US Healthcare is so damaged (rant)

This post is pointless other than to state the obvious.

*****Im talking about all of health care not just the lyme side of things.*****

WE SHOULD NOT NEED TO KNOW MORE THAN DRS WE PAY.

After years of going to conventional medicine clinics and the alternatives, this system is so wrecked it seems beyond repair.

How many die each year from the incompetent system? I am now bringing this up at my recent appointments.

The specialists think GP's should have a good opinion on and catch overall health issues.

The GPs admit to not knowing much and point to the specialists.

The specialists are to narrow minded to put health puzzles together.

Good med school students don't guarantee good Drs. who can apply and diagnose- big issue.

To many Drs got into this from family pressure to have a "superior" career or have some sense of entitlement that led them to "needing" a superior career, with out actual health interest.

The ones who are truly into it (rare) are the best.

Not even getting into insurance on this post.

*occasional rant.*

Post Edited (astroman) : 8/4/2018 10:01:10 PM (GMT-6)

Yes my previous GP's were a joke too.

One past GP even mentioned he had interested in what it takes to become a Functional MD. (Laughing.. my.. arse.. off). I kindly told him that those Drs are interested from the get go and learn all I told him about on their own time out of natural desire before getting the Functional MD title. He doesn't seem to do/get that. That was my last appt with that guy.

I recently found a Nurse practitioner (normal ego) with an open mind to help me get tests I needed for a long time. We divided them into several apps wand grouped related tests each appt so insurance would cover. Insurance does not like a wide "shotgun" approach to lab tests all done in one appt. She was a pleasure to work with. This allowed me to put another health puzzle together and move forward.

It really comes down to if they are interested in health. Just like us, we perform the best at jobs/ interests we like.

Let's put it this way, my experience with the medical system and what the government has done in regards to these diseases has heightened my skepticism of institutional power. I have little to no trust in those who hold the reins of power in our societies and I view most institutions (not just political) with great leeriness. Profits dominate everything, ultimately at great cost. In my eyes the system is rotten to the core. This boondoggle is owned by both the private and public sector, often times the private sector capturing government and then dictating policy (often counter to the will of the people). Crony capitalism at its finest.

Here in Canada, the Practitioners have 10 minutes for each office visit.

That's it.

I have to say that I’m happy with my current Dr.
Even though I had only had one previous appt with her (I switched to her in January or Feb and then in April was when the s—t hit the fan) and she didn’t really “know” me - she did everything she could to try to figure out what was wrong with me.
I was in her office every week to get lab results and referrals to specialists, imaging (X-rays, ct’s, mri’s and ultrasounds) and not once did she suggest there wasn’t anything wrong with me.. or say I just needed some psyche meds. This went on for months.

And when I brought in my positive Igenex test she asked me for a copy and then said “What would you like from me?”
I asked for a script for doxy and she gave it to me.

She has been supportive ever since and has never questioned my diagnosis. When the J clinic gave me a huge list of labs to be done after my initial consult - she rewrote them for our lab and her only concern was that I was going to have to pay for some of them.

I know she is rare and I’m very fortunate to have found her.
I can’t imagine how difficult it would be if she didn’t support and help me through this.

And, since having me as a patient she told me when a patient comes in with a suspected tick bite - she offers them a few weeks of doxy.

Psilo,

I found your experience with the cardiologist interesting. Did you tell him you had Lyme, specifically? That's the kind of bizarre response I read about over and over on this forum. Doctors who, even when faced with overwhelming evidence of infectious disease, categorically deny the very possibility of such a thing.

Maybe you haven't gotten to the brainwashing ceremony yet;) Perhaps that comes at the very end of medical school.

sandyfeet said...
Nurse practitioners in Canada get 20-60 minutes depending on the type of visit (and the clinic I think as my old one was funded differently for operating in an at risk community) which is why I always preferred my NP. They also have the time, usually, to talk about more than one symptom.

I should have said GP Doctors -

We don't have many NP's here where I am (smallish city)

This is a great topic. After taking 11 years to get a proper diagnosis of Lyme Disease, which required having the label of "hypochondriac" stuck on me for the whole time, I agree the system is broken.

Even now, I often do not mention Lyme Disease when being checked for something, like kidney disease. Always get "the look" if I do, so just let it go.

What I find most frustrating is the lack of urgency in testing and test results. While the medical world stresses mental health, it is not considered when testing is taking place. For instance, last year when my blood levels dropped out, I had extensive testing done for blood cancers - from basic blood tests to a bone marrow biopsy. It as done because I had something called Sweets Syndrome once, which can be followed by that type cancer.

It was a slow process, and the longer it went, the more health anxiety I had. I was out there, mentally, before all was cleared. Test results were available for almost a week before I was informed.

During my pre-Lyme diagnosis years, I developed a health anxiety. Try as I might, it's hard to beat. The way I was treated for years, and the fear of not knowing what was wrong that whole time, built it in my mind.

There are some very good main stream MDs, but common sense or a true concern for the patient seems to escape more doctors now.

Do they think long term infections (any type) are a thing of the past because of modern immunizations?

A relative almost died last year, Drs almost KILLED his heart in a week by misdiagnosis. He had systemic strep or staph that was sped up from steroid Rx by a rumi. It fed the infection into his heart in a matter of days creating heart valve issues.

He went from ER to open heart surgery same night to save his LIFE. They replaced some heart valves damaged by the infection "fed" by the steroids Rx'd to him by a clueless Rumi.

Drs near killed him from ignoring infection.

