Plans for today (2024)

SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Umm no not quite. I agree with some of that but some of it is a little out of date.

It is true that if you need a prescription (unless it's a sporadic problem) then you need it and should take it.
It is true, medication compliance is valued.
This is mostly due to patients deciding a drug doesn't work and just stopping taking it for no good reason and then us having to watch diabetes rob them of their vision/kidney function/limbs etc etc.

As for patients not knowing what they are doing and not being allowed control that's really not the full story.
The old school "do as you're told" medical staff mostly retired and the new wave are not the same. It is far more a collaborative approach which very much depends on the patient in front of you as to whether you think they will alter their dose in a sensible manner.

If a patient does alter their doses long term without consultation there can be consequences, unless you are an expert in that field or it is a simple adjustment it is always sensible to consult medical staff.

For example a common one is people feeling better on half a dose of BP medication but they often also ignore the fact their blood pressure is too high, they don't comprehend the consequences of stroke or heart attack until it's happened, by which time it is too late.
It really is best for the majority to have some guidance on this.

Patients also have a habit of believing anything Dr Google tells them that supports what suits them.
They also like to experiment on themselves with other treatments because holistic therapies are somehow rated in a way good hard cold science isn't. As a lot of medication comes from natural sources they can easily overdose themselves or interfere with the efficacy of a medication.

I've had to assess literally 1000's of people over the years I can assure you the crazy medical theories and odd reasoning for increasing/decreasing or stopping meds far far outweighs the occasional sensible person who walks through the door.

So you have to cut a little slack for a medical profession who see's reams of non-compliant people damaging themselves on a daily basis for being sceptical when someone who does actually fully understand their own medication needs walks through the door.

Plus I regularly had patients come in who control their own doses of meds for BP, diabetes, warfarin and all manner of other important things. It really depends on the individual.
Mr SSOAP was warfarin for a while, they knew he was sensible and let him adjust his dose, it wasn't a fight to do that, it was suggested.

I suppose my take away message would be unless you are an expert in your own ailments (and many long term chronic disease sufferers are) and you understand how to interpret medical research from legitimate peer reviewed resources then just make an appointment to see someone who has dedicated time and energy gaining the knowledge to help.

In the UK it's free, and people can always ignore the advice they are given, it's beyond doubt always best to seek that advice first.
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None of that really applies to me. My sister just retired as an RN (Registered Nurse), so I know about things most people don't. I also have an RN to answer questions when I have them. I'm not floating in a sea of uncertainty.

I do my homework, and research every medication I take. The Mayo Clinic in the US has a web site that will explain pretty much every medication you are likely take in great detail, including side effects, and drug interactions. Between that and my sister, I know what to do, and not do.

I have had doctors in hospitals take me off a medication I normally take, because it interferes or interacts with something they are doing to treat me. That's where their knowing what I take really is important.

CD
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Well it's different times isn't it.

Families should be relaxed enough in each other's company to be open and honest without fear of disapproval. How else can we foster good relationships and properly help each other.

My boys feel they can speak to us about pretty much anything because they know if they ask for advice it's just knowledge passed on to them from someone on their side, someone who has more life experience. They also know that they are completely free to ignore what we say without recrimination.

I won't tell you about the conversation we had last week about gay sex then, you might damage your jaw when it hit's the floor 😆

But yes it is very different to the way a lot of us previous generations were brought up.
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Wifes bro is gay. Everyone is open about it. Xmas day here talk was about gays when Isla 14 said out of the blue " so who's on top?"
Everyone just looked at each other until our son diffused the conversation.
Things have certainly changed to my day.

Russ
 
caseydog said:
None of that really applies to me. My sister just retired as an RN (Registered Nurse), so I know about things most people don't. I also have an RN to answer questions when I have them. I'm not floating in a sea of uncertainty.

I do my homework, and research every medication I take. The Mayo Clinic in the US has a web site that will explain pretty much every medication you are likely take in great detail, including side effects, and drug interactions. Between that and my sister, I know what to do, and not do.

I have had doctors in hospitals take me off a medication I normally take, because it interferes or interacts with something they are doing to treat me. That's where their knowing what I take really is important.

CD
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Since google decided some time ago to remove the UK filter on search results we also frustratingly get American search results, the Mayo clinic is usually on the first page. They are a fine quite basic resource nicely written in an accessible way for the general public, similar to the NHS website. Very layperson accessible.
Personally I would be wary about basing any treatment choices on either of them, the information is not complete or in-depth.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Since google decided some time ago to remove the UK filter on search results we also frustratingly get American search results, the Mayo clinic is usually on the first page. They are a fine quite basic resource nicely written in an accessible way for the general public, similar to the NHS website. Very layperson accessible.
Personally I would be wary about basing any treatment choices on either of them, the information is not complete or in-depth.
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I just like knowing what I'm taking, and how it works, and stuff like that.

True story. About 15 years ago, I noticed something strange while taking a shower. I looked the symptoms up online, and one possible ailment was cancer of that part of my body. I went to my PCP (Primary Care Physician) that week, and told him what I had found. He laughed at me and said, it's just an infection, and wrote me a script for an antibiotic. I asked him to send me to a specialist, just to be sure. He humored me.

I went to the specialist that Thursday, he did an exam, and said "that needs to come out!" I asked how soon, and he said, "Tomorrow."

It was cancer, but it was caught early, because I told my stupid PCP to send me to a specialist after reading WebMD, or something similar. If I had listened to my "doctor," I would have taken the antibiotics, while that cancer doubled in size every week, spread to my lymph nodes, and on to my lungs and brain, as that particular cancer does.

From my experience, PCPs are idiots we have to go through to get a referral to a real doctor. They usually have a medical school degree from a third-world medical school. So yes, I also do some research before I go see the pseudo-doctor.

CD
 
Today is one of those very rare Sundays in the winter where they forecast 0% chance of rain with 0mm precipitation, the sun may well make an appearance AND the temps are above freezing (so the roads won't be icy).

These days are rare as hen's teeth so I'm gonna dust off a saddle, crank an engine and take an iron horse for a spin.
The 'feels' like temp of 2c isn't appealing for riding but in Blighty ignoring the weather is part of our DNA 😆
 
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caseydog said:
From my experience, PCPs are idiots we have to go through to get a referral to a real doctor.
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I know it’s all anecdotal, but your experience mirrored MrsT’s fairly closely, except she listened to her docs, and her “panic attacks” (as diagnosed by three docs, and the last two merely rubber-stamped the first one) is what eventually led to her life-changing, 100% preventable stroke, because all three failed to look beyond what they wanted the problem to be.
 
Rocklobster said:
My doctor, who is also a friend of mine, retired his family practice last year and said "you will be getting a new doctor. Somebody who gives a shit" Lol..I had to commend him for his honesty.
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I loved my first family doc here - I swear, he had to be the inspiration for Doc Martin - grumpy, to the point, never said more than was absolutely necessary, but he was a good doc.
 
TastyReuben said:
I loved my first family doc here - I swear, he had to be the inspiration for Doc Martin - grumpy, to the point, never said more than was absolutely necessary, but he was a good doc.
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I'd be amazed if I could find a PCP that can pronounce my last name.

CD
 
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