USA, Colorado, Grand Junction/Fruita/Palisade Providers re: FMS/CFS

This is a list of providers who are the top layer of the 'informal network' that many in the Grand Junction, Grand Valley area of western Colorado have found to be generally more helpful to them related to services for those who have complex medical issues.  They think outside the box, as we are about integrative and functional medicine here at Lumigrate.com and so you'll see providers here who are treating body, mind and spirit in a number of ways.  Naturally, there are MANY others but truly a GRATE place to start is letting Lumigrate narrow things down like this and then start calling/communicating with these and find others THEY also recommend/utilize (often seen in areas of their respective websites). NOTE: This is only a 'starting point/suggestions for people to utilize if they wish, it would be a full time enterprise to make and keep a more extensive listing at Lumigrate.  I update this as I find out about changes so if something has changed, I apologize and also request that you drop me a message to let me know of the change -- Contact Us will do it! Thank you in advance, and enjoy the show --- er, list.  

Naturopathy:  Christopher Lepisto (www.grandjunctionnaturopath.com).  A visit to his website has a streamlined list of providers that he links/supports, websites that are supportive of his practice/teachings, so is a good resource for anyone, anywhere!  In addition to THREE videos by Dr Lepiso in our videos section at Lumigrate.com, including our most downloaded (20 minutes/short and $0.00/free), Christopher has contributed in the Forums area, including in the topmost forum in the fibromyalgia section titled "Top Picks on Lumigrate About Fibromyalgia" -- he has a wonderful digital recording he's told us about there -- an hour of wonderful, easy learning through his conversation with a fibromyalgia /health Internet advocate.

Homeopathy:  I'd refer people to ask Dr Lepisto about local homeopaths.  Additionally, through technologies available today, for those who have chronic illness in the 'overlapping' palate of CFS/FM/etcl, Joette Calabrese (www.homeopathyworks.net) consults with people across the US and beyond.  Her history at her website includes her history of having CFS (etc.) which redirected her professional life from NBC account executive to homeopath. But as I said, please inquire with Dr Lepisto or other providers on this list locally who you might know of or know to get that direction.    

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: 

In Grand Junction, there have always been a number of acupuncturists / Oriental medicine specialists, and they each seemed to have a loyal following.  In meeting them over the years, or in some cases getting to know them a bit or well, I could see how diverse they were politically, philosophically, in personality, in heritage/background, etc.  I'd initially had Mardy's list with the providers I knew via the medical center we collaborated together on in 2007/8, as I felt they were a self-made team and I'd wanted to have their written information on Lumigrate in the forums (which they are represented here).  

As time went on, the providers I suggest on Mardy's list seemed to welcome a new acupuncturist in town, in some cases, and I heard a lot of good things about her and tried several times to run into her office, 'pop in' and so far haven't met.  But they're located in the plaza with 7th Street Deli, where Dr. Lynda Hamner just opened an office which will be all private pay (giving a super bill for them to use for whatever they might be wanting to use that for, insurance, tax-deferred spending account, etc.).  Analii Cunningham, who provided information in 2010, 11, 12, and 13 in a few places in forums is in that plaze (wellness clinic based on movement) and she incubated Amy Hill-Fife, PT who is a pelvic specialist. In showing people how to find these 'networks' of providers, sometimes if you just have a good contact with one provider in a little 'hive' like the increasingly impressive one across 7th Street from St Mary's hospital of 'outside the box' providers, they'll be able to guide you. Whether you're in Junction or far away trying to figure out how to pick providers!  

April Schulte-Barclay, DAOM at Healing Horizons Integrated Health Solutions www.hhacumed.com.  See website for current practitioners in this rapidly evolving wellness clinic which provides psychology, body work therapy services, and many other progressive treatments. They have an excellent website with lots of information that is helpful no matter where you live. 

Dr Schulte-Barclay was getting her D (doctorate) when videos were being recorded so she missed that phase of our development, but has a Forum here at Lumigrate in the section titled Integrative Medicine/Parts that Make the Whole. If the last year she had a happy ending to a difficult pregnancy with twins, so we believe 2011 will be the year things fall into place for MORE from Dr Shulte-Barclay on Lumigrate!

Dentists:

Ask dot com has a nice topic about biologic dentistry and there's a 'how to find' function/link: www.ask.com/question/what-is-a-biological-dentist. But here is what I would tell you if there wasn't such a resource: 

James "Jim" Kennedy, DDS, whose office is near 12th and Patterson in Grand Junction, has limited his dental practice to the treatment of TMJ dysfunction, dental orthopedics and orthodontics, and the fabrication of dental appliances for snoring and sleep apnea.  Office phone: 970/242-1900; Website: www.dentocranial.net.  I'd suggest going through Dr Kennedy's office for information about dentists in case there are changes that I am not aware of to update this list, but the 'biologic' dentists are in Montrose and Durango, none here YET, so we can hope! 

