For three years, I've been living in medical hell. If you were to ask me can you trust your doctor, my answer would be no. If you've been following me awhile, you know I'd been battling multiple hormone problems. I haven't talked about it much this year because frankly, I was started to feel consumed by my medical problems.
While I know sharing them is helpful to many, I could no longer allow it to define me. I needed time to heal from being passed around like a Thanksgiving turkey, paying absurd amounts of money and never getting answers.
Other than my ND and orthopedic, I've stopped going to doctors because it's no longer worth my time, money or energy, and every time I do I get my hopes up that someone will finally put the pieces together only to have them crushed once again that no one is interested in helping me.
I was reminded of of my distrust of doctors when I went to see my primary care doctor a few weeks ago in preparation for hip surgery.
Problem number one. I waited over an hour to see her. When she finally arrived, she was frazzled and people were passing notes to her under the door. She was distracted with multi-tasking and kept losing track of our discussion.
Problem number two. I shared my recent blood work from my ND and her diagnosis. My doctor agreed with the diagnosis from my ND, but didn't put much effort into understanding it. I told her I was very concerned about how fatigued I am and how it's gotten the point where it's debilitating. Some days I can hardly function.
Her response? I can prescribe you an anti-depressant that will keep you more alert.
I wanted to strangle her. Why would I want to put a chemical in my body? I want someone to figure out why there are days I can't do homework or edit a simple photo on the computer because I'm too exhausted.
I want answers. NOT A DRUG to mask the real cause.
The third problem was when she recommended I be re-tested for Celiac disease. I had a negative biopsy six years ago, but she said it could have been wrong. I agreed to be re-tested, but later emailed her after realizing a re-test wouldn't work because you have to be eating gluten for it to show positive and I've been gluten free for a year.
We talked about me being gluten free during the office visit. It seems had she not been so distracted she would have picked up on that. Scary, because the average patient would not know to ask this.
Her response? I can refer you to a GI doctor.
In my head, I'm thinking OMG not another F'CKING doctor. I would rather shoot myself than pay money for someone to pawn me off to someone else who isn't going to give me answers.
The worst part?
My MD is a friend. If she treated me this way, how is she treating her other patients?
At this point, I've lost all trust with the medical community.
This is why people are desperate for nutrition and health coaches because doctors are failing their patients. They've become so reliant on technology and wrapped under the policies of insurance and drug companies that they've forgotten how to use their brains and common sense to solve medical problems.
Can You Trust Your Doctor?
No, you should not. I'm NOT saying you shouldn't go to the doctor, but I am saying you should ALWAYS question your doctor and do your own research. Google should not be your doctor, but it sure can help you ask the right questions of your doctor.
It's your body, it's your health. Remember doctors do not live in your body, and you have a right to fight for answers. Be your own advocate. Don't take everything they say at face value.
Haven't seen this question, so I'll float it...and don't know if you've considered this before, but have you thought about finding a provider who is not an MD? What about a nurse practitioner, or a DO who follows the osteopathic model? It seems as though those providers *may* be more likely to provide you with the kind of care that you need. I'm not sure of your insurance limitations, etc., but just thought I'd throw this out there.
I've seen MANY doctors. The only one that was helpful was my ND, but she moved so now I'm without. Honestly, I just can't stomach going to anymore doctors after what I've been through.
I'd definitely argue that we can't put all the blame on doctors. I have several friends and family members that work in the medical community, and they aren't able to make a sustainable living without succumbing to the pressures of the insurance companies. It's easy to say that doctors should choose to "do the right thing," but the cost of becoming an M.D. is so much greater/more in depth/more time-consuming than that cost/time/effort/experience of being a nutritionist, health and wellness coach, etc...most can't afford to be that exclusive! If there's one thing NOT to blame in our messed-up medical system, it's the doctors. The insurance companies, politicians, for-profit medical schools, etc who try to dictate how our doctors should be judged...they are the real problem.
That's fair and I definitely said insurance & drug companies were behind their behaviors. However, I still stand by what I said that everyone has to question their medical provider and stay on top of their own health because we can't count on them to do it for us. Further, the situation I described with my doctor wasn't a result of any of those things. It's a result of not paying attention to a patient's needs like the celiac test. That should never have been missed. For all the extra schooling doctors receive, they should be the world's most observant, inquisitive and best problem solvers.
