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843-469-1001

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250 Mathis Ferry Road, Suite 101
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

FAQ

Merge Medical Center Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Yes, we will convey as much or as little information as you desire us to convey. We are happy to coordinate your care so that everyone is on the same page.

We do not accept any form of medical insurance or Medicare/Medicaid. However, the office will provide you with an itemized bill with traditional ICD-9 codes and CPT codes at the end of your consultation and you may easily file that with your insurance company.

You may also use pre-tax dollars from a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for your consultations and lab fees. We recommend calling the office prior to your appointment and requesting our billing codes so that you may check with your insurance carrier as to the amount they will reimburse you for your visit.

Since Dr. Lovegrove is a medical doctor that your insurance will recognize for our services, the claims are often at least partially reimbursed or applied to your respective deductible.

This appointment will take approximately 10-15 minutes to briefly review your health concerns and determine if we can help you, review what testing that we recommend, and the cost of the program that the practitioner suggests for you. We do not provide any treatment in this initial consultation.

Yes, we have patients that come to us from all over the U.S for their health concerns. In many cases, we will just set up the initial, no cost consultation over the phone (if you prefer) to save you a visit here if you are coming from far away.

We do not have a “cookie-cutter” approach. After extensive testing, medical history, and analysis, we customize a regimen that is unique to what your body needs.

We give our patients the option to maintain their relationship with their current primary care doctor if they choose but we do offer most routine family medicine services here. We just do not manage emergency or urgent care needs like needing sutures for a laceration, evaluation for broken bones, asthma acute exacerbation requiring in office breathing treatments, etc. Some patients will just choose us as a consultant or alternative opinion for their health concerns. All of that being said, most patients will use us for their preventative and primary care needs and use an urgent care center for their more urgent needs.