Here is a topic I created on Lumigrate about the "Durango Dentist" for our information about fluoride. (This is the link from Searching on Durango Dentist and my name if you ever are wanting to find it independent of coming through Lumigrate and Mardy's List:  www.google.com/url. I became aware of him through Dr. Kennedy and liked very much the way he presents information at his website. If even just for education, I suggest going to all three of the dentists' websites in this section AND the professional organizations their websites usher people to and describe. 

The Montrose dentist's advertisement came up on a YouTube video I clicked on today (as I edit thison 2/16/14). I had a very pleasant interaction with her in 2012 when she was trying to bring in a mercury expert / mercury analysis expert, but the professionals were wanting continuing ed credits and she had focused on professionals rather than consumers, so I hope that in the future if she attempts to organize such a wonderful learning opportunity it has enough demand to be able to afford to follow it through. Searching on Montrose, Colorado, holistic, biologic dentist. (I've found that it has been appreciated if I help teach people Search techniques, hence this variety of ways of presenting information here in this dentistry section.) 

Jeff McCloskey, D.C. and Wes Sheader, DC of New Life Chiropractic. www.newlifechiropractic.org/  Dr Jeff has provided a great deal of GRATE information in 2012 at Lumigrate.com, including our TOP READ single article of all time (so far!), related to inflammation and foods/chronic disease and inflammation.  Please look for that at Lumigrate as well as his involvement with co-founding with me, Dr Jim Kennedy and Kevin King, a working group we have titled "SWIG/Safe Water is Great", related to fluoride in water. 

Bryce Christianson, D.C.  www.grandjunctionart.com.  ART stands for Active Release Technique and is a registered trademark/type of soft tissue work which is the same as Del Schoenthaler, COTA had been certified in of the upper extremity prior to having worked with me (Mardy) at The PTSC.  It was invaluable to many of our patients and I was most pleased to find out there was still someone in town who is certified (and not just of the UE!).  I find Dr Christianson to have a good understanding of fibromyalgia, and have an effective treatment approach including appreciating the big picture of Rxs and other 'disciplines'.  Please look for a topic from him about fibromyalgia in the forums, it is about ART for fibromyalgia.  

I've heard that John Adams has been extremely helpful to a patient with very complex problems, and she was the first person to say 'auricular therapy / auricular medicine' to me.  I since have found via Facebook a German MD who is an auricular medicine provider who is dedicated to spreading the word about that form of medicine.  I have never met Dr Adams and only have known of him through others but it's always been interesting what I've heard and he has people who very much give credit to him for his contributions to their wellness. 

Physicians: 

Lynda Hamner, MD - See below, she's no longer at the location in Fruita where she'd been with another physiatrist (who I'd seen more patients of, so it was new to get to know what Dr Hamner did.  She'd been with St Mary's and they tended to refer to OT and PT within their own group and due to the psychologist in our building being the one at Community hospital for seeing patients with neuro / brain injury, etc., they'd end up sometimes also getting orders to see me.  

I have met in February at Dr Hamner's new office, Mardy/I 'Popped In', and got to see all the tools of her trade and the OT who's going to be as needed with his techniques -- he'd worked at St Mary's when she was there on they shared patients then so it's four years later and they're back to REALLY under the same roof now! A roof that extends around a plaza to other great providers, some of which have been invited guests to write in the forums at Lumigrate back when I was putting time into having them go through the steps to register and write.  I've streamlined things since then.  Lucky Lynda --though I'd love to see and provide things she'd write. 

2232 North 7th Street, Suite 16, Grand Junction, CO  81501.  

Phone 970/589-8490

Fax - 970/589-8499

Ellen Price, DO-- physiatrists (specialty = Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) from Grand Junction paired up in 2011 in a new practice together near to Family Health West's outpatient clinic in the Kokapelli Drive area in Fruita. The information I received was: Ellen Price, DO, Phone is 970/241-1503, website is www.grandjunctionrehab.com Thanks to FHWest's markeing master Angelina for getting me pointed in the right direction for this info!  Dr Hamner was always part time there and left in late 2014 apparently and started a private pay clinic across 7th Street from St Mary's. 

