How bad is the 48 hour stool collection for fat and bile?

Amen. I'm coming to the conclusion that they're lazy. I mean if I can find information online that supposedly they 'don't know anything about and it's their profession' why don't they? I agree with you about many things and I like your thinking about throwing all the different 'specialties' into one clinical setting. I do think that one of the issues with the specialty doctors is that they don't focus enough on the 'bigger picture' of the whole body and how it works altogether. From what I've read I might need the help of my PCP to order me the GI-map through Rupa Health but I'll look into that further. I have no problem paying for this test myself since you appear to have been satisfied that you went through with that. I do drink pure acacia fiber daily as a binder for my BAM and a replacement for cholestyramine and it does help with that along with dietary changes. I have been able to stabilize my weight loss issues, although it's a struggle day to day. Currently I am not on any kind of medication whatsoever having dodged it for more than 5 years from 2 different PCPs. I am on my 3rd PCP within the last 10 years. I would like to go to a functional dr but I know I can't afford it. I've been going to the PCPs for diagnostic reasons only, the current one wanting to put me on a horrible med for osteoporosis. However, you also have to be careful about taking supplements as well.

Interesting. Thank you. I'm not sure where I got that other info from. I'll re-read that.

That is correct. I stand corrected! https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9586574/
Exactly!!!!!

I have a functional medicine doctor and she ordered the tests you mention plus others. Functional medicine is excellent, especially if you have dealt with an issue for quite some time (six years for me). Functional medicine is all about finding the root cause of symptoms. They will order tests they believe necessary to diagnose!

i found my functional med doc via the functional med 'headquarters' registry online. She can do everything a med doc can do since she is also a PA (physicians assistant) but really prefers to do things functionally. She's in a clinic that accepts my insurance so all her visits are paid the only thing i pay out of pocket for are tests that look at functional med stuff like gi mapping etc. So all her functional medicine visits are paid by insurance as well. Also between. my kids and I we have found that PA's listen better than doctors. lol and take more time with you.

this was interesting also...."Yes, many "functional medicine doctors" are "real" doctors, meaning they hold conventional medical degrees (MD or DO) and licenses, and then pursue additional training and certification in functional medicine through organizations like The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). However, the term "functional medicine practitioner" can also refer to other licensed healthcare professionals, such as chiropractors, physician assistants, or naturopathic doctors, who may not have gone to traditional medical school."

So for those who may think functional med docs are not real or flaky or fake or whatever....they all have degrees same as an md!!! so correct/educate those who think otherwise. lol

https://www.ifm.org/ here you can locate a fm near you that is certified etc. that's how i found mine....Katie Knipher. 🙂