I appreciate the kind words, and I assure you, the feeling is mutual. We are indeed kindred souls, and I believe that there are two main reasons behind that:
While many people view the internet as artificial, unprincipled, shady, and even decadent, we have discovered ways to get past all that, and harness it's ability to enlighten us, and empower us, by providing easy access to vital research reports, (that, in many cases, our doctors are not even aware of), and by allowing us to instantly connect with other "kindred souls".
And most importantly, we have recognized, and come to terms with, the realization that ultimately, we have to be willing to take the responsibility for our own health and well-being. Of course, we should always carefully consider our doctors' suggestions, but no one knows what we are experiencing, better than we do, so we have to weigh that information against the professional medical advice, put everything into the proper perspective, and make our own decisions.
And yes, anytime we are fortunate enough to find a doctor who is willing to actually listen to what we have to say, and respond coherently, (rather than with an impersonal, "canned" response), we have literally "struck the jackpot", in the medical world. Regardless of how knowledgeable a doctor might be, if we can't communicate effectively with him or her, then our relationship is doomed to always be "strained", at best, and as a result, our health is bound to suffer, in one way or another.
Tex
Enterolab Results for HLA-DQ Gene Molecular Analysis
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Well, you've said a mouthful here. One would think that our doctors are constantly learning as science progresses, but clearly they are not. They take the word of a newly graduated college student who is working for a pharmaceutical company and is offering them whatever it is they offer them, but clearly they quite often just don't question anymore. It has just become a job for them, it is our very lives they aren't questioning. I fully accepted that long ago and have known that it is my job to diagnose myself. Usually it has been in my favor, my self-diagnosis of MRSA was a big mistake, as it led to the course of antibiotics that triggered my already tenuous health into MC.and harness it's ability to enlighten us, and empower us, by providing easy access to vital research reports, (that, in many cases, our doctors are not even aware of)
I've always preferred to have a female doctor. But, I have to say that this may not have been my best choice. My current PCP, who was clueless as to my D, only works part time because she has kids. My prior PCP, who prescribed the antibiotics for the MRSA I never had, also has young children and wasn't paying attention to her job, she really wanted to be at home, which is why I now have my current PCP who has a baby under 1 and really isn't too into medicine either. In 2 years I have only seen her twice, she only works part time. It was another doc who referred me for the colonoscopy that revealed the MC. I will have to re-think the female doctor thing, I guess, as obviously it isn't working out for me.
I am not a doctor, obviously, but even as a caterer I am constantly learning and improving in what I do and what kinds of food I fix for my crews. I don't buy high fructose corn syrup products even if people want it. I don't buy "mixes" for soups that contain nothing but chemicals and salt. I make food that is as close to pure as I can. I just don't understand how someone who has been through as much education as doctors have can have lost interest in what it is that they are supposed to be doing. We shouldn't have to be our own doctors.
IF we ever have universal healthcare in this country, surely this will change. As I cannot imagine that anyone with a brain who is managing it, will see any sense in paying out $ to treat the fantastical ailments that the drug companies have developed drugs for.
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
I believe I can guess why so many doctors rely on Big Pharma's reps for most of their "continued eduction". After a while, they can't help but notice that the diseases almost never change - only the treatments change, and to the average doctor, treatment = drugs, so obviously, (to them, at least), the quickest, easiest way to keep up with the new developments in treatments, is to just allow the drug reps to do their work for them. That seems like a brilliant plan, on the surface, except for the fact that the doctors are getting their medical training from salespeople, rather than medical experts. That seems rather convoluted to me, but I suppose it's not significantly different from the concept of allowing the insurance companies to dictate which treatments will be allowed, and which ones will not be allowed, for any given patient. 
Yes, self-diagnosis has it's risks, (though I'm not totally convinced that it's any more of a "sin" than being misdiagnosed by a doctor, which happens far too frequently, as we all know). Polly has posted more than once, that she believes that her MC was the result of her misdiagnosis of Lyme's disease, which, of course, resulted in the unnecessary, (or at least she suspects that it may have been unnecessary), extended treatment with antibiotics, that she believes triggered her MC. Of course, in her behalf, I believe it's only fair to point out that normally, treatment of Lyme's does nor result in MC, (though she's not the only member here to blame that treatment on the origin of their MC). Also, few people who do not have MC, have ever heard of it, let alone understand the risk factors for it. I assume you know that my user name on the previous MC discussion board was "self-diagnosed". So yep, we have a lot in common.
If you prefer female doctors, maybe you would have better luck with older female doctors, for obvious reasons.
