Are the herbs safe?
The most common question asked about Chinese Herbology surrounds safety. Are herbs safe? The answer to this question is “it depends.”

It depends upon who is prescribing them and how applicable those prescriptions are to the patient’s needs. All medicines have the potential to harm, and for the last 3,000 years, Chinese Herbology has been the basis for all the medical care that was available to the Chinese people; and therefore, it is considered a form of medicine. Consequently it has the potential to do much good, but also has the potential to harm or injure.

With that said, here’s the good news – in the hands of a qualified practitioner, Chinese Herbology is one of the safest forms of healthcare available and has few side effects. In order to receive a good standard of care, it is vital that you seek out an herbalist that you feel confident has been trained and is competent. There is a national board for herbalism and acupuncture that is recognized in many states in the USA and can assure a good standard for its members. It is called the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) and can be found at www.nccaom.org. They have an exam and educational base for their Certification in Chinese Herbology and provide a national list of practitioners and their contact information. Jonathan Gilbert, Supervising Herbalist of The Gilbert Clinic, is certified in Chinese Herbology through the NCCAOM. Further information about his training and many years of experience with Chinese herbs is available in his biography.

What are these herbs and in what form do I take them?
The Chinese Materia Medica is a comprehensive list of medicinal products containing over 9,000 substances of plant, mineral and vegetable origin. This list continues to be expanded as Traditional Chinese Medicine grows. Many of these substances are no longer in use and for many practitioners there is a common list of around 500 herbs that are regularly prescribed. Many of these substances are prepared in a complex manner before they are used, to change or concentrate their effect. Traditionally, herbs are given either in their “fresh” state, as a powder, or they are made into pills, depending on the desired effect. Despite reports of the “doctoring” of herbs with other ingredients and even pharmaceutical medicines, there are many reputable suppliers of pure Chinese herbs in the USA. The Mayway Corporation has an excellent reputation as such. At www.mayway.com, you’ll find an explanation of the production and safety controls used in the processing of their Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs. At The Gilbert Clinic, we use a vegetarian, plant-based protocol with our patients. This restriction allows us to work with many groups for whom the use of animal and/or mineral products is a cause for concern.

When will I start to feel better? When will I get my energy back?
The Gilbert Clinic protocol is designed to work over a twelve-month period, divided into three phases of treatment, approximately four months each. Although the protocol does not specifically focus on fatigue in the first phase, many people have notable improvements in many of their other symptoms by the end of the first phase. In the second phase of the protocol, the focus is directly on your fatigue. Your energy generally improves gradually during the second phase, which is typically in months five to eight, depending on when you are ready to start the second phase. The last phase of treatment is needed to further improve your energy and to stabilize the changes induced in your body in order to achieve a sustainable recovery. The intention of The Gilbert Clinic is to provide long-term permanent improvement in your condition, which will eventually lead to your complete health with respect to CFS or FM being restored to you. Many other health conditions are often also helped considerably in the process as well.

Will you replace my primary care doctor?
The Gilbert Clinical team does not replace your primary care doctor. The Gilbert Clinic medical doctor will communicate with your primary care physician regarding your assessment and progress in The Gilbert Clinic protocol. If other medical conditions arise during your participation in The Gilbert Clinic protocol, our medical doctor will refer you to your primary care doctor or other specialists as needed.

What types of laboratory tests are done?
All patients entering The Gilbert Clinic protocol are expected to have a diagnosis of FM or CFS by their primary care physician or other medical specialist. Because there are no laboratory tests specific for diagnosing FM or CFS, people with these conditions generally undergo a large battery of tests to rule-out other conditions. We ask that you bring copies of all recent lab results to your initial consultation. Specific recommendations of the types of blood tests to have completed prior to your initial visit are included in your initial packet of information. There are no blood tests specifically for FM or CFS that we monitor during The Gilbert Clinic protocol. However, if you have other conditions in addition to FM or CFS, such as hypothyroidism, anemia, etc., that need monitoring during the 12-month protocol, our physician can order these for you during your normally scheduled visits. You can use the lab of your choice. The costs for these lab tests are not included in The Gilbert Clinic protocol.

How long will I need to take supplements or herbs?
In general, The Gilbert Clinic protocol is designed to be completed in twelve months or less, after which time no further herbal prescriptions are prescribed or recommended. In some cases, herbal treatment may extend for an additional two months, and this is provided as part of the total fee. At completion of the protocol, The Gilbert Clinic medical doctor will discuss several recommendations to you for a health maintenance regimen. This maintenance regimen may include recommendations on dietary habits and nutritional supplements; however, no supplements from The Gilbert Clinic are considered essential after completion of the protocol.

