Print

[Karyn]

Denial has a new meaning for me. After getting bit by an insect that you didn't see, assume it's a brown recluse. Never mind the fact that you receive many packages and boxes from Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. Be sure not to leave out your opinion that a bug could NEVER survive a trip from Vietnam to the US so it MUST be a brown recluse. Since doctors are "bad" use homeopathic treatments to heal the growing infection. Lather up golden seal and garlic all over the growing pustules and spreading cellulitus. Call your homeopathic doctor in the midwest thousands of miles away for treatment advice, all the while convincing yourself that you're waging an effective battle with garlic and vitamine E & D while three golf ball sized pustules grow out of your legs. After a nickles worth of common sense seeps into your head past the garlic, come to the clinic. However, be sure to prove to the doctors that they're wrong with all of the "information" you gleaned from hours spent on the internet while you're infection spread....Don't forget to brag about the 15 years experience you have in "herbal medicine." After all that go against the advice of 2 attending physician, 2 residents, and astonished medical student and demand a script for antibiotics and you'll be on your way.

ah, a good one we can all enjoy!

[stands2reason]

I think it reinforces the idea that male doctors are arrogant pricks and women are not!

The last regular doctor I had was a guy, and he was quite nice. My mom really liked him 

I cant believe that many people stick that many crazy items in their rectum.  I'm' starting to feel out of place in thinking I'd like that to stay an exit only hole.

You don't know what you're missing out on.

[Karyn]

I think it reinforces the idea that male doctors are arrogant pricks and women are not!

The last regular doctor I had was a guy, and he was quite nice. My mom really liked him 

I cant believe that many people stick that many crazy items in their rectum.  I'm' starting to feel out of place in thinking I'd like that to stay an exit only hole.

You don't know what you're missing out on.

Also, the number of genital mutilations confounds me.  I think I'll miss out on that one too.

[LilaMae217]

My psychiatrist sits slouched back in his chair with his legs spread while he's talking to me. (He's European...I dunno maybe it's a thing)

I once had Bell's Palsy and had to go to urgent care. I told the doc I cannot feel the right side of my face, I cannot taste anything, when I shower the shampoo runs into my eye because I can't shut my eyelid, and I have a history of TMJ problems. After giving me an entire body x-ray, he looked at me totally perplexed and said "I can't find anything wrong with you"

I had to have blood drawn and the doctor must have been new and nervous or something because he had to re-try three times. The second time I fainted.

Over the years I've actually found it amusing to see how easily it is to get prescriptions from my doctor. I've gotten scripts for 9 different medications for "anxiety", "depression", "ADD", & "PDD-NOS" most of which have been sitting in a drawer for years. Last month I got a prescription for 30mg x 120 amphetamines just by asking my doc for it via email (I had only asked for 10mg x 60)

I once had my entire lower arm put in a cast for a second degree burn on my palm.

I once had a fever so bad I had to have a friend practically carry me to an urgent care clinic. (Interesting having someone ask you to fill out forms while you're in an advanced state of delirium.) While I was waiting I passed out when I came to I was still in the waiting area (It was not crowded). When I finally had my temperature taken it was 103.

My grandmother died of Lyme's disease. It went undiagnosed for years, even after seeing several different doctors. I still don't get how the hell several different doctors could miss a giant bullseye shaped rash.

[Joe B]

I guess I've been lucky. All I'm coming up with is the doctor last week offering me (yummy yummy) vicodin for my concussion last week then not giving me the script. Though I can't be too pissed because I didn't need it very much (had a little trouble sleeping for a few nights, but the script mostly would have been used for some legal highs).

[NotBlaine]

My father and I are incredibly similar in many ways. One way is... we both have shitty opiate receptors (which is how I describe it to doctors. I'll show them science!).

So invariably, any time pain medication is coming around. I bring it up. Every single time I am ignored.

I had shoulder surgery. They gave me morphine drip. Might as well have given me Gatorade. Didn't use it. I told them why so they gave me Percocete... which did nothing as well.

My father had 7 bypasses. He was in incredible pain until I become, in fairness, enraged. they finally gave him Tordol.

I had kidney stones. They give me Viccodin. I'm in agony until I go back and they give me Indomethicin (which is actually Gout medicine and, from what I've read, as powerful a pain killer as aspirin). But despite it being 'weak' it was a pure miracle and I was pain free for the first time in days.

My father just had orthoscopic surgery on his shoulder. Same spiel. Even this time I tell the doctor how no one listens and recount this entire story for him.

Dad comes home with a prescription for Viccodin.

Then I lose my mind and am now a ticking timebomb for someone to mention something along the lines of 'patients need to be their own healthcare advocates'.

[friday]

These stories are ABSOLUTELY HEART BREAKING.  No wonder so many have lost faith in science, doctors, and hospitals.

