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I'm sure that, like people in other professions, most doctors are good
people. However, more so than in other professions, physicians tend to
assume a god-like attitude. It must be hard not to ("I'm saving lives" and
"I spent many years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on this
specialized knowledge"). However, I think these are the doctors that
celiacs find themselves running into time and again -- the doctors that
insist that nothing is wrong, that it's all "in your head," and that are
extremely condescending. It's no wonder that there are bad feelings toward
this sort of physician.

I had this sort of experience before my son was diagnosed. Fortunately, I
finally found one of those "good people" doctors. But I now have a mistrust
for physicians - any physician that cuts off my description of symptoms,
that even once says "you're just imagining things," or that is simply
condescending goes immediately on my "black list." I refuse to waste time
and energy on a physician who's too busy maintaining his or her balance on
that six-story pedestal to actually recognize symptoms, look for underlying
problems, and make valid diagnoses. My life and the lives of my family
members are not worth the risk.

So, hooray to the doctors who are good people. Whenever I've found one, I
try to be the model patient and rave to friends. However, these "good
people" seem to be underrepresented among their deific colleagues.

Sorry for the length, but I would imagine I'm not the only one on the list
who feels that such subtle distrust is often justified.

Tami

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Tami Powell
Michigan State University
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