I am so glad I found Dr. Coates. For three long years I was held hostage by anxiety symptoms that my primary care physician simply wanted to mask with prescription drugs. I intuitively knew my my health issues were not resolvable by traditional western medicine and I've always been skeptical of doctors throwing antibiotics and prescriptions meds at systemic problems that go deeper than that. Enter Dr. Coates.
Knowing that most naturopaths are not covered by insurance, I knew this would be an expensive endeavor, but investing in my holistic health care was important to me. On top of that, Dr. Coates offers excellent payment plans and bends over backwards to make sure her patients can afford the payments. She allowed me to break up the cost of the visit and supplements into three payments, which she didn't have to do. She really cares about her patients and I believe she 100% does her job to help real people get the real results that western doctors simply do not do.
Dr. Coates spent THREE HOURS with me that first visit. I learned that not only did I have Hashimoto's, but I was also reactive hypoglycemic. That means that I start to have symptoms of hypoglycemia four hours after eating carbohydrates (fatigue, shakiness, heart palpitations, dizziness, headache, excess sweating, etc.) all of which mimic, you guessed it....ANXIETY.
Turns out my stomach also lacks acid to help digest my food. That, along with the autoimmune component meant that my body was not getting the nutrients it needed from the food I was eating. My body was deficient in Vitamin C, D, B6 & B12 (both needed to help with metabolism and to produce essential substances like neurotransmitters and red blood cells), all of which you should be able to get if you have a good diet from food, but because my body was having trouble breaking down this food, I wasn't getting the benefits.
My symptoms presented toward a thyroid/autoimmune condition for years, but because my TSH levels were within the normal range, my PCP did not provide me with that diagnosis. The blood work Dr. Coates ordered was much more comprehensive showing me a complete view of my health so that she could properly diagnosis me.
I've been a year under Dr. Coates care and am 100% off all prescription medications (Celexa, Xanax, Ambien), have lost over 25 lbs, gained new confidence in myself, and have eliminated all toxins from my home and diet.
This is all because Dr. Coates sat with me, wide-eyed to all this new information,thoroughly explained why I wasn't diagnosed properly in the first place, and how we were going to get my body on the path of healing itself naturally. With food. With supplements. With a healthy lifestyle that incorporates daily movement and relaxation. And all of this will help me achieve optimal health -- optimal brain function, better digestion, weight loss, less aches and pains, more stamina and the energy to get things done!
She has truly been a lifesaver. Though I am a firm believer that there is a time and place for western medicine, Dr. Coates is now the first person I turn to for health-related issues. I highly recommend her services. She truly cares. Thanks, Dr. Coates! read more