Post Edited (astroman) : 8/4/2018 10:00:23 PM (GMT-6)

astroman said...
This post is pointless other than to state the obvious.

*****Im talking about all of health care not just the lyme side of things.*****

I SHOULD NOT NEED TO KNOW MORE THAN DRS I PAY.

After years of going to conventional medicine clinics and the alternatives, this system is so wrecked it seems beyond repair.

How many die each year from the incompetent system? I am now bringing this up at my recent appointments.

Just some food for thought...

I agree with you 100%, but then again, it's not necessarily incompetent nor wrecked, it's basically set out what it supposed to do.... A heathcare system based off of pure profit!

To learn what capitalism and a healthcare base off of profit is set out to do, I highly recommend watching the documentary Prescription Thugs. As an old pharmaceutical representative Gwen Olsen remarked, these corporations are not in the business of curing, but "disease management and symptoms maintenance." /youtu.be/kEOayJiXlL4?t=37m49s

It wasn't until her niece overdosed on drugs, that she finally learned that the system she believed in, which was a capitalist system, isn't working.

Another tip, I highly recommend looking up the difference between a republic and capitalism. While most Americans would preach that our country was based off of capitalism, it was not. Our system has been hijacked, I suspect it was hijacked years ago when JFK was set out to break up the CIA and Federal Reserve and he was murdered. There's too much power in these corporations and institutions that obviously run the country now and influence our politicians due to lobbyism.

What does our country due to solve the problem? We put a pure capitalist into power.

Here's another documentary give you some food for thought as well /youtu.be/fyfC1AVhfb8

People in this country have been conned into thinking you don't need medicare, social security, free healthcare, welfare, etc... People think they'll one day be living like Kim Kardashian and they'll never be sick, Americans aren't realistic in modern day!

Even if you have a million dollars and contract lyme disease or cancer, it's only a matter of time till a disease like that can easily bankrupt you due to the cost!

I'm not socialist nor a person who believes a freer market will solve all our issues, but I believe in making a system by the people and for the people, which our country was originally based on, a "republic," which is similar to a democracy. What we have now is chrony capitalism... What I see in these Doctors when they look at me or you is dollar signs, these Doctors turn and burn patients, with no empathy or sympathy because they are desensitized. They stack drugs on top of drugs to just mask your symptoms, not cure you. As Gwen stated, "diseage management and symptoms maintenance." The Doctors and big pharma all want you taking their drugs so you keep coming back, it's one big money making scheme!

Other than the Hepatitis C cure, which costs ridiculous amount of money, ask yourselves last time we've had a cure for disease?

There's people who think making a "freer market," letting the market decide, will solve all our problems. Whether it be for climate change and greener technology, cures for disease, education, etc...

Look at our system, privatization isn't working, letting corporations make the choice for our pollution, technology, healthcare, and education isn't working. It chooses the cheapest most profitable choice everytime.

Half the country doesn't believe in climate change, yet it's the scientific consensus. Guess what, the country doesn't believe in chronic lyme disease either... Gets ya thinking...

Years ago, scientists were bought off by food companies to put the blame on fat, instead of sugar. Propaganda runs deep in this country... You always have to look at all the evidence before you make a decision. /www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/well/eat/how-the-sugar-industry-shifted-blame-to-fat.html

Yes, the SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! Where we go from here, God only knows...

Post Edited (Charlie55) : 8/4/2018 8:31:40 PM (GMT-6)

I also think that our dr.s still want that 1950's respect. They are the experts and you are not to question them. Between my self being bounced around the medical community and my father who passed sunday of cancer. They will keep you alive for profit and suffering. I think that we are just walking $ why would they want to cure us. It really is a joke. A family member of mo

Psilociraptor said...

Too much emphasis is still placed on genetics, epigenetics, and so on and infectious diseases are just mentioned as a "trigger". Like something you pull real quick and it sets off a cascade. Rather than a "driver" which is continuously contributing.

It makes my head hurt trying to figure out what the problem actually is. And honestly half the reason I applied to med school was just to get resolution on that issue. To know what the heck is actually going through these peoples heads and where the breakdown is happening.

Very interesting perspective and great illustration. Food for thought. The whole "autoimmune" theory seems easy I suppose. If you believe it's all immune dysfunction caused by a genetic predisposition plus a trigger event, then it makes it easy to believe its incurable or ideopathic and just focus on managing symptoms. No investigative prowess or problem solving skills required. Just patronize the patient and push pills.

Honestly, I don't believe much of anything is incurable. It's all a matter of getting to the full truth.

You're a bold soul! Hope you find your answers.

Post Edited (WalkingbyFaith) : 8/4/2018 10:02:36 PM (GMT-6)

I guess I have a unique point of view, both as a patient and up to my ears in our health system. I talk to physicians daily and have to "follow the system" that we have in place. It is certainly broken. But on a good note, when I make a recommendation, they almost always go with my suggestion. Sometimes they balk at first, but after trying to digest the info I give them, they go with my advice. I don't make suggestions for the heck of it and its one of the few times i get to use my big words. lol

Reimbursement has been cut to physicians to the point where they have to see so many patients that they don't have the time to adequately treat them. This leaves only a pharmaceutical intervention which isn't enough. Reimbursement to the pharmacies has been cut so much that the only way to make enough money to survive is to fill so many prescriptions that the volume of reimbursement adds up to being profitable. I tracked 144 prescriptions last week and after all those prescriptions, the pharmacy did not cover its expenses. Getting good advice is great, but it doesn't pay the bills.