Testimonials
I began working with Dr. Vilich in 2016 when I had no help from the traditional medical model. When I found Dr. Vilich and Functional Medicine I had brain fog that caused me to stutter, I often couldn’t find the words I needed (aphasia), my memory was limited, I had gained 20 pounds in 2 years (as a fitness professional on a Paleo diet for one year prior to seeing her), I had insurmountable chronic fatigue that left me with no energy for friends, family or enjoyment of my life, I would fall asleep while driving nearly daily, I had unexplainable and untreatable skin rashes, heart palpitations, GERD, daily headaches, depression, achy muscles and joints, generalized weakness (particularly noticeable in my hands), fragile skin, constant bloated belly, irregular menstural cycle, constipation, and I was only 33 years old but I felt like I was 80 years old. Most of these symptoms had been slowly building in intensity since 2005 in my early 20’s.
Fast forward to 2021 and I was still working on some minor health improvements but my life is great, my brain so sharp that I had graduated nursing school, I have strong relationships with plenty of energy to maintain them and I lost 10 pounds. With Dr. Vilich’s plan, and my discipline to stick with it, my life was on track within two years. All of the aforementioned symptoms were long gone. However, unfortunately in February 2021 I began to notice my healthy and normal-looking stool changed and I had sharp intermittent abdominal pain with eating. In just one day in March the pain became so bad that I could not even drink broth without pain so I went to my primary care doctor because I knew I would need an official absence from work if I could not physically eat anymore. The treatments that came thereafter, such as the use of polyethylene glycol in Miralax, for misdiagnosed constipation, bowel prep for colonoscopy and even found in Lialda (an Ulcerative Colitis medication) sent me to the hospital with bloody stools up to 12 times per day, frequent vomiting up to nine times per day, fevers reaching 103 F, arthritis pain all over my body (I had never had arthritis before), an unrelenting headache for 3 weeks that I could only relieve by laying flat on my back on the floor, and a depression that left me crying just as much as I was vomiting and going to the bathroom. It took me 90 minutes to eat broth with rice and boiled carrots because the abdominal pain felt like shards of glass moving through my intestines with each spoonful. At times my stool would look as if I had passed intestinal tissue (think ground turkey) and those were the worst and most painful bowel movements. Through the medical model I had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Ulcerative Colitis.
After being hospitalized for a week due to dehydration, uncontrolled vomiting and high fevers I was off of Lialda and finally feeling a bit better but I was put back on the medication and I had a resurgence of symptoms that were nearly identical to what sent me to the Emergency Department just two weeks prior. I stopped the drug immediately and began Dr. Vilich’s Functional Medicine protocol. I felt improvements in just one day and it has been getting nothing but better since I’ve been on her protocol for 16 weeks at the time of this testimonial. I’m operating at 100%, I eat within my protocol all day with no pain, I do CrossFit three times a week and I feel even better than I did prior to the Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis. I changed jobs to reduce stress but I am working again in a job that I love. My trips to the bathroom are a painless zero to two times per day and I have no nausea or vomiting. It takes me 15 minutes to eat a meal with no pain or ramifications.
Through the process Dr. Vilich tested me for gut infections and Lyme disease. We found 15 different gut infections with two of which the bacteria mimic the intestinal lining and influence the autoimmune reaction. Repeat testing after 12 weeks demonstrated my infections reduced to 7 and the ones for autoimmune influence are gone. My non-existent symptoms are in line with testing – it’s incredible! We also found I have two species of Lyme bacteria and we have began working on that protocol as well. I’m excited to see the improvements from that protocol too. It’s hard to imagine things getting even better but I am certain they will.
I thought I needed emergency acute-care medicine for my autoimmune issue but it was not the solution that helped me. Unfortunately it hurt me and I ended up hospitalized and with 20 pounds of weight loss but now I’m truly healing. The transformation is incredible and I am so grateful for her practice and what functional medicine is providing for true health care.
