Nigel Forester
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2020
- Messages
- 119
i remember taking my grandma to a doctor many years ago before she passed. She had sores on her legs and the doctor literally had to pull out a medical textbook and look up pictures to compare. For some reason this bothered me, but I can give it a pass because consulting a text isn’t a sign of incompetence. It was a gut feeling tho.
Many years later I went to the same doctor for my own issue. I was taking a medication (foolish thing to do in this case) which was causing me side effects. I went to doctor to figure out a way to treat the sides because I felt taking the medication was worth it for long term health (it wasn’t). I incorrectly thought it would reduce my risk for prostate cancer, as well as some other benefits. The doctor told me “we all have to die of something” and it struck me as odd that such a statement made me lose respect for him as a professional. Of course what he said was true in our current state but what struck me most was he seemed more resigned to it rather than understanding my focus to optimize life and healthspan.
Many times since I have encountered doctors who simply know very little or have what I consider backwards ideas to health. The GP who put my mom on blood thinners and gave her a cortisone shot for aching hands without asking her about diet or lifestyle. The doctor who told my dad he doesn’t believe in the effectiveness of non pharmaceutical drug remedies, like herbs and foods. “I don’t believe in that stuff” is apparently what he said. I get it, they are working in a system of efficiency and lowest common denominator, but it’s all so tiresome.
Even the vets I take my dog to seem behind on progressive treatment options. Without even a scan or palpating her joint effectively, he starts talking about surgery costs.
That is all, just how I feel about it
Many years later I went to the same doctor for my own issue. I was taking a medication (foolish thing to do in this case) which was causing me side effects. I went to doctor to figure out a way to treat the sides because I felt taking the medication was worth it for long term health (it wasn’t). I incorrectly thought it would reduce my risk for prostate cancer, as well as some other benefits. The doctor told me “we all have to die of something” and it struck me as odd that such a statement made me lose respect for him as a professional. Of course what he said was true in our current state but what struck me most was he seemed more resigned to it rather than understanding my focus to optimize life and healthspan.
Many times since I have encountered doctors who simply know very little or have what I consider backwards ideas to health. The GP who put my mom on blood thinners and gave her a cortisone shot for aching hands without asking her about diet or lifestyle. The doctor who told my dad he doesn’t believe in the effectiveness of non pharmaceutical drug remedies, like herbs and foods. “I don’t believe in that stuff” is apparently what he said. I get it, they are working in a system of efficiency and lowest common denominator, but it’s all so tiresome.
Even the vets I take my dog to seem behind on progressive treatment options. Without even a scan or palpating her joint effectively, he starts talking about surgery costs.
That is all, just how I feel about it