Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Honeyman a board-certified endocrinologist?
Can Dr. Honeyman prescribe thyroid hormone and other medications?
How do I know if she can help me?
What services are offered at FunPhysio?
Telephone consultations
Metabolic evaluations
Laboratory test orders
Breathing and Heart Rate Variability evaluations
Payment for Services
Insurance
Medicare
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Is Dr. Honeyman a board-certified endocrinologist?

She is not the typical board certified endocrinologist like those you’ve probably seen already.  Dr. Honeyman is Chiropractic Physician, also known as a Doctor of Chiropractic, with many years of successfully treating patients using metabolic rehabilitation and functional medicine protocols.  In 1996 she included the late John C. Lowe, MA, DC's research protocol for fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, and thyroid hormone resistance into her clinical practice. When she added functional medicine testing and treatments the success rates with metabolic rehab improved from 75% to 85%.

It is important to know that Dr. Honeyman is not associated with any doctor or clinic that offers treatment protocols that are promoted as a nutritional cures for hypothyroidism and/or autoimmune thyroiditis. While wholesome nutrition is essential for optimal health most people with these issues and thyroid hormone resistance will need to use thyroid supplementation whether over-the-counter or pharmaceutical.

Dr. Honeyman is an integrative doctor, meaning that she considers the health and wellness needs of the whole person. She understands that your symptoms are just as important as your lab test results in guiding you to back to health. She uses standard lab tests for general health profiles, thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones. Dr. Honeyman also uses functional medicine tests that can help detect imbalances that may not yet qualify as a “disease” and can be treated with nutritional supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes.

Adrenal fatigue is common problem that Dr. Honeyman often finds and treats with her patients. Other health issues that Dr. Honeyman has expertise with include candida overgrowth, gluten sensitivity, environmental toxins, and nutrition. She also helps people with general health and wellness issues. 

Most endocrinologists and primary care doctors only use your lab test results to decide on your diagnosis and treatment. While blood tests are valuable they have limits. She can help you with the rest of the story to determine whether or not you have a thyroid problem.  Read Dr. Honeyman’s biography.

Can Dr. Honeyman prescribe thyroid hormone and other medications?

It depends on what you need.  Doctors of Chiropractic can prescribe over-the-counter (OTC) preparations and Dr. Honeyman can provide some very effective OTC dietary thyroid hormone preparations. Many of her patients were previously using products such as Armour thyroid. The standard TSH management often results in a decrease in their dosage which allows symptoms to return.

With Dr. Honeyman’s guidance, you have control over your treatment and are not caught in the endocrinology "standard of care" that leaves so many people undiagnosed or undertreated. When a patient needs a prescription that she cannot provide Dr. Honeyman is always willing to talk with your other doctors about her recommendations for you.  Motivated patients find a way to obtain the products they need. The educational process on how to work well with OTC thyroid hormone applies to any type of thyroid hormone supplement.

About 50% of Dr. Honeyman’s patients also have adrenal fatigue and need to use physiologic cortisol appropriately during their metabolic rehabilitation.  This is also OTC and she can provide it for you. Most patients will not need to use the cortisol long-term.

The majority of her patients gradually discontinue most of their other medications during the course of treatment as the causes of their symptoms are effectively managed.  Some people have other health problems in addition to thyroid and/or adrenal dysregulation and need to use pharmaceutical medications.  Dr. Honeyman will make recommendations that patients share with their other doctors who are responsible for prescribing or discontinuing these medications.

How do I know if Dr. Honeyman can help me?

Dr. Honeyman has a depth of knowledge and expertise in thyroidology that most doctors do not. This is why her patients experience an 85% success rate that most other doctors do not achieve. During her 10-year relationship with the late Dr. John C. Lowe, MA, DC, (nine of it as marriage partners) they mostly discussed thyroidology research and fibromyalgia. Dr. Honeyman continually researches new information to help her patients. Most of her patients recover health or at least significantly improve when they fully engage in her treatment protocols. 

As a courtesy to you, she will review your Initial Evaluation forms at no cost to see if you are a good candidate for success with metabolic rehabilitation.  While no doctor can guarantee your treatment outcome, patients under Dr. Honeyman’s care are assured of her diligence in finding the best answers for their health issues. She often makes the diagnoses that other doctors miss.

Services

Metabolic Evaluation

This is the examination by Dr. Honeyman that helps you find out how well your body is responding to the thyroid hormone that you make in your body or the supplemental thyroid hormone you may use. The information that’s gathered can be the deciding factors in whether or not you have a thyroid problem, particularly thyroid hormone resistance. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) measurements can find evidence of impaired thyroid hormone regulation of the tissues that blood tests cannot detect. Please consult with Dr. Honeyman, even briefly, before you schedule your metabolic evaluation to be sure your needs match well with this service.

Your Metabolic Evaluation (2-hour) includes:

• Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) measurement with indirect calorimetry
• Measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide and heart rate variability during resting phase prior to RMR measurement
• Body composition measured with bioelectric impedance
• Algometer exam to assess possible abnormal tenderness of the tissues
• Brief physical exam including lying down and standing blood pressures
• Achilles reflex assessment

You will follow up on another day with a consultation to discuss the evaluation findings and recommendations.  The cost of this consultation is not included with the evaluation fee.  A minimum of one hour is usually necessary to thoroughly discuss your diagnosis and recommendations.  You’re welcome to schedule more time for the consultation if needed.

The 4-hour Metabolic Evaluation includes the measurements listed above and approximately 2 hours with Dr. Honeyman to:

• Interpret and correlate your exam findings and lab test results.  It’s necessary to have your lab results in hand the day of your visit.  With few exceptions, Dr. Honeyman can order your lab tests in advance to be sure results are available.
• Formulate your customized metabolic rehabilitation plan to meet your individual needs based on history and exam findings.
• Educate you on how to follow through with your treatment plan with respect to your lifestyle and dietary preferences.
• Create a working relationship with you that’s built on a depth of communication resulting from concentrated time together.