If I can give a nugget of advice it’s this: Dr. Vilich has answers that get results but only you can make the protocol effective. At times this requires planning, diligence and commitment when close friends and family members may not understand your goals or your protocol. The protocols are not the norm of society and that’s OK. That’s likely why you are here reading this testimony – you are not getting the help you need from the modern medical model. Hold on to knowing the results will speak for themselves so long as you stick to the protocol. Lastly, be honest with Dr. Vilich about your struggles with the protocol be that financial or personal missteps. Those things happen as we are human beings living complex lives. She is very understanding and will be supportive of your needs. When money was tight for our family, the protocol went slower, as did the results, but I still had forward moving progress that I could feel. Thank you for reading and I’m excited for how much better you’re going to feel!
M.R. / 35
“I strongly recommend Dr. Vilich and appreciate what she has done for my health! Through comprehensive testing she found that behind my psoriatic arthritis was a Lyme disease and subsequently she prescribed treatment to my body’s needs, I’ve gained better health. She understood my specific deficiencies impacting my kidney failure, liver, heart etc.I was on immunosuppressants prescribed by my rheumatologist and because of it developed severe pneumonia unable to defend myself from infection. She prescribed home oxygen and necessary steroids and even though I was in critical state I overcame pneumonia and did not have to go to hospital. She saved my life then.
She continues to help me through periodic tweaks to what I’m doing, working on our plan to get back to optimum health!
R.R / 73
My 78 years old wife Tamra was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. For 3 years she slept whole day long, stopped driving, cooking, communicating. Two months ago we started seeing Dr. Vilich. She changed Tamra’s diet and put her on multiple supplements. Tamra still seemed to be in her “Alzheimer’s “ cocoon was tired and not showing interest to other people. I was so highly impressed with almost sudden progress my dear Tamra is making lately. She made me eggs for breakfast, started cleaning dishes, replacing dirty towels in the bathroom. She now enjoys our rides in car together. She also drove herself to grocery story and back. It must have been 10-15 years since I heard her play piano. Yesterday she played a favorite sacramental hymn of ours on our piano. That was so special for me and I told her so.
Thank you Dr. Vilich for giving me my Tamara back. I sincerely appreciate your patience, your recommendations and a professional guidance for me in helping my eternal sweetheart!
Barry B.
I had read Dr. Bredesen’s book The End of Alzheimer’s and was looking for a practitioner who used his protocol. I was also experiencing digestion problems, weight gain, cold all the time and general fatigue. And what a difference a year has made. Dr. Vilich recommended testing and supplements specific to my problems and life history and one by one each symptom has gotten so much better. I now have energy, losing weight, clear headed and my anxiety over the future is all but gone. Dr. Vilich is great and this has changed my life!
Kathryn B. / 61
I treated with dozens of doctors over the years trying to find an answer to my digestive issues, fatigue and muscle pain.
Through testing conducted by Dr. Vilich, dietary changes and supplements, I am feeling better than I have in many years. The IBS that plagued me my entire life has now resolved. I have energy to work full time and go to the gym after work. I am sleeping well and feeling like life is once again enjoyable. Though the changes have been a lifestyle adjustment, it has been worth the effort.
Annette T. / 55
I feel I have my life back after years of traditional medical doctors not listening and under treating my Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis an autoimmune disease of the thyroid. Through diet, changing my medication to a natural dedicated thyroid medication, and treating all the other underlying things that go along with autoimmune and thyroid malfunctions I got my energy back. She is amazing
Carol M. / 60
Dr. Vilich has transformed our lives! My husband, age 73, and I, age 65, have been seeing Dr. Vilich for ten months. Both of us have lost 50 pounds each and are still losing. We have much more energy and feel the best we have felt in years! In fact, my husband had given up golf due to pain from past knee and shoulder surgeries as well as foot pain from a “dropped” toe. After working with Dr. Vilich, he tried golf again and is pain-free so has re-joined his golf club. As for me, I had years of arm, wrist, and hand pain and numbness and was seriously considering carpel tunnel surgery. Thank goodness that I waited… I am completely pain free now and the numbness is gone, too!
Dr. Vilich is truly concerned about her patients, and we continue to benefit from her expertise and caring style.
About our journey… Last summer my wife Marcia was told by her internist that she would have to begin taking medication to control her developing diabetes, as her then recent A1C was over the 6.0 limit. She was a wreck emotionally after that visit.
