Background
Tyler’s* depression and anxiety got so bad it forced him to drop out of college. At home, Tyler spent 16+ hours a day in bed. He had tried various medications to treat his debilitating depression, but Tyler felt they made him worse. So Tyler turned to alcohol and marijuana to self-medicate.
Though autoimmune thyroid and gastrointestinal issues ran in the family, traditional testing left the family with no answers.
Discovery Assessment
Tyler underwent a Discovery Assessment of Cognitive Health at Kemper Cognitive Wellness. This extensive assessment includes a comprehensive review of lifetime history of health, cognitive testing, a qEEG brain map, and lab testing of over 100 biomarkers for chronic disease including cognitive decline. This deeper analysis, along with advanced specialty labs testing investigating hormones and the gut function, revealed numerous correctable deficits.
Diagnostic Testing Results
Tyler’s lab work revealed:
- Thyroid hormone and autoimmune abnormalities
- Gut and absorption issues
- Vitamin and nutrient insufficiencies
- Cholesterol abnormalities
Plan of Action
At the follow-up appointment, Dr. Bergman revealed his findings and recommendations, and prescribed a number of lifestyle modifications. His personalized plan of action included:
- changing his eating to a low inflammation style diet
- reduction of alcohol and foods that trigger depression and anxiety
- a personalized sleep hygiene plan
- supplements to address metabolic abnormalities, gut health and detoxification
- regular exercise
- short term use of at-home injectable vitamins to accelerate healing
Tyler’s Health Status 3 Months Later
Tyler is working a couple of part-time jobs, doing some volunteer work, and even enrolled in college classes!
He is doing well, and off all his medications for depression and anxiety. While Tyler was slow to implement Dr. Bergman’s recommendations, but he stuck it out. In the process, Tyler and his family noted that a few beers would lead to feelings of depression and anxiety for the next 24-36 hours.
Tyler’s solutions didn’t come right away; it was an iterative process. Plenty of face time with the doctor, along with personalization of care and partnership between the Tyler, his family and our care team were key to Tyler’s success. Tyler’s family contributed to this partnership by doing their own research on the impact of thyroid and the autoimmune conditions running in their family and offered ideas toward Tyler’s care plan.
Key Points
- Many of us, including doctors, have been educated to believe that conditions like anxiety and depression are “all in our head.” The traditional medical system does not consistently acknowledge, assess or treat metabolic disturbances, which may cause or exacerbate anxiety and depression.
- In many cases of depression and anxiety, mood regulatory aspects of the nervous system require an upgrade. Designing a treatment plan that gives rise to a metabolic environment conducive to neurogenesis and healing, without the use of psychotropic medications, is possible.
- 21st century, personalized medicine is a team approach and requires more time and thought than most insurance-based “pill for every ill” currently allows for.
Client Family Testimony
“Our 20-year-old son, a sophomore in college at the time, had been suffering from anxiety and depression. We went to our family physician, who attempted to determine if there was an underlying medical cause, along with a psychiatrist who recommended mental health medication. There were a few lab results that confirmed some of the symptoms, however, not the complete picture. We were referred to an Endocrinologist and followed up twice in 18 months based upon lab results.
After a year and a half of attempting to use mental health medications, counseling and nutrition as a remedy, we were told by a friend to contact Kemper Cognitive Wellness, since we un able to resolve the issues. We knew we were missing something but weren’t sure how to proceed to getting the answers we badly needed.
Through a very thorough and comprehensive process that included background paperwork along with a host of bloodwork, Dr. Bergman was able to assist us with the missing pieces that led to my son’s accurate diagnosis and treatment.
I truly felt that we worked as a team, which had been completely missing from the prior physicians’ offices. We cannot thank Dr. Bergman enough for helping us identify the two autoimmune diseases my son was diagnosed with; the two diseases are often diagnosed together but can be missed when the correct bloodwork is not ordered to begin with.
We are so thankful that treatment has resolved our son’s anxiety, depression and health issues. Our son is back to being a healthy, happy member of our family and on his way to graduating from college.”
-Michele, Tyler’s mom
About Kemper Cognitive Wellness
Kemper Cognitive Wellness is a functional medicine practice with special expertise in brain health, memory and cognition. Our dynamic team partners with you to identify the root causes of your cognitive condition, along with customized, multi-modal interventions.
Leveraging the science behind Precision Wellness, our comprehensive approach reveals the data that connects the dots to reveal the true origins of your symptoms and concerns – including cognitive issues ranging from insomnia, “brain fog” and memory loss, to depression, anxiety and ADHD. Kemper Cognitive Wellness stands alone in helping those seeking to break through to better health – to optimize body, mood and mind.
Call today for more information and to schedule your Discovery Assessment of Cognitive Health.
216/337-1400
*Names are changed to protect privacy
