Newly lost faith in health care

The Dr.'s have a computer that tells them what to prescribe or they might lose license or insurance not pay them.

There are diff doctors, often not covered by insurance who talk about diet & exercise, etc. Big pharma doesn't support these doctors.

I'm 5-10 and 275#. They always tell me to lose weight. LoL! Anyway - you can say NO.

I'm gonna ask you if the cholesterol thing is hereditary - it often is. If so, you'll end up on meds. If not - change your diet and see what happens. Go on a whole food diet til your next blood work. If it doesn't make a diff, there is something else going on in your body.

Good luck.
My dad talked to a lady who had a similar situation and the doctor told her the medications were for people who didn't want to change their diet. Pretty much said take the pills if you don't want to stop eating processed food.
 
Diet, exercise, good life decisions, age, luck, and genetics all play a huge role in your health. There are NO substitutes for these. Most people don’t live a truly healthy lifestyle and only think they do. Doctors intervene when a problems arise and people need help. They are sought out by a person with a problem, not vice versa. Most physicians do the best they can because they truly want to help. Some are crappy at their job or selfish just like human being in every occupation. Doctors are not magicians, fast food workers preparing a to go order to customers satisfaction, or government cronies (Dr. Fauci and other Covid hucksters as notable exceptions).

If electrolytes and whole grains are sufficient to treat your heart attack, stroke, life threatening hemorrhage, sepsis, etc. then by all means stay away from the evil, stupid, and morally corrupt doctors of the world! When hunting, make sure to shoot the biggest magnums you can find at ranges beyond your capabilities and blame the gun manufacturing industry for your failures while you are at it.
 
my PCP has a laptop open and uses a glorified version of web-md (and by glorified, i mean the user interface is at least 20 years old) the entire time I'm in her office. she literally uses checklists and yes-no questions to figure out what to do. she's a step up from the medical care i had in the military, but is by no means what i'd consider "good."

my ENT is knowledgeable and responsive, but takes such a small view of the body. After 8 ear infections in 9 months, I was the one who figured out that the problem was actually my TMJ flaring up and pinching off the eustachian tube. it would have been nice if she'd had that idea on her own.

all that to say, I feel personally responsible for my health, and interacting with a doctor is a last-ditch effort to me.
 
How do you know who to believe? You can search and find "experts" that will convincingly bolster whatever healthy life style you can think of. And you can find an equal number of "experts" that will refute that theory and promote their own.
I believe a lot of doctors end up falling into prescription writing mode because for a large percentage of their patients its the only way they can get their blood panel numbers into a reasonable range. You can only have the conversation so many times with a patient encouraging them to change their diet, loose weight, exercise...etc. Then they come in for their next appointment just as fat (or fatter) looking for magic answers. Rokslide is probably an exception, it sounds like people on this forum are a more self starting, motivated group. But, lets face it - humans in general (especially Americans) are fat and lazy. If I were a Dr. I'd pull my hair out, beating my head against the wall trying day after day to help people be healthy who seemingly don't care about their health.
 
Diet, exercise, good life decisions, age, luck, and genetics all play a huge role in your health. There are NO substitutes for these. Most people don’t live a truly healthy lifestyle and only think they do often based on information peddled though social media, mass media, and from personal and largely uneducated speculation. Doctors intervene when a problems arise and people need help. They are sought out by a person with a problem, not vice versa. Most physicians do the best they can because they truly want to help. Some are crappy at their job or selfish just like human being in every occupation. Doctors are not magicians, fast food workers preparing a to go order to customers satisfaction, or government cronies (Dr. Fauci and other Covid hucksters as notable exceptions).

If electrolytes and whole grains are sufficient to treat your heart attack, stroke, life threatening hemorrhage, sepsis, etc. then by all means stay away from the evil, stupid, and morally corrupt doctors of the world! When hunting, make sure to shoot the biggest magnums you can find at ranges beyond your capabilities and blame the gun manufacturing industry for your failures while you are at it.
I think the issue people have with doctors is they peddle the garbage they were taught in school(regardless of intention) and people are waking up to the fact that the health and diet guidelines for the last 50 years are misleading. Of all the things people choose to trust from the government is health guidelines when they are in bed with people like bill gates who openly talk about decreasing the population.
 