She was without hope as we were eating mostly organic foods then and didn’t eat fast foods at all. She was confused and fearful.
After listening to her sob for some time I said that we two were smart enough to find a way to limit her taking the diabetes medicine. That was the end of July. By August she had purchased The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman. After Marcia read the book… then and there we dropped sugar and wheat from our diet. Then after about two months we learned about a group of Functional Medicine Doctors who were certified to practice many of Dr. Hyman’s approaches. https://www.functionalmedicine.org/about/whatisfm/ There are only about 200 of these certified doctors in the world and when we looked there were only two in Illinois. We went to see Dr. Fatima Vilich, MD in Glenview. (https://vibrant-health.info/ )
The premise of the functional doctor’s approach is this… they look at the body in totality–with all the markers and test results, so to reach a conclusion of what needs to be fixed in your health practices and/or diet. They believe that food can be a medicine to heal you or a poison which will ultimately make you ill or even kill you.
Funny thing is that as we have worked with this program to “heal” ourselves we feel better, are stronger, with more endurance and energy. I remember well in our first 4-hr visit back in October with Dr. Vilich; she asked us to remember back to the last time we felt good! What a question. Marcia said it was when she was in her late 40s before perimenopause. I said in my late 40s too. I think we are nearing that “feeling” state once again.
- So what results have we seen so far?
- Marcia has lost about 50 lbs.
- She had tried many diets and exercise programs to lose weight with little to show. Then Dr. Vilich discovered she had a Thyroid problem that was only discovered by taking two different thyroid tests which her internist doctor never ran. The internist only ran the standard Thyroid test which showed Marcia to be within range.
- She is off Cholesterol medicine
- She has avoided taking diabetes medicine
- She is off one of her two heart medications… and soon will drop the last one too
- She is off the antibiotic.
I also lost 50lbs. I regained my energy and was able to rejoin my golf club and start golfing again.
I think if we had gone on this earlier in my life the cancer and surgeries may well have been avoided.
Jess R. / 73
After months of annoying symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux and small bowel bacterial overgrowth, I am now finally symptom free. I also think our preventative plan is on the right track since it’s been 2 months since treatment.
Dr. Konrad B. / 27
From my first appointment with Dr. Vilich, I felt that my health was a collaborative effort.
And her treatment is working, and I have made vast improvements as a result!
Mary M. / 45
I was having severe fatigue and restless sleep, thyroid nodules,craving sweets and having stomach aches.
I regained sleep ,energy , my inner strength and acquired new healthy lifestyle . Thank you for helping me rediscover new me!
Selma V. / 48
Dr. Fatima is a very devoted and compassionate physician who combines traditional medicine with the latest innovative approach, resulting in a truly comprehensive care for her patients.
I have been implementing the changes that she suggested over several years and that led me to live a healthier life and make reasonable choices for my Family.
Alma C. / 58
I have been thrilled with the care I’ve received from Dr. Vilich. Before finding Dr. Vilich, I’d endured two years of relentless fatigue and overall declining health. I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, but was told there was nothing that could be done to ease my symptoms.
As a last ditch effort, I decided to try an alternate route, a functional health doctor. It has proven to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Dr. Vilich really took her time with me and seemed to take everything I said seriously. She’s been very thorough as far as gathering information through lab testing, but hasn’t relied on labs only and has been willing to treat and advise based on how I feel. Previously I’d been treated based exclusively on where my lab values fell within the standard range, so this approach has been revelatory. Within two weeks of implementing the plan we developed at my initial appointment, I felt better than I had felt in years. I had more energy, was waking rested, and relentless gastro symptoms I’d suffered since being a teenager almost completely resolved. I still have a long road ahead, but I no longer feel worried or scared because I see with Dr. Vilich that I CAN live a normal and full life and feel great.
Arika S. / 28
Over the last 40 years I’ve been diagnosed with multiple auto-immune conditions. Uveitis (age 10), MS (age 20), Ulcerated Colitis (age 25), Thyroid Nodules & Secondary Adrenal insufficiency (age 51) In traditional medicine you need to see a specialist for each condition, and they treat the individual disease normally with medicine that has harsh side effects and long- term consequences. For example, and in my case…5 different doctors.
