Page 25 - FINAL San Diego Woman interactive
P. 25

Women of Distinction


        so we can carefully monitor their progress as   believe that the Concierge method of treating   Dr. Inamdar has never been a physician
        they receive treatment.”            our patients is the best and safest way to assure   who believes that the medical profession
           One of the points that was made during   that as doctors we do no harm.”  should exist simply to fix problems. “We need
        our interview I viewed as an extremely im-  “My philosophy has always been that I   to focus on wellness, before it gets to the point
        portant aspect of Achieve’s policy. Dr. Inamdar   would practice medicine the way it should   where you're sick. Even when you are sick, yes,
        does not believe in putting any patient on   be practiced. So, it has to be comprehen-  you need to correct what's wrong, but you
        medication during their first visit. “We need to   sive integrative and collaborative care with   also need to focus on your strengths. What is
        have a comprehensive picture of the health   cutting-edge technology. We believe in CAM,   something that you're good at? What is it that
        and wellness of our patient, before we start   which is complementary and alternative   you enjoy, because even if it gives you a brief
        them on a medication which in reality may   medicine. It does not have to be either/or.   10 minutes of happiness or joy, it is worth it.”
        not even be necessary.” Since Dr. Inamdar’s   You could be doing yoga, getting acupunc-  After hearing about Achieve and their
        practice includes both adults and children, she                          concierge approach I must say I could not un-
        takes this very seriously. “I have seen children                         derstand why this is not the blueprint for the
        prescribed medication for ADHD after they                                future of all medical care. Starting with the fact
        fill out a quick 10-minute questionnaire, this                           that if you call for an appointment, the con-
        does not happen on my watch. I don’t believe                             cept of waiting two months to see a specialist
        in putting anybody on medication during                                  or sometimes even a general practitioner
        their first visit unless I have documented past                          goes out the door. “When a patient needs
        history and lab work.”                                                   our services, we can get them in within a few
           In addition, Achieve, also performs micro-                            days, there is no six-week wait to see one of
        nutrient testing working closely with Dr. Ryan                           our doctors. We have a concierge coordinator
        McNally, an ND PA, and Medical Director of                               who handles all intake paperwork including
        Aspire Regenerative. He is Yale trained, and an                          contacting other physicians to obtain medical
        expert in micronutrient testing. This testing                            records and working with insurance carriers,
        provides a comprehensive nutrient analysis of                            when needed. At Achieve we do not leave
        a patient’s dietary intake. This way, functional                         those duties up to a patient, we take control of
        deficiencies can be measured at the cellular                             the situation so the patient can concentrate on
        level. This testing can analyze how well the                             just one thing, getting better.”
        body processes vitamins, minerals, amino/fat-                              Since there are many things that can be
        ty acids, antioxidants, and metabolites while                            at the root of an illness, whether medical or
        meeting the body's need for micronutrients                               psychological Dr. Inamdar prefers to have
        and enabling the production of enzymes,                                  a complete and thorough picture of the
        hormones, and other substances essential for                             patient’s health before prescribing any type
        proper growth, and development. Evidence                                 of treatment. “We need to obtain a full liver,
        has proven that nutrient deficiencies can be                             kidney, thyroid, B12, and folic acid panel. We
        directly responsible for chronic diseases and a                          do a buccal swab (cheek swab) for pharmaco-
        patient’s overall health.                                                genetic testing. This may not provide a defin-
           Not only does Achieve provide extensive   ture and having your blood drawn or having   itive answer, but it gives us insight into what
        testing and analysis to improve medical out-  your immunity levels fixed while getting the   medication will or will not work for a patient.
        comes, they also provide unprecedented care   latest and the greatest of neuro pharmacolo-  This was a factor I was not aware of but
        to their patients. The staff of Achieve go above   gy. I think for so many years it was either you   makes complete sense. “There are reasons
        and beyond to provide a full-service approach   had a holistic approach or a Western Medi-  why we do this. We want to study both the
        for their patients. If a patient has fears of   cine approach. My goal is to make patients   pharmacodynamic and the pharmacokinetic
        leaving their home or has other issues that will   and physicians alike realize that there needs   information that we can learn from the buccal
        not allow them to come into their offices, they   to be a bridge.”       swab. Pharmacokinetics tells us how a body
        bring the treatment to them. This is unheard   As Dr. Inamdar states, “If you have   processes a drug. Pharmacodynamics takes into
        of in this day and age, but not at Achieve. “No   appendicitis, you need to go to the hospital   account the complex interactions between the
        two patients are alike, that is why we take the   and have surgery. At that point, getting an   drug, the human body, and then the pathogen
        time to get to know each one. Often, we find   infusion of vitamin D will not help you. On   that might be causing an issue for the patient.
        a client may be averse to medications, so we   the same note, if you have chronic anxiety or   Issues such as how’s my dopamine receptor.
        use other methods to meet their needs to   sleep issues, we need to focus on that aspect   It allows us to find out how your COMT gene
        achieve a positive outcome. Sometimes that is   as well and improve your sleep hygiene. We   is reacting. Your COMT gene, often referred to
        a combination of TMS sessions, diet, personal   need to work on digital detox, turning off all   as the warrior gene, is directly responsible for
        training and counseling.”           electronics periodically. It is important that   bringing your heartbeat down to normal levels
           One issue that Dr. Inamdar has encountered   people realize there are safer and better ways   and restoring a sense of balance both to your
        in her practice is that patients aren’t always   to heal themselves.”    physiological and your psychological self. In
        aware of the medications they are given or the   Dr. Inamdar is a strong believer that doing   other words, It helps you ride the wave.
        correct usage of these sometime harmful drugs.   something as simple as going for a barefoot   From these tests the physician can tell
        “I had a patient recently who was prescribed   walk on the beach with waves washing over   whether you are a Val/Val genotype, which is
        Prozac from a psychiatrist, Fluoxetine, which   your feet, will leave you feeling a greater sense   associated with better cognitive and psycho-
        is the same medicine, from her primary care   of calm than relying on medication. “After an   logical tolerance of stressful situations or a
        doctor and then got Sarafem, which is Prozac,   hour of doing this most problems, most life   Met/Met genotype, which is associated with
        but in a fancy pink box from their OB GYN.   issues, seem to improve, and we feel better. It   nervousness, worry and fear. Val/Val geno-
        This poor woman was being overdosed out of   might not solve everything. But you will get at   types are dopamine cravers. A person with
        no fault of her own. This is why at Achieve we   least some respite.”    this gene has less dopamine in their prefrontal

                                                                                                                 25
   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30