False. I’ve made zero dollars from the thousands of prescriptions written and have never once spoken to a pharmaceutical representative. I know what to prescribe from exhaustive training few can complete. A computer doesn’t tell me what to prescribe.
The ones I've been to recently are all reading stuff to me off computers - not convinced they have the training or experience that you do.
 
Most doctors hear your symptoms, excuse themselves and go to the Google, and come back with a prescription.
There’s good and bad in every profession and I’ll be the first to admit the healthcare system isn’t perfect, but c’mon. Does this happen? Sure. There’s certainly schools that are pushing out providers that aren’t ready to be practicing, but the vast majority are well educated and have the best interest in your health at the forefront of their minds when you go to see them.

I work with people with diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, etc every day. Medication is only part of the equation and certainly less effective without appropriate lifestyle intervention. The large majority of these people can put these conditions in “remission” with weight loss and exercise, which is a large part of the conversation.

Big pharma isn’t paying us. The computer isn’t telling us what to prescribe. I would be far more concerned about being peddled supplements/vitamins/labs you don’t need by naturopaths or functional medicine.
 
Just like in other areas of life, there are good communicators, those that do it poorly, and a whole bunch in between. Doctors are no different. Indicting thousands of people in a particular occupation based your experience is I think unfair though it sounds like your experience was less than ideal.

I pride myself on clear communication with my patients and prioritize giving them a voice in their care. In your case without really knowing all the specifics, I would have approached it as follows. We could start you the medication, hold off and recheck your labs in a few months after making some lifestyle medications, or do both. Then I would explain the pros and cons associated with each and ask what direction you wanted to go with the goal of putting together a plan that works best for you.

Communicate clearly with the doctor about your concerns or get a new one where you feel comfortable doing so. A lack of trust in your doctor will end up hurting you in the long run.
x2. There are great doctors, mediocre ones, and a few downright bad. It is also on you to speak up and ask questions and take part in your healthcare. Make sure you are doing your job as well (Eating clean, exercising, getting good sleep)
 
I’ve worked in health care for quite a while.

The system is broken. People want an instant fix, so that’s why doctors say “here, take this.” Most people don’t want or care to change their lifestyle. And doctors aren’t going to waste their time trying to change someone who isn’t going to change.

You have the right to refuse. So do it. Tell your doctor you don’t want a pill, that you want a second opinion or other options besides medicine.

It’s well documented that the US is probably the worst advanced nation in the world at treating long term medical issues.
 
Ya. I had blood pressure right at the top of what is normal. 35 and exercise year round for elk season. Wanted to prescribe blood pressure meds. Didn’t ask about family history…at least asked about stress but never suggested working on stress management..went straight to pills.

I declined and said I’d work on stress management on my own. Saw a decrease 2-3x what he said the medicine was capable of doing.
 
. Doctors are not magicians, fast food workers preparing a to go order to customers satisfaction, or government cronies (Dr. Fauci and other Covid hucksters as notable exceptions).

If electrolytes and whole grains are sufficient to treat your heart attack, stroke, life threatening hemorrhage, sepsis, etc. then by all means stay away from the evil, stupid, and morally corrupt doctors of the world! When hunting, make sure to shoot the biggest magnums you can find at ranges beyond your capabilities and blame the gun manufacturing industry for your failures while you are at it.
Don’t take it personal Dr. Neal. Your many years of training and schooling and exceptional effort pale in comparison to the easy and palatable answers found on the internet. “Try this little known trick involving salt water and warm lemon juice before bed to cure your lumbago”

I’ve noticed quite a few on this forum who are very very vocal on certain themes.
Calofornia is bad
Government is bad mmmkay
Democrats are bad mmmmmkay
Big Pharma is baaad mmmkaaayy
Drugs r bad…. Mmmmmkaaaaaaaaay?

Most attempts to move them to more nuanced positions are pissing into the wind. I suspect that the large majority of participants are moderate and thoughtful, but it takes a lot more typing to express a nuanced opinion.