Uveitis; Retinal specialist, treated with steroids, which eventually lead to Glaucoma.
And, by the way, I also see a Glaucoma specialist.
MS; Neurologist, treated with immune suppressing drugs. I discontinued on my own because the side effects were unbearable.
Ulcerated Colitis; GI doctor, treated with high dosages of steroids, which by the way did not cure the colitis, I ended up having a colectomy, and that still did not resolve my symptoms.
Thyroid Nodules and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency; high doses of steroids for a long period of time (from colitis treatment) lead to Secondary Adrenal insufficiency. Now I must take a maintenance dose of Hydrocortisone every day for the rest of my life.
If only I had known then at age 10 or even 20, what I know now after seeing Dr. Vilich. With functional medicine, the root cause is treated. Dr. Vilich has helped me get to the bottom of my multiple auto-immune diseases. Through appropriate testing, diet changes and supplements, my inflammation has decreased, my gut is healing, and I have much more energy. My Uveitis is in remission, as well as is MS. My Thyroid Nodules are just that, no medication required, and they are shrinking. I did recently have a relapse of colitis, and I was very frustrated because I thought I was doing everything right. Dr. Vilich I believe figured that issue out too. Hydrocortisone is coated with lactose, something that I am allergic to!
I just want to thank her for the time she takes with me, and her relentless quest to get to the root cause.
AH / 54
Dr. Vilich got to the root cause of my illness. Four months prior to seeing her, I was hospitalized with numbness in my left arm and leg that came on suddenly one day. I had all the symptoms of a stroke. I was very weak and could not walk unassisted. I had every possible test done; MRI, CAT SCAN, Blood work, EEG, EKG…they all came back normal.
I went to all my follow up appointments with the neurologist and my family doctor, nobody knew what to tell me. In fact, I was referred to 3 different Neurologists, and all concluded that I needed to see a psychiatrist! Really? They didn’t dispute that my physical symptoms were real, but they couldn’t provide a medical explanation for them.
After months of frustration, my wife found Dr. Vilich on the web and suggested I see her. On the first visit, she spent 2 hours going over my health history and reviewing my test results. She made diet and supplement suggestions, specifically to address my DNA mutations. After just 6 weeks of following her recommendations, I started to improve exponentially! My family Dr as well as my Physical Therapists were amazed at my progress. My strength returned, I no longer needed a cane, my brain fog lifted, and I was able return to work. I’m feeling better and stronger now than I have in years! If not for Dr. Vilich, I’d probably still be on disability. Thank you Dr. Vilich!
JH / 54
I consider myself a health seeker, always reading and researching about health for myself and my family. I was eating a whole food plant based diet, exercising, living a healthy lifestyle and still, I did not feel great. I carried some extra weight that made me uncomfortable, the pounds would not budge. I had skin issues, felt tired and out of sorts, not ill but certainly not a picture of health, particularly for the effort I put in.
I knew I needed a Functional Medicine doctor that would do intensive detective work into my health, but how to find one? I went to the most famous Functional Medicine doctor I knew of, Dr. Mark Hyman, and from his website learned that Dr. Fatima Vilich was one of a very few Functional Medicine doctors certified through the “Institute of Functional Medicine” and her office was just a few miles from my home. This is an amazing credential, held by only approximately 200 doctors. I made an appointment with Dr. Vilich and my initial visit was like no other doctor appointment I had ever had, so thorough, covering my entire lifetime. Dr. Vilich is a brilliant doctor with so much information to share, she is a health detective and some of the most seemingly insignificant information I shared with her set her on the path of discovery about my health. After consultations and testing she told me I was hypothyroid – which was incredible to me because my regular doctor had checked my thyroid annually, but I learned through Dr. Vilich that a number of tests need to be run on the thyroid to discern if it is functioning properly. I also learned I was anemic and my hormones were out of balance. Through nutritional testing, Dr. Vilich discovered that my body does not retain and store some vital nutrients, so I simply need to supplement with them daily.
