Now that you have a better understanding of what we are looking for, you can quickly see that it takes a very specialized laboratory to do these measurements; it also helps you to see why the interpretation of the results isn’t quite so straightforward. We have used and done tests on several laboratories across the country and we have only found one that produced consistently reliable results, and that laboratory was DBS Labs (www.labdbs.com). This is the lab we use and the only one that is qualified to run these OCT Assay Interpretations.
The good news is that we have found that the vast majority of people (~80-85%) have a complete resolution of symptoms before any kind of lab testing is necessary. This means that majority of people will have their symptoms go away (i.e., eliminate the urge to pull) within about 3-4 weeks with proper guidance and weekly follow ups. Even if a person doesn’t see a complete resolution of symptoms in this time frame, a urine test can help guide the way to reach the goal.
A health care provider has to take many hours of training to even begin to interpret the results from these tests, and then have the experience of reviewing and working with hundreds of clients before they can say they understand what they are doing. This is because it is not a simple matter of ‘is the number too high or too low’. The client’s clinical symptoms and changes in those symptoms must be coupled with the OCT functional assessment to determine the proper next steps. That is why it can take years for a health care provider that has had the proper training to become proficient at using these tests properly. Again, that is assuming they have been properly trained in the first place; currently there is only one seminar that covers this peer-reviewed information; it is a 37.5 hour seminar and has continuing education for MDs, DOs and NDs (you can learn more about it at www.neurosupport.com).
If this all sounds overwhelming and to ‘geeky’ just know this: most people will experience a complete resolution of symptoms without the need for any kind of testing. If you do need a test to help determine the proper amino acid dosing, we have worked with thousands of clients over the past decade and evaluated hundreds and hundreds of OCT Assay Interpretations (i.e., Neurotransmitter tests) to help people eliminate their symptoms. That is why we can help over 86% of people with trich eliminate the urge to pull and over 98% of people with other neurotransmitter-related disorders achieve a complete resolution of their symptoms.
If you’d like more information or really get into the science of this, here’s a place to find more detailed information: http://www.neuroassist.com/OCT-functional-status%20determinatino.htm.
You say;
“The good news is that we have found that the vast majority of people (~80-85%) have a complete resolution of symptoms before any kind of lab testing is necessary.”
My question is, without the lab test to measure, can’t a patient overdose on serotonin for example and get serotonin syndrome which can be fatal if not rushed to the ER.
Hi Tom,
This is a great question. The answer is that serotonin syndrome is not an issue when the amino acids are used in this fashion. There have been over 3 million patient days logged with people using amino acid therapy according to these protocols without one case of serotonin syndrome. I have personally worked with over 3000 people using amino acid therapy and have not seen a single case. Many of these people were also taking medications that worked on or with neurotransmitters.
That said, we always take into account a person’s medical history and any current medications when making recommendations. Most people with trich are not currently taking any medications or taking only SSRI or other medications that shuffle around neurotransmitters. In these cases, taking amino acids along with the medications actually helps the drugs work better; it can also make the drug side effects more prevalent.
We can and will run testing whenever it is deemed necessary. Thankfully, many people with trich don’t need additional testing to eliminate the underlying neurotransmitter imbalance(s) which is causing their urges to pull.
Thanks for your input and question – they are always welcome!
Dr. Chad