I’ve had good and bad experiences with every kind of service provider…. Mechanics, salesmen, cops, game wardens, gunsmiths, computer techs, doctors, lawyers…you name it. I think the trick is to take your brains to the meeting.
 
my PCP has a laptop open and uses a glorified version of web-md (and by glorified, i mean the user interface is at least 20 years old) the entire time I'm in her office. she literally uses checklists and yes-no questions to figure out what to do. she's a step up from the medical care i had in the military, but is by no means what i'd consider "good."

my ENT is knowledgeable and responsive, but takes such a small view of the body. After 8 ear infections in 9 months, I was the one who figured out that the problem was actually my TMJ flaring up and pinching off the eustachian tube. it would have been nice if she'd had that idea on her own.

all that to say, I feel personally responsible for my health, and interacting with a doctor is a last-ditch effort to me.

You need to research up yourself a new PCP. I'm as guilty as anyone of accepting shoddy medical care at times, but I also know for a fact that shopping around can get you an excellent MD.
 
There’s good and bad in every profession and I’ll be the first to admit the healthcare system isn’t perfect, but c’mon. Does this happen? Sure. There’s certainly schools that are pushing out providers that aren’t ready to be practicing, but the vast majority are well educated and have the best interest in your health at the forefront of their minds when you go to see them.

I work with people with diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, etc every day. Medication is only part of the equation and certainly less effective without appropriate lifestyle intervention. The large majority of these people can put these conditions in “remission” with weight loss and exercise, which is a large part of the conversation.

Big pharma isn’t paying us. The computer is telling us what to prescribe. I would be far more concerned about being peddled supplements/vitamins/labs you don’t need by naturopaths or functional medicine.

I think they're just meeting a market need. Most people don't want to eat right or exercise. They want a pill, and y'all (I don't mean you specifically) are happy to give it to them.

Have you ever had someone get aggressive with you for suggesting diet and exercise?

Does health insurance cover gym memberships if you prescribe it?
 
Functional health doc/naturalpath- “Big Pharma is just shipping out cash to these physicians so you can’t trust them.”

Same visit- here take this smorgasbord of expensive supplements that you’re lucky enough I sell out of my very own office, you clearly just need more Magnesium and Vitamin C, also don’t eat bread, or dairy, or sugar, or red food coloring, or anything else that you could possibly enjoy.

Saying this in jest a bit- but every profession has turds. But with my medical education I tend to have a very western based viewpoint and don’t see that changing anytime soon. People don’t realize how hard it is to get people to change lifestyles. I’d be rich if I had a nickel for every low back pain patient that was 150 pounds overweight and not see a connection with their lifestyle and pain, and some get downright angry when you suggest it’s something other than a herniated disc.
 
I think they're just meeting a market need. Most people don't want to eat right or exercise. They want a pill, and y'all (I don't mean you specifically) are happy to give it to them.

Have you ever had someone get aggressive with you for suggesting diet and exercise?

Does health insurance cover gym memberships if you prescribe it?
You’re certainly not wrong with the first paragraph. Lots of people aren’t interested when I tell them that diet, exercise and even moderate weight loss has a good chance to put their type two diabetes into remission. No aggression, but some just don’t have the interest in anything but pharmaceuticals. I work in a speciality office and a large teaching hospital, so on the flip side a lot of these people have never heard that before either.

Some insurances will cover gym memberships, but it’s far less that don’t unfortunately, at least here in Michigan. Not sure about elsewhere. I try to meet people where they are and make recommendations based off of what they already enjoy or have access to. Some people can take advantage of that type of stuff (gym equipment, general fitness equipment, etc) through their HSA/FSA though if they dig into it a bit. This is a huge area that insurance/health care could certainly be better though.
 
People don’t realize how hard it is to get people to change lifestyles. I’d be rich if I had a nickel for every low back pain patient that was 150 pounds overweight and not see a connection with their lifestyle and pain, and some get downright angry when you suggest it’s something other than a herniated disc.

My wife tells me about a good amount of people with back/hip/knee/foot pain and her diagnosis is literally obesity. She offers to show them how to move better to lose the weight, but they typically don’t come back.

It’s the Chiropractor phenomenon. People with joint pain would rather lay down and pay someone $200 twice a month for eternity to put their joints back than lose weight or learn to strengthen the muscles around the joint and re-train them properly.
 
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