Fast forward to today, my hair is regrowing, I have lost weight and can eat more without gaining weight, I wake up feeling great every morning, my skin is glowing. I continue to test on a regular schedule to make sure my body is staying in balance and with Dr. Vilich’s guidance we tweak here and there. At age 59, I wear a size 4/6 and feel better now than I did in my 30s and 40s, this is not the norm for a post menopausal woman.
My husband who piggybacks on my habits is also glowing with health.
I feel it is a privilege to have Dr. Vilich in my life, she is such a kind, caring person, very easy to know and brimming with knowledge on any health issue I ask her about. Everyone should be so fortunate as to have someone like Dr. Vilich as their doctor and health coach.
Gail C. / 59
Hi Dr. Vilich, Don’t know if you remember me or not but I saw you about 1.5 years ago regarding Functional Medicine and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I only saw you twice but wanted to let you know where this disease process is at now.
This email is the complete opposite!
I just wanted to let you know that I have followed your advice on diet and supplements for the past 1.5 years and last week went to my rheumatologist since changing everything. I am happy to report to you that my Dr. said “there is absolutely NO evidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis or auto immune disease within your blood work or joints!” she continued to say “I wont even categorize you in “remission”, you do NOT have RA!” Of course this news thrilled me, because from the first day of diagnoses, I have refused to “own” this label!!! Just wanted to thank you for your knowledge in Functional Medicine and helping get past this!!! I also gave all the information on Functional Medicine to my Dr. who is going to do her own research on this! Here’s to hoping she passes it along to many others that have the label of “auto immune disease”!!!
Thank you again for all you did!!
Carol B. / 62
I LOVE My doctor! I am 63 years old and have been searching for a physician with the qualities that Fatima Vilich possesses for over 30 years!
When I was in my 30’s, I was on 20+ medications, many prescribed for side effects I was having from the medications I was on. Tho I have only been a patient of Dr. Vilich for 6 months, she has done more to improve my overall health than any Doctor I have seen in 30 years. I thought I had a clean diet but she has helped me tweak it to improve digestion. She has ordered tests I’ve never had and educates me each time I see her. I realize that I improve with each appointment and know that I have found someone who cares about my health. Dr Fatima and I are a team and I couldn’t be more grateful!
Sue C. / 63
Dr. Vilich has guided me into a whole new level of healing and health.
I was elated to discover that Dr. Vilich had actually attended the Sibo Symposium, which is an annual event educating people on the condition.
She has helped me not only clear SIBO from my intestines, she has helped me to normalize many other important markers, such as homocysteine, thyroid, etc. I am much healthier than when I started and I am very grateful to Dr. Vilich!!!
She is knowledgeable, responsive, kind and extremely well-credentialed. I wholeheartedly recommend her!
Mary D. / 60
With her combined training in traditional medicine as well as Functional Medicine, Dr. Vilich is equipped to investigate and provide answers where there are none according to traditional medical practice. In addition to her wide scope of knowledge, she has an incredible ability to relate to patients ages 1-100+, and every patient walks out of her office with hope, and a plan to a healthier, disease free life.
What a privilege it was for me to spend some time with Dr. Vilich this past month doing elective rotation in her office. I am so grateful for such a wonderful opportunity. I am now feeling refreshed and excited about the field of medicine again. “
Sabrina M. / 25 Medical Student
I started seeing Dr. Fatima Vilich because I was having some chronic health problems related to my digestion, hormones and anxiety that, in my opinion, were not being helped or treated by my regular physicians properly. I felt that my regular physicians were given poor advice pertaining to my health, that I was not comfortable with and that was not acceptable to me.
I was referred to Dr. Vilich by a family member, after hearing my frustrations. Dr. Vilich listened to all of my concerns and agreed that they were all valid. She sought to try and find the root of my health problems through tests and provided me the tools to help treat them with diet, sleep, vitamins, and additional supplements. One of her best pieces of advise was getting off of the birth control. I had no idea how negatively it was impacting my health. She was all about cleansing the system and repairing the gut, through natural means. I highly recommend seeing Dr. Fatima if you are experiencing chronic health problems and are not satisfied with your regular physicians recommended treatments. I am so much better, and am still noticing improvements so I plan to continue doing what she recommended for me and hope to continue moving in a positive direction.
