6 replies to this topic

[calmcookie]

Surgeon General, Dr. Everett C. Koop - "One factor influences long term health prospects more than anything else, and that's your day to day food intake." Gee ... you mean health isn't determined by how many pills I swallow or how many times I visit my doctor or how many blood tests are done or how many high tech procedures are done or how much surgery I agree to or how many CT scans I get? Imagine that. JUST IMAGINE THAT. WHAT AN ALTERNATIVE AND WACKO IDEA. Imagine a world of healthy happy people. C.C.

Edited by calmcookie, 21 March 2006 - 01:20 PM.

[maineman]

An intelligent person will eat moderately and exercise regularly. They will avoid cigarettes and alchohol (except perhaps in moderation...). They will vaccinate their children against devastating infectious diseases. They will screen for major diseases that are in no way linked to diet. An intelligent person will treat those diseases. A fool will think that they can cheat disease by buying a book/pill/herb/potion/ or scheme. It's pretty simple where I come from.

[calmcookie]

A fool will think that they can cheat disease by buying a book/pill/herb/potion/ or scheme.

I totally agree ... but will add ... or by going to a doctor or expecting a doctor to "fix" them or "give" them health. It's simpler where I come from.

Best to you, C.C,

[SemiBizz]

Let's get back to the real issue here. It's the overprescribing of pharmaceuticals. Doctors fear that unless they do things like prescribe antibiotics to patients with an ordinary cold that the patient feels the doctor hasn't done anything for them. A further danger lies in the lack of coordination between multiple doctors treating a patient, resulting in pharmaceutical conflicts and complications. A lot of times patients are prescribed additional drugs to counteract symptoms delivered by other drugs. This can turn into a virtual prescription nightmare as one after another drug is prescribed to address even more complications. The right answer may have been to moderate the original prescription, but no, doctors just keep piling on drug after drug. I saw this happen to my father before his death. He was the kind of person that would flip out from an aspirin, but the doctors continued to prescribe drug after drug to him. We had a huge salad bowl on the kitchen table where his various prescription bottles were kept, near the end of his life I counted 23 different prescriptions they had him on... What exactly is the Medical Establishment doing to stop this death by prescription abuse?

[maineman]

Sad story about your father. What were they treating him for? Did he take all of his pills? Did he tell all of his doctors what he was being prescribed? Did any of you go with him to his doctor's visits and ask for advice or explanations regarding his diagnosis and treatment? As for too many prescriptions, we can only hope that our practitioners are well educated and prescribing treatments only when necessary. There are many flaws in our system and one of the biggest problems we face is monitoring the practice of medicine. I am involved with quality control. It's tough, believe me. In the hospital we monitor every patient. We monitor every drug and check for drug interactions. We examine every diagnois and treatment and call doctors on the carpet to explain themselves. The quality control is outstanding. In the office, however, we are only now making inroads. Through the insurance companies, especially through managed care plans, we have set standards of practice to monitor. For instance, all diabetic patient's charts are monitored. You have to demonstrate that you are providing appropriate testing (urine, HAIC, renal, lipids, etc.etc), that you are providing appropriate dietary counseling and weight goals. If you cannot show that you have provided this your reimbursements are at risk. Likewise for hypertension and other "key" diseases. The managed care providers also monitor prescription use - they know every prescription written (they are paying for it!). Improper prescribing will be challenged. While all of this takes me a heap of time at the end of the day I relish it, as I know that it is weeding out bad doctors and educating others. We good doctors have nothing to hide. Live and learn. You can hold me to that higher standard any day. But what about patient responsiblity? Influenza is going around Maine right now. I saw over 10 people in the last 2 days with test-positive Influenza. EVERY ONE OF THEM wanted me to prescribe "an antibiotic" which, as you know, doesn't work. It took me a LOT OF TIME to talk them down and send them home with a box of tissues and information on the natural, self-limiting, course of the "flu". Drug companies would push a lot fewer meds if people didn't demand them. Unfortunately I am often in the position of having to talk patients down. But, that is my role and I hope that when a patient leaves my office they are better informed. mm

[maineman]

CC said: "or by going to a doctor or expecting a doctor to "fix" them or "give" them health." I sense that you are suggesting that this is a bad thing? I'm not sure you understand what we doctors do. It is my responsiblity to fix illness and promote health! That is why people come to me! Every day perfectly lovely, earnest folks show up. Some of them have terrible diseases. Some of them have horrible illness. According to your standards I should (if I remember once before you said this:) "shoot them". Or perhaps lecture them that they "should have" been eating flax seed or "cleansing" their colons? Or tell them that had they been following a certain diet/supplement/whatever they perhaps wouldn't have this disease? I don't get it. Instead what I do is treat them. And help them through, physically, emotionally and medically. According to the ethical standards of medicine. Regardless of thier lifestyle, politics, religions, beliefs or whatever. Other patients show up who are well. They are there for screening (for colon cancer, heart disease, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, hypertension, etc.) For those patients, who do not yet have a disease, my time is spent informing them about risk, odds, and preventive care. Two very different groups. But both have come to me for help with their health and both are there to work with me to help them get "fixed" and healthy. I tell my patients this: if you want to follow my advice or not, its up to you. If you want to eat Gingko or mega vitamins or whatever, its up to you. But I promise to always tell you the truth about what we know and to challenge your decisions if I believe it is not in your best interest. And, I promise to be there for you when you get sick. Regardless of the decision you make. mm

[calmcookie]

A lot of times patients are prescribed additional drugs to counteract symptoms delivered by other drugs. This can turn into a virtual prescription nightmare as one after another drug is prescribed to address even more complications.

SB ... FWIW ... I agree. It's ashame to see so many people suffering from drug side effects, only to be prescribed another pill to treat the problem that the first drug caused. It becomes a cycle. It wouldn't be so bad if this were a rare occurence, but regrettably it's all too common. I only work one day a week in the hospital now ... each time I go in, it becomes more difficult to work within that model of "health care."

I can only encourage people to take an active role in promoting health (will never give this up ... ever). My passion is fueled by my own father's medical "treatment." They basicly killed him ... botched surgery ... followed by a slew of useless pills. He was uneducated and trusting. If only one person is saved the pain that my father endured, then my efforts at health education will be worth it. Plenty do not want to listen, but I don't care ... that's their choice.

Sorry about your father ... as mentioned, he's regrettably not alone in that sort of outcome.

Best to all, C.C. (and MM ... you're right ... you don't get it)

Edited by calmcookie, 21 March 2006 - 11:05 PM.