Yesterday I met with one of my “Medical Team”.
I only call them that because there seem to be so many.
This one deals with my ears, nose and throat.
Nothing very helpful came out of it. Does it ever?
The reason my voice is sounding strange is because I have a polyp, most likely benign. Also I have been put back on the acid reflux medication a digestive health doctor prescribed over a decade ago.
What a fiasco “DH” was. 3 specialists, 3 divergent opinions. No help. Now back to square one.
Time to move on….
Spending time with specialists gives someone like me time to observe the life of the medical profession.
Boy, has it changed.
Back in the dark ages, when I was young, can you believe it, if you called the doctor, he actually came to your house!
Then that became impractical, no doubt, so you went to the “surgery” as they call it in England, the medical office.
At that point, I emigrated to the US where, to see the doctor you were usually expected to undress so he could take look at you. (There’s a concept!)
The doctor would have your chart, and he would talk to you about what was going on and give an opinion or a referral elsewhere if appropriate.
In 2000, I went off to the West Coast where I discovered things were different.
No need to get undressed. Doctor not needing to observe the body. It seemed strange, having blood pressure taken through clothing and having the doctor sneaking quick peaks through gaps in your garb.
But OK, practices vary. I’m adaptable.
My first PCP out there did not take seriously my thyroid issues and actually told me that I was gaining weight through eating too many cakes. He really did.
I fired him. So to speak. I just went elsewhere. I don’t eat cake at all. Ever.
So then I saw a doctor who was part of a medical conglomerate, the new thing, I guess. Medicine as big business. Not good for patients.
We had just enough time to get acquainted, my new PCP and I, and then they dumped a computer on him.
Not just him, of course. Part of the new thing.
Get rid of all those worthless office workers and have the doctor type everything into a computer!
How efficient. How economical. Yay for the shareholders. Tough for the doctor.
And that was when doctors stopped looking at their patients, simply because they did not have time.
Frankly, I don’t know how they didn’t all go mad.
The younger doctors grew up with computers, so learning their way around would have been easy enough, but they still have to satisfy all those little boxes.
Tippty-tap, tippty-tap. And when you leave, you got handed a printed copy of your visit. Kill another tree.
At the moment, obviously nothing is normal and maybe that is why my doctor yesterday was so hopelessly overburdened. He needed skates.
That man had so many patients “on the go” he literally said to me when he came back after a long interval “which one are you, why are we doing this?”
Inspires confidence. He was managing incredibly well, but I watched him tapping away at the computer and I asked myself “how can this be better for patients?”
The medical world seems such a confusion of brilliance and utter bullshit.
In my humble opinion as an observer.
I’ve done a lot of observing, over the years. The total cost of my medical bills must be into the multi-millions. Sometimes I have felt like the gift that keeps on giving, one more test, one more scan, this med, that med. Ms Smith just says “yes doctor”, so keep her going around the revolving door.
Seriously, getting an MRI used to be a big deal. Now they seem to order them as a matter of course.
Something is “amiss” with my immune system, which causes a lot of “issues”, but no-one has ever been able to diagnose it. Instead, in the end I was put on painkillers for 15 years, until that went out of fashion and then I was made to feel like a drug addict.
So now I am nearly done with oxycodone, technically. But it’s very unlikely I am done with the long-term after-effects. I had a cervical epidural which gave me a 30-hour killer headache and nothing in the way of relief. And so far, nothing else has been offered. It seems to be do-it-yourself.
Some patients, I read, buy oxy from people in cars in doctor’s parking lots, because their pain is unmanageable and their life not worth living.
No, I don’t plan to do that. I will go back to acupuncture, if I can get insurance to pay part of the cost. My pain is uncomfortable but manageable, as long as I don’t do anything.
Which is a bit screwy. But it’s not even that which upsets me. It’s the devastating psychological effect oxycodone withdrawal has on a person with known depression issues.
Today I am able to sit here and type like a halfway civilized human being. The creature who was here two days ago is someone I really did not enjoy meeting. It took me back to before I started therapy and took away any sensation of any sort of pleasure. In other words, there was nothing that helped at all.
I don’t wish to be that person or to feel the way she did but I am seriously worried that she may be back. They say it can happen for anything up to a year.
Such a really fun topic, but I think it is worth relating the experience for what someone else may get from it.
In the meantime, one of my cats gave me a black eye.
A rather rude awakening
last night.
Gosh, sounds unpleasant. I hope you get to feel some relief soon.
I found an acupuncturist that sounds good…we shall see! Life goes on. XX
Did the black eye culprit own up?
No! But I think, appropriately it was Blackie as she sleeps very close and also tends to startle easily. May have been my own fault as I often toss and turn…giving her benefit of doubt. It could have been worse. This is the second time it’s happened to me. Last time I had to go to work at BA with a circular claw mark on my cheek! But none of the passengers were nasty that day!
