Did it appear like the practitioner follows her own advice?
• Was I able to ask questions without feeling rushed? 
• Were my questions answered to my satisfaction?
• Was I and my feelings (e.g. anxiety, fear, sadness) respected?
• Was she open to how alternative therapies and conventional medicine might work together for my benefit?
• Did she get to know me and ask me about my condition(s)?
• Did the provider seem knowledgeable about my specific health conditions?  Does she have the appropriate medical background to work with these conditions?
• Does the treatment or course of action recommended seem reasonable and acceptable to me?
• Would I recommend this person to friends and family members?
• Did I clearly understand the time and costs associated with treatment?

Remember, if you’re not satisfied or feel there’s not a good match, consider visiting another practitioner.