Recommended Reading List

  • 121 ways to live to 121 Years and More
    – by Dr. Ron Klatz and Dr. Robert Goldman, Basic Health Publications, 2007
  • How to Achieve Healthy Aging, 2nd Edition [Paperback]
    – by Neal Rouzier, MD, WorldLink Medical Publishing, 2008
  • Stay Young & Sexy with Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement: The Science Explained
    – by Jonathan Wright, MD, Smart Publications, 2009
  • The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First
    – by Mark Hyman, MD, 2008
  • The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life
    – by Daniel Amen, MD, 2013
  • The Edge Effect
    – by Dr. Eric Braverman, 2005
  • 8 Weeks to Optimum Health
    – by Dr. Andrew Weil, 2007
  • Spontaneous Healing
    – by Dr. Andrew Weil, 2000
  • Healing Anxiety and Depression
    –  by Daniel Amen, MD, 2003
  • Vitamin D Deficiency
    – by Dr. Michael F. Holick, New England Journal of Medicine 2007;357:266-81
  • Iodine: why you need it, why you can’t live without it
    by Dr. David Brownstein, 2006
  • Grain Brain
    – by David Perlmutter, MD, 2013
  • Wheat Belly
    – by William David, MD, 2011
  • Blood Sugar Solution
    – by Mark Hyman, MD, 2012
  • True Food
    – by Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, 2012
  • The New Detox Diet
    – by Elson Haas, Celestial Arts, 2004
  • 10-Day Detox Diet
    – by Mark Hyman, MD, 2014
  • The Better Brain Book
    – by Dr. David Perlmutter, Riverhead Books, 2004
  • Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger and Impulsiveness
    – by Daniel Amen, MD, 1998
  • Grain Brain
    – by David Perlmutter, MD, 2013
  • The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First
    – by Mark Hyman, MD, 2008
  • Overcoming Arthritis
    – by Dr. David Brownstein,
  • The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic Cardiology
    – by Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, Basic Health Publications 2008
  • Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop deadly plaque before it’s too late
    – by Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, Wiley 2008
  • What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Heart Disease
    – by Mark Houston, 2012
  • The Statin Disaster
    – by David Brownstein, MD
  • Keeping aBreast
    – by Dr Kahlid Mahmud, Author House, 2005
  • Ultimate Anti-Aging Program
    – by Gary Null, PhD. Broadway Books, 1999
  • The Anti-Aging Revolution
    – by Dr. Ron Klatz and Dr. Robert Goldman, Basic Health Publications, 2007
  • The Autoimmune Solution: Prevent and Reverse the Full Spectrum of Inflammatory Symptoms and Diseases
    – by Amy Myers, MD, 2015
  • Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection
    – by Dr. John Sarno
  • The Andropause Mystery: Unraveling Truths About the Male Menopause
    – by Robert S. Tan, AMRED Publishing, January 2001
  • Sex For Life: The Lover’s Guide to Male Sexuality
    Chapter 4 – Male Menopause: It’s Real and It’s Preventable
    – by Dr. David Saul, Apple Publishing, 1999
  • Male Sexual Fitness: Causes and Solutions for Andropause (Good Health Guides)
    – by Eric R. Braverman, MD, McGraw Hill – NTC, March 1999
  • Understanding Men’s Passages: Discovering the New Map of Men’s Lives
    – by Gail Sheehy, Random House, May 1999
  • The Testosterone Solution: Increase Your Energy and Vigor With Male Hormone Therapy
    – by Dr. Aubrey Hill, Prima Publishing, January 1998
  • The Testosterone Syndrome
    – by Dr. Eugene Shippen, 2001
  • Maximize Your Vitality and Potency
    – by Jonathan V. Wright, MD, & Lane Lenard, PhD, 1999
  • The Sexy Years
    – by Suzanne Somers, Random House, 2004
  • Ageless
    – by Suzanne Somers, Crown Publishers, 2006
  • The Natural Hormone Makeover
    – by Dr. Phuli Cohan, Wiley 2008
  • The Natural Superwoman
    – by Dr. Uzzi Reiss, Penguin, 2007
  • Natural Hormone Balance for Women
    – by Dr. Uzzi Reiss, Pocket Books, 2001
  • Adrenal Fatigue
    – by Dr. James Wilson, Smart Publications 2001
  • Overcoming Thyroid Disorders
    – by Dr. David Brownstein, Med Alt Press, 2002
  • What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause
    – by Dr. John Lee, Time Warner Books, 1999
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy in Women: The Evidence
    – by Dr. Sangeeta Pati, European Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine, March 2006
  • Cardiovascular effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate and progesterone: case of mistaken identity?
    – by Dr. R. Kent Hermsmeyer, et al, Nature Clinical Practice, www. Nature.com, June 2008
  • Novel Perspectives for Progesterone in Hormone Replacement Therapy, with Special Reference to the Nervous System
    – by Dr. Micheal Schumacher et al, published in Endocrine Reviews, July 2007, 28(4):387-439
  • The field of anti-aging medicine is the most rapidly growing medical specialty with more than 30,000 physicians worldwide in 80 countries. ~ American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, 2005
  • Women receiving hormone replacement immediately after menopause have reduced heart attacks, strokes, bone fractures and Alzheimer’s. They also have significant improvements in sexual function, mood, skin, energy and sleep. ~ Euro J Anti-Ageing Med Mar 2006, Journal of General Internal Med 2006
  • Men receiving hormone replacement when levels are low (andropause) have reduced heart attacks, strokes and risk of Alzheimer’s. They also have improved mood, confidence, motivation, sexual function, muscle mass, energy and strength. ~ Eur J Endocrinol. 2006, Eur Heart J. 2006, Curr Drug Targets CNS Neurol Disord. 2005
  • In both men and women, sexual function improves sharply after restoration of normal levels of testosterone, DHEA and nutrition (i.e. Vitamin B-12, nitrogen). ~J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006, Fertility and Sterility 2004, Int J Impot Res 2005,
    Growth hormone and aggressive nutritional supplementation speed recovery from muscular, skeletal and surgical injuries significantly. ~ Hormone Res 1996
  • Preventing sugar spikes is the best way to prevent diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, skin aging and cancer. ~ International Anti-Aging Magazine, 2006
  • High sugar consumption and meats increase cancer risk ~ John Hopkins University and American Cancer Society, 2005.
    Inositol pentakisphosphate from beans slow cancer cell growth ~ Sackler Institute,2005
  • Men with higher levels of B-6, B-12 and folate had better retention of verbal and spatial skills ~ Tuft’s University, 2005
    Exercising 2 times per week cuts Alzheimer’s risk in ½. It also cuts risk of heart attack and stroke. ~ Finnish Study, 2005, American Journal Cardiology 2006
  • Gum disease increases risk of Alzheimer’s by 50%. Flossing prevents this. ~ University of South Carolina, 2005
    Eating broiled or baked fish 1 to 4 times per week cuts down stroke risk by 28%, while eating fried fish or fish sandwich increased stroke by 37% ~ Harvard University, 2005
  • Beta-glucan from Oat kernels penetrate the skin reducing fine lines and wrinkles ~ Canadian researchers, 2005
  • Alpha and Beta hydroxyl acids promote natural skin exfoliation and cell renewal ~ American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine, 2005
  • Radiation levels (which cause cancer) from cell phones increase 10-fold inside a closed vehicle. ~ Science and Technology Team, UK
  • J Am. Heart Assoc. 2015;4:e001726
  • J. Am. College of Cardiol. 2015;65:1273-82
  • Testosterone improves cognitive function, memory, Alzheimer’s (Aging Male 2003, J Clin Metab 2002, J Clin Endocrine 1999)
  • Testosterone protects against atherosclerosis and plaque rupture, (J Endocrine 2003, J Clin Endocrine 1999)
  • Growth Hormone protects against beta-amyloid plaques (J Neuroscience 2001)
  • Testosterone protects against Cardiovascular disease (NEJM 2004)
  • Testosterone improves mood and erections (Androl 1992)
  • Testosterone improves depression (Am J Psychiatry 2003)
  • Testosterone reduces angina Circulation (2000), reduces atherosclerosis (J Endocrin 2003), improves CHF Heart (2003)
  • Testosterone improves strength and body comp (Mayo Clin Proc 200), improves DM (Aging Male 2003)
  • Testosterone increase coronary blood flow circulation (1999)
  • Growth Hormone increases bone density
  • Growth Hormone decreases abdominal obesity in men
  • Growth Hormone decreases fatigue
  • Increases energy, vitality, well being, self control decreases anxiety, depression
  • No evidence of increased cancer or Cardiovascular disease (NEJM 2004)
  • Older adults with a brighter outlook on the future, have 77% less chance of dying from stroke or heart attack than their pessimistic peers. ~ Netherlands researchers, 2005
  • The power of deep breath: shallow breathing leads to a low oxygen, acid state in which our chemical reactions do not function optimally. ~ Science of Breathe,1998
  • Stress increases the hormone cortisol, which impairs the immune system, anti-cancer mechanisms, thyroid function, fat burning, vascular health, brain function and almost every other repair and maintenance function in the body. In that, it is the plague of the 21st century. ~ J Trauma Stress. 2006, J Nucl Cardiol. 2006