Ilene Spector, DO  and cranial osteopathy specialist sees patients in Grand Junction 2 days a month (she commutes from Crested Butte, much to our community's advantage as everyone I know who has gone to her appreciates her ethical treatment/ referring on to others as appropriate. Dr Spector developed The Cranial Academy website content when president of the organization and her information is there with all the other providers in the United States; she opts to not have a website of her own but refers people to look there.  Again, her contact information is updated there, so please refer to www.thecranialacedemy.org. (People from Lumigrate's audience across the US with FMS have benefitted from the list they have ). 

For Bio-identical Hormones:

Locally in Western Colorado: Karen Floyd, R.Ph. founded Western Colorado Specialty Pharmacy; it's doors opened in March 2009, the same week Lumigrate finally was done and went 'live' on the Internet. She proudly added experienced compounding pharmacist Stacy Jay in 2013 to meet the growing demand for pharmaceutical advise on supplements and compounded medications for humans and other animals (DVMs Rx). Then later that year the pharmacy was purchased, with Karen to stay for one year, which ended in the later part of 2014. In June 2015 the pharmacy's new owners, based on changes that are going on with reimbursements from 'the system', opted to close the doors. At the time of this update people were getting word out of the business, available to purchase. So please check and see if you can find them open, under new ownership. Stranger things have happened. 

I generally recommend that people seeking more natural routes for medical advisors inquire with a reputable compounding pharmacy, and in Grand Junction I've done that for you here with Mardy's List. They're a great resource. 

Their website gjcompounding.com was the website address as of this update.  Karen had used the same type and brand (ZRT) of home test kit for hormone testing as ITC Compounding and Natural Wellness Pharmacy in Castle Rock, Colorado (see below the ____ line, below), and also talks with people on a complimentary basis to guide them, in addition to being networked to usher people to possible providers for their individual needs.  

Naturally, (pun intended) she compounded (and wherever she may perhaps be working sometimes currently) hormones and any other medications (ask about pain medications if you're interested) plus had a good array of supplements available, well known brands (and she's very discerning, clearly).  Her facility reflected her quality standards and warmth, and I suggested stopping by sometime and saying 'hi' if you're in Grand Junction, before she was no longer there and before it was perhaps no longer there. Again, please look to see if they've opened back up with new ownership as I might not get to updating this and being first in the loop.  WCSP was/is near the mall at an easy in/out location just off of Patterson/F Road and 'kind of across and east' from Barnes and Noble is how most people verbalize the location. 

They're located just outside of south Denver metro area which has an International airport and is in the middle of the county.  My items have arrived all three times the next day (by UPS), even when I ordered in the afternoon.  Co-President Allen Jolly, RPh and the other pharmacists (RPh's) there are experienced in the compounding and natural wellness realm for many years, and I encourage you to go to their website and learn more about the company and their products and services.  The hub person there is  helpful to know about, and the extension number for their phone system is x507 if you call. The person at that desk/ position has always been an excellent resource to call for simpler questions about supplements or services available at ITC for more in-depth consultations, such as with Allen.

This is the crux of the informaton at their website related to contacting them (but please visit their informative website also): 

..... my new location and information is:
1189 S. Perry St. #110B
Castle Rock, CO  80104
303-619-0499

The new location is located at the south end of Castle Rock in the Perry Park Medical Bldg south of Plum Creek on Perry St (near the Safeway).

I look forward to continuing to work with you and as my business grows and develops continue to provide and improve my level of care.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call, and visit my website, address below.

Thank you for your business.

Have a great day!

Becca Walters
Choose Life 2 Live


becca.cl2l@gmail.com
1189 S. Perry St. #110B
Castle Rock, CO  80104
303-619-0499

http://www.chooselife2live.com

I have found that Becca thinks in an extremely 'integrative' manner, understanding the stress/wellness factors of mind and spirit as well as 'body'.  She runs very proficiently with her schedule and I've never been detained by her running behind and when things have not worked out as planned related to paperwork, she rolls with the situation as well as anyone I've seen.  Calm, cool, collected she is!  She is as 'integrative' in her thinking as any provider I've had the pleasure of working with since 1995 when I initialy learned about an integrative approach to medicine.

Her first suggestion to me at the start of our 2011 consultation, when seeing my labs related to adrenals, had to do with stress reduction for the body/mind/spirit -- that had no "products" for the body from their end attached for purchase.  For what it's worth, ITC has frequently suggested I purchase something elsewhere that would be cheaper -- they really do look out for their patient's wallets.

