When it comes to science, botany was my limit. I love plants. When it comes to the human body, it's a different story. I leave everything to my doctor. I always have. However, for the last couple of years the whole infrastructure and protocol of medical practice has changed. Now when I go in, I think I spend less than 20% of the time of my visit with the doctor. The rest is spent in the waiting room, then in the examination room with the PA who asks me the questions that a doctor is supposed to ask me, then the doctor walks in with a smile and after a handshake spends five minutes with me, talks to me while looking at the computer, barely looking at me. I told him in my last visit that I feel funny, and that I could be losing my mind, I have become irritable and forgetful. He smiles and says that everyone forgets a little bit as they get older, the less I think about it the better.
Before I forget:- I urge all my family members, my friends, my neighbours, my blogger friends, my coworkers and my bosses, please, please, please, understand the disease or diseases you may have. Learn all the names and dosages of every medication you take. Do research. Understand contraindications and side effects. It seems like our doctors who we used to depend on one hundred percent are not in their own control. Tired of paying the overhead and competing against HMOs they have given into working for HMOs and are subject to their rules, one of which is the limit of time they can give us - the patients. So now it is up to us to take care of ourselves. See a specialist when you need to. That is where I made a mistake and it is not because I am ignorant but because for something as simple as Diabetes I thought that an Internist would have been sufficient. No hard feelings against my doctor. He has his hands full.
I am not a fan of alternative medicine and I will always depend on modern medicine. However a doctor of alternative medicine was telling on the television that a medicine that is used to treat diabetes is actually causing Pancreatitis. Now Diabetes has a lot to do with Pancreas, so, I did research on the medicine that I take for maintaining my blood sugar level. I read a lot of complaints against that medicine including the foggy feeling in the brain, forget fullness and irritability. I stopped taking my medicine last week and what do you know, all my symptoms are gone. My fasting sugar level is within the high normal numbers. My guess, since I had started going for really long walks my sugar was getting metabolised and the medicine was actually making my sugar level go to extreme low levels. That can cause a lot of different things. I am glad that I did the research. the thing is I am not supposed to stop medicine just like that.
"So, what do I do now?" I ask myself. According to my daughter I should see a specialist. As far as my own doctor, he is still good for my BP and my asthma - until something else comes up.
12 comments:
I think you're right- we are each our own best advocate when it comes to our bodies. Whatever kind of dr. we go to, we should research and ask questions.
I do not go see a doctor and do not plan to. I think they can only fix back what is broken. I do not think they can heal.
I have noticed doctors don't usually think about side effects of medication. We do have to look out for ourselves. I'm glad you found what the problem was.
I have a similar story which I won't go into, but enough to say I too think we need to be far more pro-active about our health than we have been in the past.
Hi Munir .. I think you've raised some good points here .. we need to be aware of the medication given and what likely effects it will have.
We are responsible for our own bodies ... take care ..
All the best - Hilary
You are absolutely right about being responsible for our own bodies. But, you have to take frequent blood tests not only for diabetics control, and you have to get your family doctor's referece to the laboratory. It's when you have the results at hand that you can decide about going to a specialist. Certain medicine can have bad effects when mixed with other pills. Your doctor, as well as the pharmacist should warn you about it.
I wish you good health and good luck.
Oh, Munir, I'm so sorry to read that you are temporarily having health challenges. I will remember you in my prayers. As for what you should do . . . I think you should look for a specialist right away; so they can get you on insulin that your body can tolerate with none or little side effects. Have you thought about the Mayo Clinic? I went to the one in Minnesota and they helped me, when I had given up on doctors and finding a solution to medical issues.
After reading your story, I'm wondering if that could have been my father's problem before he died. For he was kidnapped by two greedy family members who thought they would inherit undeserving monies. It was a mess! Emotionally, a year later, I am just now beginning to deal with what took place, for he died six days after they took him. They buried him without consulting me in a state he never wanted to return to. I'm sorry for going on but your blog just got me thinking.
Dearest, I really pray things work out for you, for you have become a part of my life. You have shown more compassion towards my once crazy world than those who say they love me. You are a special woman who deserves the best all this world has to offer, including competent and compassionate doctors. Take care!
Della
Thank God for the internet and search engines. I can find out more on my own---and very quickly, too---by googling than I can from my doctor. You are so right---medicine today is all about headin' 'em up and movin' 'em out than it is about "patient care". It's disgusting.
The rich people in our society that don't have to depend on health insurance to pay their bills can continue to receive top notch healthcare. They can spend a lot of time with a doctor and not have to speak with a P.A. But as for you and I, this is what medicine has become. That's just the way it is. And that tidbit on pancreatitis is very scary. The pancreas is as vital to the human body as the heart (I'm being very serious). Inflammation to the pancreas is like inflammation to the heart. This is extremely serious.
As a worker in the health care field I feel the same way about going to my doc...the new one I just went too did take a long time with me because it was a first visit..we'll see about the next one! As a wife of a wonderful Chiropractor I know how much time my hubby takes with his patients, what a good doc he is and how much he helps patients in pain without them taking tons of meds...so sometime alternative medicine is much better! It just depends on what you have and being as informed about any condition is the best way to help yourself. Our life styles also need to change and we can eliminate the need for many of our meds and doc visits. Hope you are doing good! Great post!
I hear you and have a lot of the same feelings you do. What medicine is it you stopped?
I think the answer for me is a blend of alternative - my own feelings - and medicine.
Thanks.
sandie
Oh boy, you hit a sore spot with me. It seems a waste to try to see a doctor for any length of time and then you never learn anything. My PCP knows that I research everything from diagnosis to medications, so on my last visit she suspected an illness so she printed out the symptoms and gave me the pages telling me to research it further on the internet and if I felt like this was what I had, she would refer me to a specialist. I kid you not!!!
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