I think it is important to remind ourselves that some of the people who believe in “Woo” maybe were once normal science loving people who had a bad experience. 

I blame the children’s books that show a policeman, fireman, and doctor as “people you can trust.”  High expectations put on regular ole Joe and Jane (normal humans with many faults)

I, for one, have several times wanted to snap my fingers in front of a doctor’s face to get them to pay attention/wake up.  (bite my lip… count to ten… my inner voice says “go to your happy place Friday)”

Now for funny story:
My grandfather had some short term health issues, he was in the hospital.  While there, he actually started doing worse.  His potassium was very low.   Well, turns out that the doctor had changed his med to the “newer better medicine.”  My grandmother tried to argue with the doctor to change it back since he was apparently doing worse.  Of course, the doctor wouldn’t, because he knew best that  this new medicine was “better.”

My poor 75 year old grandmother goes to the hospital pharmacy and asks the pharmacist for the little packet of information that comes with drugs.   Then she bought an overpriced magnifying glass.

Several hours of bending over fine print later…she found that the side effect of low potassium was a KNOWN problem with a small percent of people with this “better” medicine.  She tells the doctor.  Here is a 95 pound ex English teacher with a magnifying glass explaining the side effects of a drug to a doctor.

What if she had been less educated, less tenacious?  Would she have lost her faith in science based medicine?

Oh yeah.. they switched his meds back and he immediately improved, and was able to be released from hospital.

I am kinda still sorting this out in my head….If I switch mechanics because a bad experience… that is smart… but if I switch to “woo” that is not smart.  If ppl are so dumb to believe woo, why isn’t their woo mechanics?  What makes medicine so different that people “switch approaches”?  like I said I am still trying to figure out the mechanics of the decision making of humans… 

Goodness it is late. Goodnight

ANYWHO… school is starting. All atheists should ADOPT an international college student as their “American friend” because that is what the Christians are doing!!!  The Christians are giving the USA a bad reputation!
Love,
Friday

[stands2reason]

My poor 75 year old grandmother goes to the hospital pharmacy and asks the pharmacist for the little packet of information that comes with drugs.   Then she bought an overpriced magnifying glass.

Several hours of bending over fine print later…she found that the side effect of low potassium was a KNOWN problem with a small percent of people with this “better” medicine.  She tells the doctor.  Here is a 95 pound ex English teacher with a magnifying glass explaining the side effects of a drug to a doctor.

Wow, that is terrible. Also, I think it has been established that the psychological factors are basically the reason for alt-med. Whether it's "curing" a self-limiting disease, or just feeling by having someone actually pay attention to you.

[Hanes]

I am kinda still sorting this out in my head….If I switch mechanics because a bad experience… that is smart… but if I switch to “woo” that is not smart.  If ppl are so dumb to believe woo, why isn’t their woo mechanics?  What makes medicine so different that people “switch approaches”?  like I said I am still trying to figure out the mechanics of the decision making of humans… 

If your mechanic sucks, you switch to a different mechanic, but you don't start taking your car to "John," the unlicensed guy turning wrenches in his garage claiming that "that knocking sound" can be fixed by adding more windshield wiper fluid.

[Hanes]

As long as we're going to rip on doctors, we should know what they are saying about us.  Check out Things I Learn From My Patients.

This thread has disturbed me in ways I never imagined possible.  I'm up to page 7.

If anyone ever needed proof of evolution, it's this thread.  What better evidence that we're a mildly less retarded version of chimps?

[Traveler]

If ppl are so dumb to believe woo, why isn’t their woo mechanics?  What makes medicine so different that people “switch approaches”?

There is woo in the auto world.  There are magnets to align your fuel molecules.  There are additives that do squat.  There's nitrogen for your tires.

[Hanes]

If ppl are so dumb to believe woo, why isn’t their woo mechanics?  What makes medicine so different that people “switch approaches”?

There is woo in the auto world.  There are magnets to align your fuel molecules.  There are additives that do squat.  There's nitrogen for your tires.

There are useless converter kits that electrolisize water and inject hydrogen into your air intake...


I'm on page 16 of this thread.  It should seriously be collected as a novel and be required reading for all high school students.  "Welcome to the fucked up realities of the world."

[stands2reason]

If ppl are so dumb to believe woo, why isn’t their woo mechanics?  What makes medicine so different that people “switch approaches”?

There is woo in the auto world.  There are magnets to align your fuel molecules.  There are additives that do squat.  There's nitrogen for your tires.

There are useless converter kits that electrolisize water and inject hydrogen into your air intake...


I'm on page 16 of this thread.  It should seriously be collected as a novel and be required reading for all high school students.  "Welcome to the fucked up realities of the world."

Then there's the oil change every 3000 miles...

[Hanes]

Then there's the oil change every 3000 miles...

Oh their god.... this is a new one for me.  I was a total true believer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3,000_mile_myth

I am so shocked.