Guts, kidneys, hearts, oh my!

Sarita, I am firmly of the belief that some populations are scandalously over-diagnosed, and over-medicated. And in the meantime, their quality of life measures are no better or worse than those populations who are served by a health system that still believes that the patient history is the starting place for diagnosis and treatment, not just a necessary evil that has to be borne before the next test is ordered.

In the epidemiological world it is widely accepted that every test presents the possibility of discovering benign abnormalities. Chasing the causes of these benign anomalies often diverts attention from the true problem (patient history), wastes valuable resources, and exposes the patient to the risk of harm. Meanwhile the key to unravelling the health mystery (the patient history) is lost in a forest of reports.

How many on this forum can tell a story about the physician who has interrupted you within 30 seconds as you're beginning to explain what is wrong? The statistical average is actually 18 seconds. That's how long, on average, physicians wait to interject as patients try to give their histories.

In the meantime, Sarita I'm very sorry to hear of your cascade of health problems. Is there a message that maybe you are not willing to hear? I know that you have a huge investment in being strong and well. What would happen if you just stopped everything long enough to really feel how you feel, healthwise? These really are questions, not judgements. I don't know what your situation is, and I am really interested in your perspective. I do note, however, that you appear to be suffering from chronic dehydration. That might be a good place to start with your self-assessment.

Hugs from the heart

have not hit maximum endurance threshold yet...here is to hoping we never do...

I agree - my current GI LISTENED to all my symptoms and started me on Asacol before he completed testing. My wedding was months away and I wanted to make it through the ceremony. I had just moved to a new state and was so happy to finally be taken seriously. I still had lots of tests but thought they were all justified. He is also very reasonable. My GERD has been bad lately and he was going to do another scope to see if I had an ulcer. At the same time he had me start a new med. I asked what he would do if I did have an ulcer and he said "well see how that med does." So I asked, can we just see how the med does then if that is the treatment either way?? He agreed and said it didn't really matter but if I didn't get better he would need a look. I totally agree with that!

Bell - you should've been a psychiatrist! I like the way you think. Yes, there are lots of things I don't feel like I'm willing to fully "hear," and I realize that with how much I have invested in my education, I really need to focus on being the healthiest person I can. I don't know if it's a sense of hopelessness, uncertainty, rebellion, anger, loss of motivation, ignorance - probably all of those things, if we're being honest here - that is keeping me from being as proactive and assertive as possible.

Sometimes I feel like a mouse that has studied mousetraps my whole life, knows all of the interesting ways those traps work, knows the physics and the mechanics and everything, and then one day just walked right into one myself...and now that I'm stuck in it, it's like all that knowledge I had/have just vanished. It's hard to keep your wits about you when you're stuck in a very uncomfortable contraption like that.

I have plenty more to respond to, and Snipes, Fitz, Matthew and Navy and Yoga, my good friends, I appreciate your thoughts. You guys make me think more than any of my silly classmates, that's for sure. But if there's any hope that I will get up in time for class tomorrow I better haul my arse to bed for now!

Sarita, I agree with Belleenstein your patients will be really lucky! I think I have a great doctor because we have put off some testing because he says he would just change my meds anyway so instead of a testing me more he just changes my meds along with the symptoms. I do think some Doctors test too much my Rheumy does that and then nothing comes from the darn tests and I still have joint pain, back pain and stiffness and even hand numbness... I am not taking anymore tests from him cause he does not change my treatment. Karen