It is so frustrating!!!! I have always been my own advocate & for my parents when they were ill. It is crazy. I think it is the healthcare system & forcing docs to not have enough time UNLESS you are rich enough to go to one of those you pay a few for each year for them to be at your beck & call. They always want to push a drug vs. get to the bottom of it.
I AM SO SORRY you are going thru all this!!!!!
My friends that work in healthcare tell me their hands are tied. I don't get why put people through all that schooling only to turn them into a robot instead of a healer. I also think some doctors are just lazy. They get comfortable in their jobs and stop using their brains. Sorry, I said it.
UGH, I can so resonate with this. When I was pregnant with my second, I had to find a new OB because we had moved 90+ minutes away from my old OB and an hour from the hospital (My previous labor was super, super quick so I was legit afraid of not making it, ha!) I did the research and found one, but halfway through my pregnancy I gave u p -it was horrible. I went with my husband (and our son) and every question I asked the doctor he answered to my husband. Uh, I'm sorry, I know he had a hand in getting me here, but I AM the one pregnant, and when I am asking you questions about mY BODY I expect you to give me the courtesy of looking at me when you answer. I asked him about my severe eczema and all he wanted to do was give me a steroid, insisting they were totally safe while pregnant. THEN I told him that I have bad experiences with steroids where as a kid they literally took the pigment out of my skin in places and I can't tan there. He PROVED how little he was listening and said, "Oh, the sun should help your eczema."
In the end, he said something along the lines of, "It's your body, so i won't tell you what to do, BUT..." and I was done. I ended up transferring back to my old OB and found they had another office slightly closer and thankfully made it to the hospital in time. I wanted to try a natural childbirth practice (midwives and such) but my insurance wouldn't cover it. (Don't even get me STARTED on insurance.)
Sorry, that got long winded, ha! Thank you for being such an advocate with this. I think we're kind of trained to trust doctors because I mean, why wouldn't they put us first? But there are so many other things in play.
Morgan, that is very bizarre that he did that and being pregnant that must have been beyond frustrating. Good for you for not tolerating it. It's your body! Thanks for sharing your story.
I definitely know that feeling myself, but I also hear it from my clients ALL THE TIME. It's a shame that as a society we have developed a medical community that is reactive instead of proactive. :/
In a way it's good for people like you in me, but honestly I wish it wasn't that way. The same I wish that food wasn't regulated through interest groups and politicians.
This is frustrating. I can somewhat understand your situation. My husband has been sick with 103 fever ever 2 weeks for the past 3 months. He goes to one doc, get blood work, get sick again, repeat, sick again, go to a specialist, more blood work, repeat...at what point do doctors actually pay attention and become concerned? We are telling them a 31 yr old grown man should not be this sick all the time (he actually has been sick more frequently than ever within the past 1 1/2 yrs). Finally we are getting his immune system checked. But will that provide us with info? I hope so. 🙁 I hope you are able to find some sort of solution for yourself. Sucks, girl. 🙁 Love and prayers.
I'm sorry to hear you guys are going through that. It's hard to get someone who will listen. I think that's the most frustrating part. Best of luck to you and your husband!
This is super frustrating. It's so important to be an advocate for your own health and it's scary how many people just blindly follow whatever a doctor tells them. I'm glad you're looking out for you and doing your research!
That's why I feel it's so important to share my story because I want other people to recognize that they need to question everything they are told.
Oh, Megan. I'm so sorry. What a frustrating and emotionally draining experience this has been for you. 🙁 I hope that you get answers soon!
Thanks, Blair! It certainly has been a long journey.
I wish you could find a functional medicine doctor who you like! They are wonderful! I was mis diagnosed for years. I have Celiac disease and several other associated issues like low thyroid. A functional medicine doctor (MD or DO) knows about tests and nutrition and hormones that traditional physicians do not! Good luck!
Thanks Carrie, I think at this point I just need a timeout from doctors. My ND has been pretty amazing, but she is moving so I will eventually have to find someone else.