How Root-Cause Functional Medicine Care Works

Most doctors have 15 minutes and a standard panel. We have 75-minute visits, 300+ biomarkers, and a protocol built specifically for your biology, not a symptom checklist. We look for the root cause of why you feel the way you do, not just what to prescribe next.

Usually not, and now and then, yes. Bloating that is new and does not go away is one of the ways ovarian cancer and other serious conditions can show up. It is often blamed on food for months before anyone looks. Bloating that is new and is there most days for three weeks or more should be checked soon. So should bloating with feeling full quickly, pelvic pain, or an urgent need to pee.

Not before celiac testing. The blood tests only work while you are still eating gluten. Cutting it out first means either weeks of eating it again to test properly, or never getting an answer. Test first, then try.

We specialize in hormone imbalance, thyroid dysfunction, chronic fatigue, gut health, perimenopause, weight loss resistance, and metabolic issues. If you've been told your labs are normal but still feel terrible, that's exactly who we're here for.

Reverse T3 is one of the more debated tests in thyroid medicine. We know that reverse T3 can increase during illness, significant calorie restriction, and other forms of physiological stress. Where there is less agreement is whether measuring reverse T3 routinely changes treatment or improves outcomes in otherwise stable patients. For that reason, I don’t view reverse T3 as a standalone diagnostic test for hypothyroidism, and I would not make a treatment decision based on reverse T3 alone. There are situations where I may include it as one part of a broader thyroid evaluation, but I interpret it alongside TSH, free T4, free T3, symptoms, medications, nutritional status, and the patient’s overall clinical picture.

Possibly. SIBO means too many bacteria in the small intestine. It can cause bloating, gas, belly discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, and food intolerances. Breath testing can help check for bacterial or methane overgrowth. It is most useful when your symptoms and history point that way. We read the result together with your symptoms, bowel habits, diet, medications, and other findings to decide whether SIBO is part of the problem.

It starts with a 75-minute Initial Visit with Dr. Skrzypek: your health history, symptoms, and what you've already tried. From there, she orders the testing that fits your picture, whether that's DUTCH, GI-MAP, a full thyroid panel, or advanced metabolic work. If you enroll in the 6-Month Program, she reviews every result with you in detail and builds your personalized root-cause plan.

The laboratory measurement itself may be useful, but interpretation is often the bigger issue. Hormone levels can be influenced by cycle timing, age, medications, hormonal birth control, hormone replacement therapy, and other medical conditions. At-home testing also won’t necessarily identify non-hormonal causes of symptoms such as low iron, thyroid problems, sleep disorders, or nutrient deficiencies.

It may be worth reviewing the diagnosis as an adult. Irregular menstrual cycles are common during the first years after menstruation begins, and ovarian appearance can also differ during adolescence. Because of this, PCOS diagnosis in teenagers is approached more cautiously. If you were diagnosed years ago and have never had the diagnosis reassessed, discussing it with your physician may be useful.

They can be, with limits. Food sensitivity testing may help point to foods that could be adding to your symptoms. It gives a more targeted place to start than cutting out large numbers of foods. We do not use the results on their own. We combine them with your symptoms, your diet history, and a structured plan to cut foods out and add them back. That is how we find which foods really affect you.