It's time to find out why they didn't work.
Frequent Questions & Answers
GI specialists are trained to diagnose and treat structural disease — they scope, they biopsy, they look for cancer, Crohn's, colitis, and other pathology. If something serious is happening structurally, a GI specialist is exactly who you need.
But many patients with chronic bloating, fatigue, food sensitivities, and gut dysfunction come back from a GI workup with a colonoscopy that's "normal" — and no answers. That's where we work. We focus on functional gut health: the relationship between your gut microbiome, your insulin sensitivity, your inflammatory load, and your metabolic function. These are areas most GI referrals don't cover.
Dr. Antonatos approaches gut health as a metabolic problem — not just a digestive one. That means looking at your blood sugar patterns, your cortisol, your inflammation markers, and your gut motility together — because they're connected.
Not required — but highly recommended for deeper insight. You can start your gut and metabolic reset protocol based on your symptom profile alone. Many patients see meaningful improvement in the first 2–4 weeks without any lab work.
If you have recent bloodwork, upload it before your consult — Dr. Antonatos will review it as part of your protocol at no extra cost. If you don't have labs, he'll tell you exactly what to order and where based on your specific situation.
The optional GI Advanced Panel ($380) includes a full microbiome analysis, Zonulin (gut permeability marker), H. pylori, pathogen screening, and digestion markers — it's the most comprehensive picture of what's happening in your gut. Many patients add this after their first month once they know the program is working.
Most patients notice meaningful changes in bloating, energy, and digestion within 2–4 weeks of starting their protocol. This is one of the most common things patients tell us — that they felt something shift faster than they expected after years of trying other approaches.
The timeline depends on the complexity of your root cause. Simple gut dysbiosis with a clear dietary trigger can resolve quickly. More complex cases involving insulin resistance, histamine intolerance, or metabolic syndrome take longer — typically 8–12 weeks for sustained improvement.
The ongoing $35 text consultations exist specifically for this reason — your protocol is adjusted as your body responds, not left static for months.
Not directly — but weight loss often happens as a result. When gut health improves, insulin sensitivity improves, inflammation drops, and metabolic function is restored — stubborn weight often starts moving without aggressive dieting.
If weight loss is your primary goal, our dedicated medical weight loss program (starting at $142 all-inclusive with GLP-1 options) may be a better fit. Many patients do both programs concurrently — gut health directly impacts GLP-1 effectiveness and metabolic response.
Yes — it often can. Chronic inflammation, gut permeability ("leaky gut"), and metabolic dysfunction are common underlying factors in both autoimmune flares and long COVID symptom patterns, including brain fog, fatigue, and digestive issues.
Dr. Antonatos tailors your protocol based on your specific symptom profile and goals. For autoimmune patients, the focus is typically on reducing inflammatory load, supporting gut barrier integrity, and addressing metabolic drivers of immune dysregulation. For long COVID, the approach often includes gut microbiome support, mitochondrial nutrients, and anti-inflammatory protocols.
Supplement recommendations are personalized — not a generic protocol handed to every patient. Based on your symptoms and labs, Dr. Antonatos may recommend some combination of:
Gut support: Targeted probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-glutamine (gut barrier repair), zinc carnosine
Metabolic support: Berberine or magnesium (insulin sensitivity), omega-3s (inflammation), chromium
Motility & digestion: Ginger, artichoke extract, bile salts (if fat malabsorption is a factor)
Histamine support: DAO enzyme, quercetin, vitamin C (if histamine intolerance is identified)
Your plan includes only what's relevant to your situation. All supplements are available through Fullscript® at 20% off retail — included with your program.
No — don't stop anything before your consult. Dr. Antonatos will review everything you're currently taking during your visit and tell you what to keep, what to adjust, and what to replace. Stopping supplements abruptly before your consult removes information he needs to build your protocol accurately.
Include your full current supplement list in your intake form so he can review it in advance of your visit.
Text2MD operates as a direct-pay practice — we don't bill insurance for consultations. This keeps pricing flat, transparent, and without surprise billing. Your $65 initial consultation and $35 text follow-ups are fixed — no surprise charges.
HSA and FSA funds are typically eligible for consultation fees — we can provide a receipt for reimbursement. Supplement costs through Fullscript® are generally not HSA/FSA eligible, but lab testing sometimes is depending on your plan.
Text2MD currently serves patients in 14 U.S. states: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia.
Don't see your state? Contact us to join the waitlist — we're actively expanding to additional states.
If you're not seeing improvement after following your protocol, that's important information — not a failure. It usually means either the root cause needs further investigation (which is where functional lab testing becomes valuable) or the protocol needs adjustment.
This is exactly what the ongoing $35 text consultations are for. Dr. Antonatos reviews your progress, identifies what's not working, and adjusts your plan. Unlike one-and-done programs, your care evolves with your response.
If after thorough investigation your symptoms suggest a condition outside the scope of functional medicine, Dr. Antonatos will tell you directly and guide you toward the appropriate specialist.