Have you thought that through? Remember, you're talking about a bureaucrat at the highest level, and a political appointee, to boot. I'm having trouble visualizing someone in that position, actually possessing the qualities that you mentioned. Cases in point - the pathetic performance of FEMA, in handling the distribution of money, trailers, and other forms of assistance for the victims of hurricane Katrina - the way that the FDA is always at least two steps behind, in trying to figure out the cause of major food contamination "outbreaks", and apparently totally incapable of preventing any "outbreaks" from happening, in the first place - the heavy-handed, and yet apparently ineffective way that Homeland Security has been handling national security issues, since the formation of that agency, (we're just mighty lucky that no truly competent terrorist organization has made a serous effort to launch another attack in this country). As you can guess, I don't have much faith in the competence of government regulators, and I have absolutely no faith at all, in their abilities to control cost. When someone is carrying a checkbook that is funded by millions of bank accounts, (taxpayers), they tend to view that source of funds as unlimited. Most bureaucrats are not good enough at math, to comprehend the meanings of the terms "finite" and "limited".
Still, one can dream, so I certainly hope you're right.
Tex
Yes, self-diagnosis has it's risks, (though I'm not totally convinced that it's any more of a "sin" than being misdiagnosed by a doctor, which happens far too frequently, as we all know). Polly has posted more than once, that she believes that her MC was the result of her misdiagnosis of Lyme's disease, which, of course, resulted in the unnecessary, (or at least she suspects that it may have been unnecessary), extended treatment with antibiotics, that she believes triggered her MC. Of course, in her behalf, I believe it's only fair to point out that normally, treatment of Lyme's does nor result in MC, (though she's not the only member here to blame that treatment on the origin of their MC). Also, few people who do not have MC, have ever heard of it, let alone understand the risk factors for it. I assume you know that my user name on the previous MC discussion board was "self-diagnosed". So yep, we have a lot in common.
If you prefer female doctors, maybe you would have better luck with older female doctors, for obvious reasons.
Stanz wrote:IF we ever have universal healthcare in this country, surely this will change. As I cannot imagine that anyone with a brain who is managing it, will see any sense in paying out $ to treat the fantastical ailments that the drug companies have developed drugs for.
Have you thought that through? Remember, you're talking about a bureaucrat at the highest level, and a political appointee, to boot. I'm having trouble visualizing someone in that position, actually possessing the qualities that you mentioned. Cases in point - the pathetic performance of FEMA, in handling the distribution of money, trailers, and other forms of assistance for the victims of hurricane Katrina - the way that the FDA is always at least two steps behind, in trying to figure out the cause of major food contamination "outbreaks", and apparently totally incapable of preventing any "outbreaks" from happening, in the first place - the heavy-handed, and yet apparently ineffective way that Homeland Security has been handling national security issues, since the formation of that agency, (we're just mighty lucky that no truly competent terrorist organization has made a serous effort to launch another attack in this country). As you can guess, I don't have much faith in the competence of government regulators, and I have absolutely no faith at all, in their abilities to control cost. When someone is carrying a checkbook that is funded by millions of bank accounts, (taxpayers), they tend to view that source of funds as unlimited. Most bureaucrats are not good enough at math, to comprehend the meanings of the terms "finite" and "limited".Still, one can dream, so I certainly hope you're right.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I believe I can guess why so many doctors rely on Big Pharma's reps for most of their "continued eduction". After a while, they can't help but notice that the diseases almost never change - only the treatments change, and to the average doctor, treatment = drugs, so obviously, (to them, at least), the quickest, easiest way to keep up with the new developments in treatments, is to just allow the drug reps to do their work for them. That seems like a brilliant plan, on the surface, except for the fact that the doctors are getting their medical training from salespeople, rather than medical experts. That seems rather convoluted to me, but I suppose it's not significantly different from the concept of allowing the insurance companies to dictate which treatments will be allowed, and which ones will not be allowed, for any given patient.
Yes, self-diagnosis has it's risks, (though I'm not totally convinced that it's any more of a "sin" than being misdiagnosed by a doctor, which happens far too frequently, as we all know). Polly has posted more than once, that she believes that her MC was the result of her misdiagnosis of Lyme's disease, which, of course, resulted in the unnecessary, (or at least she suspects that it may have been unnecessary), extended treatment with antibiotics, that she believes triggered her MC. Of course, in her behalf, I believe it's only fair to point out that normally, treatment of Lyme's does nor result in MC, (though she's not the only member here to blame that treatment on the origin of their MC). Also, few people who do not have MC, have ever heard of it, let alone understand the risk factors for it. I assume you know that my user name on the previous MC discussion board was "self-diagnosed". So yep, we have a lot in common.
If you prefer female doctors, maybe you would have better luck with older female doctors, for obvious reasons.