Sorry to hear of your negative experiences with doctors. I’m afraid I have totally lost trust in the medical profession after a lifetime of being failed and harmed by their so-called treatments. Helping yourself is the only way to go. Good luck! xx
Yes…I so agree! Thanks!
Hi. I try more and more not to give advice, but maybe it’s time for a practitioner that will look at all of you. You might want to consider finding a functional medicine doctor or a naturopath. Unfortunately, it might mean paying out of pocket, but I have found it worth it. You could always try negotiating fees with whoever.
You can look at ifm.org and healthprofs.com. Or just google functional medicine near you.
Oh, and you might have to use Saratoga Springs to have anything come up or do a wide search like 50 miles.
Thanks, Kathryn. I’ll have a look at that.
You’re welcome. It really is nice to have someone who isn’t looking at just a piece of you.
Hi Yeti Smith,
Autoimmune is something that the functional medical field is equipping itself to help people
recover their body’s natural ability to heal itself.
The Conventional medical field shines in emergency surgery, but does not work well for chronic
conditions.
I personally am investigating the functional medical field to discover the best fit for myself, and
would gladly share some of the links of this new niche. It’s a growing niche, not under the aegis
of the conventional medical model.
Functional health practitioners vary widely in their ability to pinpoint the root cause. Some stop at
just providing you with relief, the same objective as the conventional medical practitioners. Some
want to go all the way with you until the root cause is discovered, and dealt with, so a radiant sense of
health can be possible. At least the functional health industry is a growing field.
Here are some functional doctors who have their health coaches or certified team of doctors in their
clinics. These are names that I have seen as respected by their peers. There are more, this list is
definitely not exhaustive.
Dr. Russell Jaffe (Virginia)
https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/interviews/
His method is via careful lab work to find your specific issues, then to work with you until your
health recovers
betterlabtestsnow.com
Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo (Texas)
https://drritamarie.clickfunnels.com/empowered-self-care-lab
Her method is to teach you how to select your own lab tests, analyze the results with the assistance
of her coaches, select a protocol unique to you, and stick with you until you achieve unstoppable
health.
Jonathan Otto (not a clinic, but has a program with an autoimmune protocol well regarded by
functional health practitioners)
https://autoimmuneseries.com
This week there is available a free daily view of the series, but one may purchase the video series for
viewing on your own schedule. On this one I purchased the series that came with a buddy pass,
meaning that I may share the permanent viewing of the series with one person (let me know if you
want to be that one person).
Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients–and Natural Ways
to Restore Them Kindle Edition by Suzy Cohen R.Ph (Author)
amazon.com/Drug-Muggers-Medications-Essential-Nutrients-ebook/dp/B004MYG4E6/
This is a book written by a nationally known pharmacist, who has been featured on Huffington Post,
Dr. Oz, CNN, etc.
Her mission in life is informing people that they may not have the autoimmune disease that they are
diagnosed with, since misdiagnoses often occur, triggered by side-effects and nutritional deficiencies
caused by initial medications prescribed and taken, and then layered on with additional medications to
relieve the side-effects taking the average overly medicated person on a medicine merry-go-round.
She piqued my interest in a Youtube discussion where she said that the autoimmune disease called
Diabetes is frequently misdiagnosed after statin cholesterol-reducing drugs have been prescribed for a
couple of years. Apparently people reverse their diabetes easily once they manage their cholesterol
with other means than with statins, for lowering cholesterol.
That youtube video is rather difficult to find, but here goes.
First you click on the following to get to the 2014 Diabetes World Summit
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5U81f6wvVEGOcBN8Xw6RrbwJ6qiKuXj7
Then you locate video #47 or go to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vGAx1CC6dv4&list=PL5U81f6wvVEGOcBN8Xw6RrbwJ6qiKuXj7&index=48&t=0s
28 Day Metabolic Reset Program is free periodically. I am attending it now. Dr. Mowll, who runs it,
is very experienced. (I only have an outdated link for his free program:
https://instantteleseminar.com/Events/122972439), but perhaps he would eventually announce the
next time he offers it free on his blog: https://drmowll.com/blogpage/
I just noticed that it’s a free program that comes with a google app (that I hadn’t seen before), methinks
there’s no time restriction on a program that runs on an app. https://metabolicreset.suggestic.com/
My impression is that of course one doesn’t expect full recovery from autoimmune issues in 28 days,
but it’s an excellent starter. Dr. Mowll has been doing this for around 30 years, so he’s fully aware and
willing to support the healing process through all the concomitant issues that go along with
overcoming the autoimmune disease called Type II Diabetes. That is Dr. Mowll’s specialty, however
he’s extremely well-informed, and is likely to refer you, as needed, to potentially excellent alternative
professionals.
I too am beginning my journey back to health, so these are not recommendations; they are simply
what appears to resonate with me, and which I am weighing, evaluating. There are many more
functional and integrative health practitioners, which may start showing up in your email box. There is
a fair amount of upselling, be forewarned. But there are a lot of free information blogs as well: Dr.