ITC and Becca are separate entities but they are very collaborative, though she will gladly work with ANY compounding / natural wellness pharmacy. For those in the Grand Valley are of western Colorado, I have connected her with Karen Floyd, RPh of Western Colorado Compounding as they both use ZRT home hormone level test kits, and I have had a lot of people in recent years asking me for recommendations related to obtaining advise and products in the biologically identical realm.  Naturally, there are providers here, I just find that there's an experience level and track record with ITC and Becca that bears 'repeating and promoting here'.  

Note: ITC has a special history and focus with thyroid and the overall hormone system issues that are involved in patients with fibromyalgia and fatigue issues of varying degrees; they were one of the preferred provider pharmacies for Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers back when they were in existence under that name (which all changed in 2011/12, I've not kept up with exactly all that entailed as I never worked 'with' F&FC', I didn't like that they 'didn't disclose' in education what they know to do with people with these complex overlapping illnesses.  

By having the volume ITC has, they make larger batches of products and implement quality controls that are impressive and beyond anything I'd experienced before. To me, I trade off getting to see the friendly and helpful face of a local pharmacist for that because I had a couple of 'mistakes' made by a compounding pharmacy (which is NOT on this list, just to be clear, it was NOT Western Colorado, they ARE on this list, I hear so many good things about Karen Floyd and enjoy talking with her whenever we get the chance or have a need to communicate).   

The ITC website also has educational information and you can purchase a variety of supplements, books, etc. Free advise given by their pharmacists, who are available by phone. One of the co-presidents, Allan Jolly, RPh has taken extensive education in natural medicine, the other co-president in natural medicine for thyroid, etc..  I've been impressed by their prices, service, quality and guidance related to hormones and supplements and currently use them for all my compounded Rxs and, increasingly, supplements. I also like that they work with patients in all 50 states so it makes them very easy for me to refer people to from around the country, hence my spending time here to such an extent.  The local to Grand Junction Western Colorado does an excellent job and likely will expand as ITC has, they just have about a 20 year 'lead' so are simply bigger at this time.  

The website:   www.itcpharmacy.com/

Cece Huffnagle, NP Website: http://www.cecehuffnagle.com/index.shtml

This cash-pay clinic in Denver, Colorado 'sees people' from all over the country by using the telephone.  Many from Western Colorado use them, as Cece has roots to this community in years past and has maintained a focus here, coming regularly to see patients who are in this area, or that was how it was as of the time of this writing in 2010.  For people who have insurance:  utilize their insurance for labwork through Quest or LabCorp, whichever the insurance is linked with.  They prefer to see people face to face if possible but realize that's ideal and not always realistic; however, the pharmacy they told me about as their preferred pharmacy, requires that the patient was seen face to face to get the Rx, so that was a big confusing to me, personally. So it would seem to me that if someone gets their Rx from Cece without face to face visit, then another pharmacy besides their preferred BelMar would be the only option.  So then see above related to the two pharmacy options I provide.  

Massage Therapy:

Kirk Apt, RMT, GSI (Registered Massage Therapist, Rolf Structural Integration) Healing Horizons Integrated Health Solutions  970/256-8449.  www.hhacumed.com

Lynn Vraney, MT -- formerly with the PTSCenter (below), and my office mate for years when I was seeing patients there as well.  She takes calls/books appointments at 970/245-6408 and has no website/Internet presence. She's worked on me, guested at Fibromyalgia Forum years ago, showing her understanding and work with trauma and pain conditions, and has solved things through an amazing array of advanced techniques.  She was 'coming up' in the heyday times of medicine when continuing education was more prevailant and she is a tiny little 'powerhouse' we're lucky to have, though I hope she can fully retire and achieve her goals she has set for herself and her amazing horses. Years of experience is irreplaceable -- she can work off the body/energy or get in deep.  As can Kirk/above, I understand.  Need to experience him to write more.  But if you're figuring out how to find people in your community, ask questions -- have a conversation -- get a sense from that and then tap into YOU and that wise doctor of YOU inside of you.

*** see PT, below, related to The Physical Therapy Specialty Center ***

Psychologists and Marriage/Family Therapists:

Maria Wilder-Doyle, MA, LMFT -- in the Doc Shore House off of 7th and Grand in Grand Junction. Phone is: 970/263-0777 and that is USA, mountain time zone.  Insurances accepted as of 1/2013: BC/BS, Cigna, UBH.

Paula King, PhD -- She sees patients excluseively at Healing Horizons Integrative Wellness now. She is a certified Health and Life Coach, Certified in Heart Math® .... details about her can be found at Healing Horizons' website. As I said above, April's invested time/energy/money into an admirably-done website for Healing Horizons, which I encourage people to utilize no matter where they live, to learn about this type of wellness clinic/ philosophy. 