Have you thought that through? Remember, you're talking about a bureaucrat at the highest level, and a political appointee, to boot. I'm having trouble visualizing someone in that position, actually possessing the qualities that you mentioned. Cases in point - the pathetic performance of FEMA, in handling the distribution of money, trailers, and other forms of assistance for the victims of hurricane Katrina - the way that the FDA is always at least two steps behind, in trying to figure out the cause of major food contamination "outbreaks", and apparently totally incapable of preventing any "outbreaks" from happening, in the first place - the heavy-handed, and yet apparently ineffective way that Homeland Security has been handling national security issues, since the formation of that agency, (we're just mighty lucky that no truly competent terrorist organization has made a serous effort to launch another attack in this country). As you can guess, I don't have much faith in the competence of government regulators, and I have absolutely no faith at all, in their abilities to control cost. When someone is carrying a checkbook that is funded by millions of bank accounts, (taxpayers), they tend to view that source of funds as unlimited. Most bureaucrats are not good enough at math, to comprehend the meaning of the term "finite".
Still, one can dream, so I certainly hope you're right.
Tex
Yes, self-diagnosis has it's risks, (though I'm not totally convinced that it's any more of a "sin" than being misdiagnosed by a doctor, which happens far too frequently, as we all know). Polly has posted more than once, that she believes that her MC was the result of her misdiagnosis of Lyme's disease, which, of course, resulted in the unnecessary, (or at least she suspects that it may have been unnecessary), extended treatment with antibiotics, that she believes triggered her MC. Of course, in her behalf, I believe it's only fair to point out that normally, treatment of Lyme's does nor result in MC, (though she's not the only member here to blame that treatment on the origin of their MC). Also, few people who do not have MC, have ever heard of it, let alone understand the risk factors for it. I assume you know that my user name on the previous MC discussion board was "self-diagnosed". So yep, we have a lot in common.
If you prefer female doctors, maybe you would have better luck with older female doctors, for obvious reasons.
Stanz wrote:IF we ever have universal healthcare in this country, surely this will change. As I cannot imagine that anyone with a brain who is managing it, will see any sense in paying out $ to treat the fantastical ailments that the drug companies have developed drugs for.
Have you thought that through? Remember, you're talking about a bureaucrat at the highest level, and a political appointee, to boot. I'm having trouble visualizing someone in that position, actually possessing the qualities that you mentioned. Cases in point - the pathetic performance of FEMA, in handling the distribution of money, trailers, and other forms of assistance for the victims of hurricane Katrina - the way that the FDA is always at least two steps behind, in trying to figure out the cause of major food contamination "outbreaks", and apparently totally incapable of preventing any "outbreaks" from happening, in the first place - the heavy-handed, and yet apparently ineffective way that Homeland Security has been handling national security issues, since the formation of that agency, (we're just mighty lucky that no truly competent terrorist organization has made a serous effort to launch another attack in this country). As you can guess, I don't have much faith in the competence of government regulators, and I have absolutely no faith at all, in their abilities to control cost. When someone is carrying a checkbook that is funded by millions of bank accounts, (taxpayers), they tend to view that source of funds as unlimited. Most bureaucrats are not good enough at math, to comprehend the meaning of the term "finite".Still, one can dream, so I certainly hope you're right.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex wrote
Gloria
I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, the government is planning on controlling costs through Medicare payment reductions. It's already becoming difficult to find a doctor who will accept patients on Medicare. The Mayo Clinic in Arizona is no longer accepting them. I fear a domino effect in the refusal to treat the elderly.I don't have much faith in the competence of government regulators, and I have absolutely no faith at all, in their abilities to control cost. When someone is carrying a checkbook that is funded by millions of bank accounts, (taxpayers), they tend to view that source of funds as unlimited. Most bureaucrats are not good enough at math, to comprehend the meaning of the term "finite".
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Point taken from both of you. Rarely have I been accused of being an optimist where Gov't is concerned and probably shouldn't hope for any changes. Not like those of our generation have been given much reason to trust anything we hear from those in charge of spending our money.
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
Gloria,
I agree with you, that's a very real danger. This county should never have elected a president younger than 65. True, the Congress and the Presidency have their own health insurance program, but at least an older president would have much more empathy for "senior citizens", and it appears that what the president wants, the Congress delivers. 
Before it's all said and done, congress may make acceptance of medicare patients, mandatory, if enough doctors, clinics, and hospitals bail out, but what kind of care will such patients receive, if doctors resent them even being there? Having to drive all over the state, trying to get health care, is the last thing that anyone needs to do, (let alone elderly drivers), and, of course, if the elderly can't drive to, or even find affordable health care, that just drops the burden back on their families, who certainly don't need any additional burdens. The whole thing sucks.
Tex
I agree with you, that's a very real danger. This county should never have elected a president younger than 65.
True, the Congress and the Presidency have their own health insurance program, but at least an older president would have much more empathy for "senior citizens", and it appears that what the president wants, the Congress delivers. Before it's all said and done, congress may make acceptance of medicare patients, mandatory, if enough doctors, clinics, and hospitals bail out, but what kind of care will such patients receive, if doctors resent them even being there? Having to drive all over the state, trying to get health care, is the last thing that anyone needs to do, (let alone elderly drivers), and, of course, if the elderly can't drive to, or even find affordable health care, that just drops the burden back on their families, who certainly don't need any additional burdens. The whole thing sucks.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.