Alyssa C. / 34
I had severe diarrhea, lost 20 percent of my body weight and had only 5 percent of my energy. I was sleeping 16 hours a day and still had severe fatigue. I could not leave the house and I was desperate. I thought I was going to die and someone would find me in my bed. I had no answers for 20 years with my regular doctors.
She addressed my GI problems and found that I had food sensitivities. She was knowledgeable, super understanding and very compassionate. She led me to health.
Now I am a new person, full of energy, able to go to church again and attend my grandson’s games. I thank God for her. I do not know what I would have done without her. Thank you Dr. Vilich!
Genevieve Y. / 66
Dear Dr. Vilich,
I am so grateful that I have found you. My health has improved dramatically within a couple of months after my first visit with you.
I have been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and extreme fatigue for the past 2 1/2 years. I have tried several biologic drugs which have made my symptoms much worse.
There were times I had over 50 symptoms. I went to Mayo Clinic two times last year. I also had several visits to the Emergency Room last year for heart problems.
Dr. Vilich was able to get me off all of my medicines. She looked at what was going on on a cellular level in my body, food sensitivities, infections and recommended vitamins, supplements, dietary changes along with life style changes. Everything was based on scientific evidence and she used her expertise to work out a plan that changed my life in a very short time.
I now have significantly lower joint pain, fatigue and have lost all the weight I gained from being on the various medicines.
Dr. Vilich is very knowledgeable about autoimmune diseases and chronic pain. She is very compassionate and caring. She responds immediately to any questions I have.
I never thought I could get off of my rheumatoid arthritis medicines and now I am off the medicine and able to participate in sports I thought I could no longer do. I have more energy to enjoy time with my family and friends. I have been unable to work due to my health. Now I am looking for a career and don’t feel limited to the type of work I can physically perform.
Thank you Dr. Vilich! You are an amazing and compassionate doctor. You have given me my life back and a positive outlook on life again.
Michele M. / 48
“I am pleased to have met Dr. Vilich recently – I have hypothyroidism and she was able to address this disease with an all natural thyroid medicine which according to my blood work results brought my TSH level back within the normal range after only one week.
She is experienced in finding out why patients have chronic diseases and helps find solutions to make them heal.
After many years of fatigue, without knowing the reason why, I am feeling more energetic now and finally have a plan of action for my health. I recommend Dr. Vilich to help you address your symptoms and receive a healthy plan of action – Thank you Dr. Fatima! “
Dana T. / 48
I have lost 35 pounds in over 9 weeks just by eating healthy foods and my fasting sugars dropped 39 points without any medication. The best part of this journey is the science based approach to medicine and the whole body philosophy. Without her extensive tests, we would have never discovered that I was not digesting fats and taken steps to correct the condition. I am extremely lucky to have found her.
Latest update for Beth C. She lost 78 lbs in 5 Months
Beth C. / 50
Hi Dr. Fatima,
Thank you so much for all of your support with Anais. I really appreciate it!!
My 13 year old daughter Anais was suffering from severe abdominal cramps for several weeks. Often after meals she would be bent over in pain and unable to function. Dr. Vilich spent almost two hours with her learning every detail about my daughter’s habits, pain and family history. After a series of tests we found out that Anais is suffering from celiac disease. Again, Dr. Vilich took a lot of time patiently explaining to Anais what that meant making sure she answered all of her questions.
Soon after implementing the recommended suggestions Anais began to feel better, but the cramps continued to come back. Dr. Vilich, recommended more testing and discovered that in addition to celiac disease Anais was also dealing with a lot of food allergies which were causing the severe reactions. Even though her diet is pretty restricted for a few months, it has actually come as a real relief to her knowing exactly what is going on and what she needs to do to heal. After two weeks the cramps have finally stopped. Dr. Vilich has been an amazing support to my daughter and thanks to her incredible sensitivity, Anais is now finally starting to regain her health and energy.
Mother of Anais Z / 13
Recent Comments