Is an Internal Medicine doctor a good doctor to go to about digestive problems & anxiety? No specialist nearby

Question

I have been having digestive problems for years (chronic constipation) and have gone to see many regular medical doctors but I continue to have the digestive issues. This chronic issue has also caused me to start having severe anxiety so bad that I very very rarely go out anymore. Sometimes I don't even answer my front door. It's getting bad and seems to be worse as the years go by. I want to go to a good doctor and was just wondering if a doctor of internal medicine would be a good choice? There are no specialist (gastroenterologists) anywhere near me so I can only choose from regular medical doctors (of which I've been to see many with no results whatsoever on my conditions) and then I've seen listings for several Internal Medicine doctors so I was thinking maybe on of those could help me. I've never gone to an Internal Medicine doctor and don't know anything about what they do or specialize in so could someone provide some insight & let me know if they are a good choice for me?

Answer 1

Yes, a doctor of internal medicne (an internist) is also a physician basically. He is suposed to be fairly well conversant with all the systems of the body. So, if you can't go to a gastroenterologist, a physician or an internist is a good choice.

Many times these are psychosomatic problems and homeopathy will help you. Other alternative systems like Tissue Remedies, Bach Flowers, EFT, Reiki etc. also help. So, don't give up.

Answer 2

Doctors of Internal Medicine are called Internistss, (not same as Interns, who are new MD's). Internal Medicine is the diagnostician of the bunch; when a doctor has something they can't figure out, they call in Internal Medicine. Doctors of Internal Medicine often choose to specialize in an area they have a special interest in, such as Cardiology (heart), Gastroenterology (digestion), Pulmonology (lungs), Hematology (blood), Oncology (cancer), etc. Many take tests to become board-certified in these other fields as well as Internal Medicine.

DO's are Doctors of Osteopathy who have as much training as MD's but look at the body as a whole, rather than in systems as MD's do. Most DO's don't specialize for that reason. Just FYI -

Hope you have an excellent outcome from your visits.

Answer 3

Internal medicine doctors (internists) specialize in diseases of adults. They are a type of primary care physician who will make referrals to specialists for more complex issues. Most adults will see either an internist or a family practitioner as their primary MD. It is very reasonable to see an internist with the problems you are describing - they see many patients with GI disorders and have the experience to know if a referral to a gastroenterologist would be necessary. If you find the right one, they may be willing to treat your anxiety for you, though many general practitioners prefer to defer to psychiatrists for management of that.