Posted by med_empowered on January 21, 2007, at 16:18:19
In reply to What kind of brain scan proves chemical inbalance?, posted by AdamCanada on January 21, 2007, at 15:20:02
"chemical imbalances" are really just a theory, and not necessarily a solid one, either. The Amen clinic ( I think they're in cali) use brain scans and then prescribe based on their interpretations of the scan(s) and also on more traditional psych. consults. From what I've read, though, one reason they get such good results is that they are skillful prescribers, and use a wider variety of meds and a wider range of dosages than most other shrinks. So..I don't know that the brain scans are really an integral part of their success in treatment.
Cortisol and most other hormones can be tested via blood and/or saliva, and the tests shouldn't be too terribly expensive. You might also want to check liver enzymes, T3, T4, blood sugar, so on and so forth--basically, do a thorough battery of tests. With thyroid, you might want to seek out a more alternative healthcare provider; they tend to be quicker to use meds/supplements to correct thyroid issues, while mainstream docs have been using pretty outdated thyroid tests that have some people in the "normal" range feeling terrible. So...give that a whirl, if you'd like.
Good luck!
poster:med_empowered
thread:724841
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070119/msgs/724871.html