Will it hurt?
There is nothing in The Gilbert Clinic protocol that is known to induce any physical pain. However, during the first few months of the protocol, some people report mild headaches and increased body pain, but this is temporary. Also, if you are on strong pain relieving medications when you begin The Gilbert Clinic protocol, as you progress through the protocol you may be weaned from these medications under the management of The Gilbert Clinic physician and/or your other physicians. In such cases, there may be brief periods of increased pain due to withdrawal of the pain medication.

Are there any side effects?
The most common negative side effect is a few weeks of increased bowel movements; this generally occurs during the first phase of the protocol as the body cleans itself out. Occasionally, some patients experience mild headaches and increased body pain during the first phase, but these are temporary. We have not had any patient with any allergic reaction to any of the herbs used in this protocol. The positive “side effects” are gradual and sustainable improvement in your symptoms related to fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.

I live on the West Coast. Is there any other program like The Gilbert Clinic closer to my home?
Presently, The Gilbert Clinic protocol is only offered in one location on the East Coast. However, the protocol has been specifically designed with the expectation that people will be traveling from all over the country. Your appointments with each member of the clinical team and the workshops will be scheduled on the same or adjacent days. The frequency of the visits is monthly in the first three months, then spaces out to approximately every two months after that. The northern Virginia and Washington, DC areas offer a lot to visitors, so we encourage clients and their families to enjoy the museums and other attractions near our nation’s capital.

What is included in the program cost? What is not included?
The Gilbert Clinic protocol is an integrative model with conventional and alternative healthcare practitioners working concurrently with you. The package cost includes all the office consultations with each of the three members of your clinical team, all the individualized herbal therapies, vitamins and other nutritional supplements applicable to the program, several telephone consultations during the middle phase of the program when there are fewer in-office visits, three one-day workshops, and one half-day workshop. There are at least 6 individual in-office consultations with each practitioner over the 12-month period of the program.

There are no prescription medicines or laboratory tests that are inherent in The Gilbert Clinic protocol. If you require medications that need to be started, maintained, or weaned during the protocol, the cost of these medications is not included in the package price. Additionally, you are asked to bring your laboratory test results with you at your initial consultation. If any additional tests are required, the costs for these tests are not included in the package price.

Is your program for anyone with chronic pain or chronic fatigue?
You are expected to have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome or Fibromyalgia from your primary care physician or other medical specialist prior to entering The Gilbert Clinic protocol. If you have chronic pain or chronic fatigue but do not meet the criteria by your physicians for a diagnosis of CFS or FM, you may inquire about a consultation with our medical doctor for an assessment.

What if I can’t complete the entire twelve-months?
You should begin The Gilbert Clinic protocol at a time when you expect to be able to fully participate in every aspect of the twelve-month protocol. If emergencies happen, such as the need for surgery, etc., and you are unable to participate for an extended period of time, then your participation in the program may need to be extended. However, if you are unable to participate for a significant period of time, you may have to start back at the beginning of the protocol. Any situation like this will be managed on an individual basis.

Is there any help with payment? Is any of the program covered by insurance?
The Gilbert Clinic does not participate with any insurance plans, including Medicare. There is potential for a health care tax deduction, however. Please consult your tax advisor for full details.

Do you treat other conditions besides CFS or FM?
Presently, The Gilbert Clinic only has an integrative protocol for CFS and FM, although integrative protocols for other conditions will be introduced in the future. Each of The Gilbert Clinic practitioners works individually with patients for many other conditions. If you need help with a different condition and would like to work with one of The Gilbert Clinic practitioners, please call us for an individual appointment.

Are my treatments tax deductible?
Qualified medical expenses are deductible as an itemized deduction, subject to limitations of the Internal Revenue Service Code. Generally, medical expenses include expenses for the diagnosis and treatment of physical disorders, drugs or other supplements that are prescribed by a physician and the travel and lodging expenses related to those medical expenses would qualify in the year that the expenses are paid. These deductible medical expenses can be for you, your spouse or anyone who can be deducted on your Form 1040 as one of your dependents at the time of the payment of the medical expenses. Medical expenses are deductible only to the extent that they exceed 7.5 percent of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income, and must be reasonable in amount.
Any deduction for medical expenses must be reduced for any reimbursements that the taxpayer receives for those expenses, and special rules apply to health savings accounts and Archer medical savings accounts. Please contact your tax advisor for additional information as to the deductibility in your individual situation.