Dr Eades on questioning your doctor

[Daryl]

There is an outfit called Medscape (a part of WebMD) that sends emails to physicians keeping them up to date on all sorts of medical information. Medscape is run my mainstream physicians and typically presents the mainstream view of whatever it is they’re presenting. I usually give these emails the once over to kind of keep myself aware of what’s going on in mainstreamland. Today’s email I thought worthy of sharing.

It seems that there is a movement afoot to get physicians to be more forthright with their patients. A government agency has gotten into the act and plans to bombard physicians with exhortations to include their patients into the treatment team. (A strange idea indeed!) These governmental folks want doctors to better explain to patients why they are prescribing the medications they’re prescribing and why they are doing everything else it is they’re doing. The message is that patients should never go away from their doctors’ offices without having every question answered.

See the rest HERE >>> http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/2007/12/04/if-your-doctor-wants-to-put-you-on-a-statin-ask-why

[kyrasdad]

I learned about this the hard way when I got Graves Disease. My family doctor was an idiot; he told me first it was allergies, then it was simply that I was overweight. He wouldn't take my calls. He wouldn't listen to me. I fired him (and he didn't seem to care). He was a dolt.

I spent months going to specialists and researching it before self-diagnosis could tell me why my eyes were bulging and I alternated between feeling tired, strained and like I'd just been injected with pure adrenaline. This was before the Internet age. Had the resources that we have now been available then, it would have been much easier to diagnose.

I'd been taught to blindly always listen to doctors. Since then, I never, ever leave a doctors' office without being fully satisfied with the information I'm given and the diagnosis. I know some of them hate that, but I don't care. They want to diagnose and get to the next guy in the next waiting room. But that's their problem, not mine.

It's my body, not theirs. They are employed and paid by me, not the opposite. They owe me a full explanation and the answers to questions. I recently researched my thyroid levels and convinced my doctor to increase my synthroid (the Graves eventually made my hypothyroid, which was never the cause of my obesity, but was certainly no help). I liked this guy because he engaged me in the discussion with my internet printouts and questions about research that he hadn't even read. He didn't have one foot out the door.

I have not found a doctor in years, though, who you can get on the phone. They put a layer of voicemail and receptionists between you and them, and it seems to be universal to the profession. It isn't as if I'm calling daily, weekly, or even monthly. The couple of times a year I do call, though, I want to be able to speak to the doctor, not leave a message that has odds of south of 50% of being returned by him, and not a nurse with a curt message.

Doctors have a long way to go in this department, but patients should demand more of their employees, and doctors should see it the same as anyone else you hire to perform a service.

[mike_d]

Hah, "talk to your doctor", what a joke-- the days of Dr. Welby MD are long gone :agree:ROONEY: On television, the drug companies make it sound as if you could talk to your doctor any time you wanted to about anything.
LARRY KING: Ask your doctor -- ask your doctor -- talk to your doctor. Talk to your doctor -- ask your doctor --
ROONEY: Well, forget trying to call your doctor. We've all tried to do that.
PHONE MESSAGE: You have reached Internal Medicine Associates. Please make your selection from the following menu. If this is a serious medical emergency or you are a physician press 0.
ROONEY: I understand, though, a busy doctor doesn't want to talk to you about whether you should take plavix or flonase. They've got sick people to take care of. Got to make a living too. No money talking to you on the telephone.

[Ottawa]

About a year into PP I went looking for a new doctor for the reasons mentioned here and other. As Mike says, The days of "Marcus Welby" are gone but you can always go looking for a better one.
You ask for the most recent graduate taking new patients. If he is any good that window will only be open for 3-4 months before he is fully booked.

He has been fantastic. Stress tests, a physical like I've never had before and no drugs other than a cold sore I wanted to go away before leaving on a trip (24 hour response from 2 pills). If you are not satisfied keep looking.

[rightnow]

There's so much wrong with the current system. I once had what I considered a genuine medical emergency -- not "ER this second" but "need my cardiologist SOON." I'm very type A and they know that even dragging me in for an annual exam is hard as hell, I don't like anything to do with doctors/hospitals and avoid them. So you'd think my calling and pleading to be seen SOON would be taken seriously. And maybe it was. But that still resulted in an appointment four months down the road -- which I negotiated heavily into one about 7 weeks down the road. I mean for godssakes. How is it possible that any doctor can truly keep track of anybody when they see them so seldom and only for a few minutes and it's back to back patients all day every day? Nobody can work under those conditions.

I don't know what the solution is. I only know that I think even from the doctors' perspective, the situation is not conducive to anything reasonable.

[Angeline]

About a year into PP I went looking for a new doctor for the reasons mentioned here and other. As Mike says, The days of "Marcus Welby" are gone but you can always go looking for a better one.
You ask for the most recent graduate taking new patients. If he is any good that window will only be open for 3-4 months before he is fully booked.

He has been fantastic. Stress tests, a physical like I've never had before and no drugs other than a cold sore I wanted to go away before leaving on a trip (24 hour response from 2 pills). If you are not satisfied keep looking.

Can you PM him his name? I live in Ottawa and don't have a doctor. I might get lucky and get a spot.

[Nancy LC]

I think the real solution is that we need to need doctors less. If we didn't have a population bent on destroying their health then doctors would be less busy, could spend more time keeping themselves uptodate, and could talk to us more.

[mike_d]

Try and see a dermatologist-- they are booked for months. I have had to use the bloodroot to self-treat several sun induced skin cancers or pre-cancers, it works 100% and its cheap, but sometimes you need to see a Dr. right away. I also re-cemented a dental crown using Marine Tech's Epoxy and its still fine after several years.I think the real solution is that we need to need doctors less. If we didn't have a population bent on destroying their health then doctors would be less busy, could spend more time keeping themselves uptodate, and could talk to us more.Your point is well taken-- like the president said "just don't get sick" he takes care of himself and is a fairly good example. In addition to all the diabetics ER's here in Texas are clogged with the uninsured and immigrants from Mexico.

[Ottawa]

Can you PM him his name? I live in Ottawa and don't have a doctor. I might get lucky and get a spot.

Done.

BTW: Check out the LC Pot Luck in Ottawa this Friday under Canada.

[Dodger]

I think the real solution is that we need to need doctors less. If we didn't have a population bent on destroying their health then doctors would be less busy, could spend more time keeping themselves uptodate, and could talk to us more.I've only been to my doctor once since committing to low-carb over 5 years ago. That time was just so that he could tell me that all my test results were great and that my risk of cardovascular problems was essentially zero.

Before low-carbing, going to the doctor was a common occurance for me.

[Daryl]

I think I found a good one for my pulmonary issues. He asked me at least 3 times if I had any questions, or if I had anything to tell him other than what I already had. The people I spoke to in the waiting room told me that, as well, they were very pleased with him.