Mercola, Dr. Peter Kan, Dr. Peter Osborne, Dr. Jay Davidson and Dr. Todd Watts at
https://microbeformulas.com/pages/live-with-the-docs, Dr. Jockers, Jonathan Landsman. Again not an
exhaustive list, just names I’ve found to be respected by their peers and very interesting.
Wow. That is an amazing amount of information,Nancy. Thank you so much. I hope it has started you on your right path. I think it will be keeping me busy!
More and more research is finding issues such as anxiety, depression, etc related to the health of the gut. I believe you can find practitioners through the websites that are a lot closer to you. You might find the YouTube channel The Doctor’s Farmacy interesting as well as the book, This is Your Brain on Food. If I didn’t say it before, I hope you find healing.
PS. I fear I may have sounded like I believe you have diabetes. I did not mean to imply that. I don’t have it. But free is nice, and since all autoimmune issues could benefit greatly by essentially the same starting life-style enhancements, it’s nice to try something free while you’re still scouting the field.
Yes, absolutely! Thank you again.
Hi Yetismith! I’ve been following some obscure healing leads for myself that are quite extra-ordinary, so I haven’t kept up with your healing saga, I’m sorry. However, just in case you’re interested, Dr Brian Mowll has today announced his 28-day metabolic reset program for free, with a purchase of his detox package. That package is superb, so it’s a bonus on top of the free program. Here’s a link to his “You can find out more” page if you’re at all interested. Personally, I’m no longer with Dr Mowll’s programs because I’m following leads more precisely aligned with my condition. But for a general starter, Dr Mowll’s program is free and helpful. Check your inner guidance and see if it tells you this would be a worthwhile trial in your healing journey. Happy, healthy progress in your holidays!
Thank you, Nancy. Glad you have found something good! I will have another look at Dr Mowll’s link. Best wishes!
Hi Yeti, I believe that, while the US physicians are required to be licensed in each state in which they accept new patients (including online), Canadian functional practitioners are not similarly license-required. So if you lean toward distant medical appointments (I love not having to get ready for an in-person appt!), you might widen your search to include Canada. Here’s one (that I haven’t yet investigated) that is also respected by his peers. This particular website starts with the gut, as Kathryn suggested, but I’m sure their expertise would most likely include autoimmune analysis. They offer to order labwork for you, that you can get locally. https://thedempsterclinic.com/signs-unhealthy-gut/
Nancy, the rules have relaxed a bit due to covid. Telemedicine is pretty much available. One practice in Lenox, MA talks about world wide patients. One of the issues in the US is getting tests paid for. My naturopath asks my doctor to order the tests as Medicare most likely won’t pay for tests ordered by a naturopath. I’d be a little leery of whether tests ordered by a Canadian doctor could be done in the US. I’d want to check on that.
Plus, the gut is just the start of the analysis. Most functional medicine docs and naturopaths go beyond that from what I’ve seen
Hi Kathryn, Thanks for your input. I’ve noticed that one very popular clinic with a staff of physicians is still strictly abiding by the requirements of being licensed in the states from which they accept new patients. I wonder how one finds a clinic that accepts patients from other states than their own? I know all of them can accept patients from outside the US borders. I thought, from reading the blogs and listening to the podcasts that the functional practitioners say that not every lab does quality work. That said, the inference is that you get what you pay for, and you have to check whether insurance or Medicare will pay for the test that provides all of the information the functional practitioner wants. So I didn’t even think of what you mention, which is still good to know.
Myself, having contracted and still have the “long-haulers'” COVID-19 symptoms, nobody will see me, period. No functional practitioner, no lab, no conventional doctor. Besides I live in an extra-conservative state, and the thought of finding a conventional doctor who would accept recommended lab orders from a functional or integrative practitioner not even in network boggles my mind. I’ve kept to research that could possibly be do-able, although that does mean I have to pay out of pocket. All of what I’ve researched is necessarily remote, and I do provide Yeti Smith any information that maybe she could use as an empowered whole person, if she wants that. There is one lab that works nationally in the US, does quality work, and comes to your house to take the bloodwork. They’re associated with Dr Jaffe’s clinic, above-mentioned, and may do blood tests ordered by Canadian providers, yes one would definitely benefit by checking that out. Thank you again for your input, Kathryn.
Nancy, I’m sorry this had happened to you. I would check with the Iltraeellness Clinic in Lenox, MA to see if it says the same thing.
There’s an interesting video on YouTube on thep Doctor’s Farmacy channel. It’s under post covid, although the first part is about dealing with covid. Many blessings.
Kathryn
Thank you, Nancy!
The reality of Healthcare I believe would be a rude awakening for most. I say that as a FORMER critical care nurse. Sadly you had to walk this road to discovery.
Writing such a good catharsis to release these emotions!