Why You Should Ditch your Doctor

Ok ok, that might be extreme. But if you’re anything like me, you may realize after having kids that you, in fact, no longer have a normal doctor. You’ve been popping out babies left and right, so why go see a doctor when you’re just in your OBGYN’s office every other month anyway?

Spoiler alert: you end up being done reproducing, you avoid your yearly exams like you avoided socializing in 2020, and all of a sudden you have a health issue. You then ignore said health issue for a few weeks (ahem, months) until you admit that you do indeed need a professional medical opinion, not Dr. Google. And you’ve avoided your OBGYN for so long now, you feel awkward just making a random appointment.

So what’s a busy mom to do? Well, I’ll tell you what I did. I ditched my OBGYN and instead of crowdsourcing for a normal doctor (side bar: WHY is it so difficult to find a general practitioner who also takes your insurance?!) I searched for a Nurse Practitioner.

What’s the difference?

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse who has advanced clinical education and training and shares many of the same duties as a doctor. They perform physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases, and deal with other health conditions. They ALSO have the ability to prescribe medication and write prescriptions for other medical equipment or needed therapy.

Sounded good to me. To find an NP that I’m comfortable with AND will look at my whole-health, wasn’t as hard to find as I imagined (they do exist). When I stumbled across Jessica Culver I was ecstatic to learn she was under 4 miles from my house (because let’s face it, I avoid being in the car unless I absolutely need to). SIGN ME UP.

Not a normal NP

Jessica isn’t just a normal NP. She’s also a functional medicine practitioner. This means you can expect to spend a lot more time with her than you would with a conventional doctor. You can also expect to do a lot of talking, as a large part of functional medicine is exploring your detailed personal and family history, the circumstances around your first symptoms, and the experiences you may have had with other healthcare providers. My first appointment with her was over an hour but I felt like she heard me, knew what type of care I was looking for, and took notes on things to follow up with me about down the road.

Services offered:

Annual Physical Exams
Wellness/Preventative Exams
IV Nutrient Infusions
Chronic Conditions: Thyroid, PCOS, Fatigue, Lyme, Metabolism Disorders
Acute problems: UTI, strep, sick visits
**Functional Medicine: root cause of symptoms with holistic approach to regain optimal functioning and health
Well-Child Exams
Adult and Child Membership Plans
Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapies (men and women)
Trauma informed care
Gynecological exams
Breast exams

doctor office photo grid — Jessica’s office is calm and welcoming. There’s a free coffee/tea station and baskets of toys for little ones.

How much does this all cost?

Well, the good thing about Jessica is that her practice takes most major insurance providers. When you make an appointment, you can find out exactly what is covered and what might be out of pocket expenses. I had a full blood panel done and after insurance I paid less than $200. I opted to have this done after a conversation about my medical history and it’s not something that’s standard at an appointment.

“I believe in informed healthcare and that my clients are the experts on their own health and well-being. I offer comprehensive care for the whole family. I also work in collaboration with other therapies to bring an integrated approach to health. Your visit begins with a long conversation in the consultation room focused on your goals for health and what you are experiencing in your body. All exams are performed with trauma-informed techniques. My deepest desire is for you to leave your visit feeling heard, respected, and cared for.”