In addition videos such as Strategies for Lasting Change in our videos section at Lumigrate.com, Dr King writes in the Forums (look under things to do with the mind and brain).  This is a Hole in One for us at Lumigrate (golf pun intended, as Dr King is a top sport performance psychologist and golf is the top of that list historically for her. She has written a wonderful book about golf and the mind.  If you're interested, contact us comes to me and I'll find the best route, I'm planning to carry it at Lumigrate.com in the NEAR future!

Both Maria and Paula, above, before venturing in new directions, worked for many years at Behavioral Health and Wellness, which is co-owned by basically, the 'original' expert with me at Lumigrate, back when all four of us were in the same building, collaborating away in insurance-based health care, Chris Young, PhD  970/242-5707. www.bhwgj.com/ In addition to Health Management and Insurance and Health Care (free videos at Lumigrate.com to encourage ALL to take the time to watch), Dr Young lent his talents and expertise to some podcasts and writing of topics in the Forums (look under things to do with the mind and brain). They have a muscle biofeedback technician and program along with other things related to pain management as well.

Physical Therapy: 

Thad Harlow, MPT: appointments taken via his cell phone/ 970/xxx-xxxx.  Low threshold muscle re-education and manual therapy his particular area of expertise. UNFORTUNATELY THAD MOVED TO ANOTHER STATE; I have left this here to give search words for people or words to use when inquiring about skills of various PTs in the Grand Valley area. SOAR is a clinic that many people have reported satisfaction with, and Rocky Mountain Orthopedics as well. Naturally, there are many good therapists, I provide a few clues to help people find their way better in an area which has many options in this realm.

Kari Mullaney, MPT, at The Physical Therapy Specialty Center. 970/241-5856. Neuro specialist, including balance, vertigo 'correction' via the Epley.  The clinic has someone on duty each weekday trained in Epley to meet the needs of the community, so if Kari is not available, someone else will be. www.stopinjury.com

January Johnston, MPT -- same clinic as above. TMJ, soft tissue, gentle exercise, yoga/stretching. They've had a website makeover recently and it's worth the time to go look and read about everyone! 

***  Massage Therapy is available through the PTSC and you can see at their website what they say about insurance sometimes covering it under PT benefits  **************

(so look for this in YOUR area if you live elsewhere to get ideas of what to look for in YOUR area).

*Both Kari and January were my coworker/teammates when I contracted at the PTSCenter as their OT for many years, and our co-patients with FMS did well.  Thad Harlow was at the PTSC at that time, he now is elsewhere, and his # is provided above as well.  They typically also saw Chris Young, PhD whose office is in the same building and these 'successes' lead to my eventually switching to focus on Lumigrate for 2 years and getting a lot of information on a website that can be utilized by ALL of us, providers or people with chronic conditions.... including:

Occupational Therapy: 

Mardy Ross, OTR - though I am not doing business as an 'occupational therapist' at this time, I am being more of a health information concierge, or FUNctional advisor/consultant about the occupation of health care, educator, navigator, proactive patient 'facilitator'.  You will find in this Mardy's List as well as the providers at Lumigrate overall, there are a lot of 'transitions' going on out of the necessities of the systems that aren't 'fitting' anymore. People adapt, change where and how they work.  I consult with people individually in 'strategy sessions' to find what their overall 'onion is' about them and then we 'peel it together'. (But not in a way that onions make you -- we hopefully find things  you and your team of providers and support system hadn't yet found or looked into yet; often it's a matter of simply needing to take/schedule/make the TIME to get 'your head in the game' and get grouped up with a plan.  It doesn't matter to me where in the United States you live, but I certainly work with people from the Grand Junction area.

Think of me as a travel agent but we talk about where to go in your area for education or providers and services/products to help you with your illness / wellness concerns. My direct email is mardy@lumigrate.com or hit the 'contact us' link here at the website -- it'll get to me. Phone # is a Google Voice that will route you to me or the voicemail will be computer transcribed and emailed to me : 970/773-7921. 

If you look at my vitae on Lumigrate, which I've tried to provide in a thorough way as well as a shorter more direct version, you will see my experience is fast related to aging, driving, rehabilitation, chronic illness, getting back towards chronic wellness potentially with MANY people.  I can also consult with family members or friends of people with fibromyalgia or other chronic medical conditions who are needing guidance of 'what to do' to help their loved one.

I hope you find this listing informative and helpful ~~ Live and Learn.  Learn and Live Better! Mardy