Time Required

            I usually spend an hour with new patients.  Sometimes more complicated problems can take 1½ hours, and extremely complex or legal issues (such as documentation of a mold exposure involving litigation) may take up to two hours.  During this time I will obtain a complete environmental history and perform a relevant physical exam.

Testing         

            If you have planned with our office ahead for it, we will test you on the day we see you, if you are able to come in the morning.  If you see me in the afternoon, we may begin testing if there is time, but it will usually not be finished until the following day.  We usually test to inhalants (pollens dust, danders), using a type of skin testing called serial endpoint titration (SET).  SET testing involves the administration of a few very tiny doses of several allergens into the skin in order to determine a patient's exact level of sensitivity to each allergen.  We do not do all testing on all patients, and for some patients, no testing is necessary.

            We will also test up to six foods (milk, wheat, egg, corn, soy, yeast), using Provocation/Neutralization and usually 15 - 20 molds (you will measure the mold testing results over the next two days at home).  In addition, we may do a blood test to look at certain antibodies related to the immune response.  On occasion we may administer an IV if it is indicated and we think you will benefit from it.

            Testing costs will usually range from $0 to $1200.  We are testing our patients less and less these days.  Since LDA therapy is a considerably "universal" treatment, it does not require the extensive testing we once required.  It is not possible to give patients an exact price for testing, since it will vary with individual problems.  We rarely test children under 12, and we never test children under 6.  My golden rule for testing is the same one I learned in med school: I never perform a test of any kind unless it will change or determine what we need to do for you.

Follow up

            You can expect a follow up visit about a week after your testing, which usually takes between 25-40 minutes.  During that time we go over your testing results and determine the best course of treatment.  If you are from out of town, this visit can be done by telephone.

            We will then begin treatment, depending on your problems.

            You must arrive in our office 30 minutes before your first appointment, since you need to fill out a number of forms relating to the history of your illness, medications you take, etc.  You may download these forms from this site.  If you are unable to do this for any reason, and you would like to receive these forms ahead of time and fill them out at home, please call us (505-983-8890) and we would be happy to send them to you ahead of time.

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Last modified: April 08, 2006