Patients who travel from other countries or states often schedule the 4-hour option since it may be the only time that you and Dr. Honeyman have to sit across from one another to discuss the plan to restore their health.

Consultations at FunPhysio

You can schedule consultations with Dr. Honeyman to discuss your health and wellness issues.  She can help you with general health issues even if you do not suspect you have thyroid or other endocrinology concerns. 

Consultations at the clinic are scheduled in either 30 minute or 60 minute appointments. Your first consultation will typically last an hour so you have plenty of time to discuss your health history and concerns.  Dr. Honeyman will review any lab test reports you bring with you and she can give you direction on what other tests you may need.  She can order the necessary tests for you that day.  You will leave with a plan for what you need to do next to help yourself.

Telephone Consultations

These are scheduled appointments for you to talk with Dr. Honeyman about your health concerns. Telephone consultations are educational in nature and are used to discuss your health issues, diagnostic tests, and to give you guidance in your treatment process.  Most people learn enough during telephone consults to make significant improvement in their health and wellness.  Dr. Honeyman suggests that you have even a brief telephone consultation with her before scheduling a metabolic evaluation to be sure you are a good candidate for metabolic rehabilitation.  

Steps to take to arrange a telephone consultation:

• Schedule an appointment.  New clients are scheduled for either 30 or 60 minutes for the first consultation.  It’s optimal to schedule 60 minutes to more fully discuss your health history and lab reports. Ongoing monitoring consultations can be as brief as 15 minutes when monitoring forms are faxed or emailed as pdf files to Dr. Honeyman prior to your appointment.
• It’s helpful when you write a one-page health history or fill out the Self-tests and send the information to Dr. Honeyman before your appointment.  Feel free to fax relevant lab test results. You can also fill out the Initial Evaluation forms found on the Clinic Forms page and fax them to Dr. Honeyman before your appointment.  Don’t worry if you aren’t able to do this; you will still have a valuable consultation.
• Fax your agreement form before your appointment. Click here for the Telephone Consult Agreement form.  You need to print it, fill it out, and fax it to 1-888-728-3490.  It’s like the consent form you sign at any new doctor’s office.  Dr. Honeyman has to have this before she can speak with you.  You can also email the consent form and other documents as long as they are in pdf format. 
• Call Dr. Honeyman at 303-413-9100 at the scheduled time for your consult.  You can also use Skype for your consultation.  Please let Dr. Honeyman know in advance if you plan to use Skype.
• You control how long you talk.  When you schedule your appointment please let us know how long you want to talk.  It’s your responsibility to keep track of the time spent and end the consult when you reach your limit.  Your Visa, Master Card, or Discover card will be processed after the consult.

Laboratory tests

With rare exceptions Dr. Honeyman can order any standard laboratory tests that you will need, even long-distance and internationally. Functional medicine tests kits such as the salivary Adrenal Stress Index can be mailed to you if you aren't able to pick them up at the clinic.

Breathing Assessments and Heart Rate Variability Evaluations

Explore your breathing and its effect on your physiology.  Many people learn to overbreathe, meaning that they exhale too much carbon dioxide, and create profound changes in their bodies’ chemistry.  Examples of issues that may be caused, perpetuated, or exacerbated by overbreathing include: anxiety, anger, attention, learning, task performance, fitness, stress states, pain, physical symptoms, and consciousness.  Athletes, musicians, actors, singers, surgeons, schoolchildren, teachers – anyone – can have impaired performance due to overbreathing. 

Heart rate variability (HRV) can be measured at the same time as exhaled carbon dioxide levels.  HRV is an excellent indicator of the level of stress you are experiencing and the effect on your heart muscle. Since overbreathing is a learned behavior, you can learn how to optimize your breathing and help balance your body’s physiology and function.  Metabolic rehab clients as well as the general public can benefit profoundly from these services. 

Fees for services

• Metabolic evaluation, 2-hour assessment -  $750.00  (Report of findings and treatment plan scheduled for another day)
• Metabolic evaluation, 4- hour option.  This includes the evaluation and 2-hour consultation on the same day -  $1500.00
• New patient blood tests - costs vary upon your needs.
• Telephone Consultations - $4.00/minute.
• Clinic Consultations - 30 minutes = $125.00, 60 minutes = $250.00.
  

Please confirm fees when you schedule your appointment. Costs for lab tests can change frequently.

Payment for services

Fundamental Physiology accepts:

• Visa, MasterCard, Discover, local checks, and cash. Health Savings Account debit cards are acceptable as long as they have the Visa, MasterCard, or Discover logo and are included in those card processing networks.
• Payment is due at the time of service.

Insurance and Medicare/Medicaid

Fundamental Physiology, LLC does not file insurance claims, accept health insurance assignment, or speak with your insurance company on your behalf.  Dr. Honeyman respects your need to use your insurance so she will give you a “Superbill”upon request. It is a detailed receipt that contains all of the information you need to file your claim if you choose. 
Dr. Honeyman is not on any preferred provider lists and is considered to be “out of network” with all insurance companies.

Dr. Honeyman is not a Medicare or Medicaid provider.  Please do not attempt to file a claim for reimbursement for Dr. Honeyman’s fees with either of these entities.  While all of the services offered at FunPhysio are within Dr. Honeyman’s scope of practice they are not covered by either Medicare or Medicaid. 

Please call FunPhysio at 303.413.9100 or send an email to info@funphysio.com and we'll be glad to answer your questions.