Before, during and after your visit
Your first functional medicine consultation
A functional medicine consultation with Dr Stavy brings your health concerns, history, existing results and current treatment into one conversation. The first visit is a chance to explain what matters to you and consider the next steps. This guide covers preparation, the visit and follow-up, including the practical details to check.
When should I seek urgent help instead?
Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. If you need help now but are unsure where to go, use NHS 111 online or call 111. Do not wait for a private functional medicine visit. See the NHS guidance on when to call 999.
What is the first visit for?
The first visit gives Dr Stavy a chance to review your concerns in context. You can explain what has been happening, what has already been checked and what you want help to understand. You do not need to arrive with a test list or a theory that explains every symptom.
At this practice, the starting point is your history, existing results and current treatment. That helps keep details from earlier care in the talk. A first visit is not a promise that every concern will have a clear answer at once, or that a particular test or treatment will be offered.
For the wider service, read about functional medicine consultations with Dr Stavy. For a definition and an explanation of the evidence and limits, see what functional medicine means. This page stays focused on the visit itself.
How should I prepare before the visit?
Complete any questionnaire that the practice sends you. Use it to describe your main concerns and the details you already have. The aim is to prepare for the conversation, not to work out a diagnosis on your own.
- Have your current medicine and supplement list available.
- Gather relevant clinic letters and test results you already hold.
- Note the main questions you want to discuss.
- Read the visit confirmation and any instructions sent for your visit.
If you do not have a record, ask the practice how to handle the gap. Check the method for sending health details before emailing a large medical file. The brief visit enquiry is not a substitute for the pre-visit questionnaire or a medical record.
Provide samples only if the practice has asked you to do so. Preparation for a test depends on the test that has been arranged. If you have not received instructions, ask before fasting, changing medicines or making other changes for the visit.
What will we discuss during the visit?
Dr Stavy reviews the history of your concerns, the results already available and your current treatment. This gives you a chance to explain the pattern in your own words and to say which questions matter most. Tell her about care you are receiving elsewhere so it can remain part of the talk.
You can ask for a result or a term to be explained in plain language. If there is more than one concern, discuss which one to address first. The visit should make room for your questions about what is known, what is still unclear and what details may be needed next.
The visit is individual. This page cannot set out an examination, investigation or treatment for every person who books. What is appropriate needs to be discussed in light of your own circumstances.
How does the practice keep care connected?
Dr Stavy’s practice is organised around one-doctor continuity. Your history stays connected across appointments, and follow-up is shaped around what happens next. Reviewing the details you already have before considering more tests is part of that approach.
This is an operational way of keeping the conversation and records together. It is not a claim that continuity alone will produce a diagnosis or a better outcome for every patient. Your own assessment remains individual, and conventional and specialist care stay part of the picture.
How are the next steps discussed?
Ask questions to understand what is being proposed and why. If an additional test is raised, ask what details it is intended to provide. If a further visit is suggested, ask what it will review. It is reasonable to ask about cost and the practical work involved before deciding.
- What question are we trying to answer?
- What details do my existing results provide?
- What are the options and their limits?
- What will the next step cost?
- Who will discuss the result or review the plan with me?
These are questions for a conversation with your clinician. They are not instructions to order a particular test or change treatment. This visit works alongside conventional care, and decisions about medicines or specialist treatment need the relevant clinician’s advice.
What happens with results and follow-up?
At follow-up, you can discuss results, go through the plan and raise questions. Review is arranged as required. There is no single timetable on this page because a fixed schedule would not describe every visit or result.
Before the visit ends, check what you are waiting for, how the next contact will be arranged and whether a follow-up visit is needed. If another service is involved, ask who is responsible for explaining the results and reviewing the next step. A test result and an agreed plan are different parts of care.
Keep your visit and test instructions together so you can refer back to the details. If you are unsure what was agreed, contact the practice for clarification. An administrative enquiry should not be used in place of urgent medical care.
Where does the visit take place?
Dr Stavy offers consultations at Great Portland Street and at the Women’s Wellness Centre in Chelsea. Remote phone or video consultations are also described in the practice’s service details. Check the location or remote format for your own visit rather than assuming the same arrangement applies to every visit.
The current clinic directory gives the two addresses. If you have an access need, raise it when arranging the visit. For a remote visit, ask the practice to confirm the joining details and any preparation before the scheduled time.
What should I check about cost?
Functional medicine consultations start from £200; tests and supplements are charged separately. Check the published fees and payment details, then ask for the cost of your own visit. Booking is confirmed by email, followed by an invoice for payment before the visit.
What patients say about Dr Stavy
Read patient feedback in its original context on Google, then compare it with the service, clinician and fee information on this site. Individual reviews describe personal experiences and do not predict clinical outcomes.
Questions before you decide
What records should I prepare?
Gather the records you already have, including recent test results, relevant clinic letters and a list of medicines and supplements. Complete the questionnaire or other pre-visit details the practice sends you. If something is missing or you need help sharing it, ask the practice how to proceed rather than ordering new tests yourself.
Do I need to fast or provide a sample?
Follow the instructions sent for your own visit or any test that has actually been arranged. Do not assume that a first visit requires fasting or a sample. The practice’s preparation guidance includes samples only where requested. If instructions are missing or unclear, check with the practice before changing your routine.
Will I need more tests?
Further testing is not an automatic part of every visit. Dr Stavy reviews your history, current treatment and existing results before considering further tests. If a test is discussed, ask what it is for and what it costs. The decision about any test needs to be made for your own circumstances.
Can my first visit be remote?
Remote consultations by phone or video are part of the practice’s published service details. Ask whether a remote visit is available and suitable for your request, and confirm the joining details before the visit. Do not assume that a particular platform, country or type of assessment is covered until the practice confirms it.
How much does a functional medicine visit cost?
Functional medicine consultations start from £200. Tests and supplements are charged separately, so this is not an all-inclusive package price. Ask the practice to confirm the fee for your visit and any proposed extras. Your booking is confirmed by email, with an invoice and payment due before the visit.
What happens at follow-up?
Follow-up provides a chance to discuss results, go through the plan and raise questions about what happens next. The practice describes review as arranged according to need, rather than a fixed schedule for everyone. Confirm whether a follow-up is required, what will be covered and what it will cost when the next step is agreed.