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From:
Betty Parks <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Betty Parks <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 16 Mar 2007 22:31:01 -0500
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks for all the replies to my frustration with doctors. There were too many replies to put them all down in the summary, and some people asked I don't because of the personal nature. So I'll summarized what was sent.
One person suggested a gluten challenge to prove I have celiac. That's not an option since I'm highly sensitive. My daughters conditioner made me break out in DH all over my head, neck and arms. That's just topical, didn't know if it had gluten. I get extremly sick with micro organisms.  I was confirmed with DH biopsy at a accredited University Hospital and the actual biopsy went to John Hopkins. The problem was I couldn't find the right sheet with actual confirmation in the 6 sheets I had for the biopsy and many, many other test results and confirmations of things. 
Several people suggested putting together a folder with my records and tests along with prescription and supplement info. I already have that. It fills up a 2" binder with just confirmations and test results since the DH confirmation. A few allergy tests and asthma confirmations from prior to DH diagnoses, but most from time of and after. I have things tabbed and everything. It's still very difficult when you have so much going on. I'm thinking the 2" binder with the tests and confirmations is actually intimidating the doctors and making them worry about the lawsuit thing. They have to do their job and do it right. 
Most people who replied have had many problems with their PCP's and found specialists to be a bit better although not always. It seems people with multiple problems, usually those with very delayed diagnoses of their celiac disease, have the worst dealings with doctors. Even though they have multiple confirmations to multiple diseases (ie diabetis, asthma, allergies, thyroid, osterporosis, ect.) the doctors tend to view and treat them as hypocondriacs and dismiss or ignore much of what they say.
A couple of people said this isn't just a celiac problem but due to a total collapse of our medical system. Physicians are now swayed by the health Insurance industry and pharmacuticals, the patient and actually treating diseases has taken a back seat.
Several people have had very good care in Natural Medicine doctors. These are not common in our area, more common in California. It's a good drive to find a health food store. My heart/nutrician specialist is more of a Natural Medicine doctor and I'm very pleased with him and what he has done. I'm treated with respect and what he's done has worked well. He dosn't take care of all medical needs. He specialises in an area. 
After reading the stories of others experiances mine dosn't seem as bad. I'm trying to figure out why a doctors office can give me a "Patients rights and Responsibilities" statement when I first come in for a visit with the doctor, but if I give him a patients rights statement I can no longer be his patient. I don't understand this respect thing. It seems to be a one way street quite often. They can treat us like a number or less, as idiots, as a joke and mock us and laugh at us and not take us seriously, but we're to take them seriously and respect them. I'm an Engineer, went to college 6 years for this. If I treated my customers like doctors have treated me, I wouldn't have any. I'd be a trash collector or working McDonalds. It's not uncommon for customers to call me completly irrational and freaked out and this is an electrical piece of equipment that powers a hospital or water plant or whatever. It's not even a human life, nor would it directly affect a human life since hospitals have back up generators. If I laughed at them when they called or told them I'd take care of that, see you in six months I'd not only get cussed out but I'd be hearing from God himself. If I told the irrational customer I could no longer help him because he was irrational and didn't trust me I'd be out of a job. And whats really funny about this is that I'm not even responsible for field calls. That's after shipments job. There's people who do that job. But I'm the professional who is supose to be able to deal with irrational, freaked out complex people and situations. And I don't even directly work with people as doctors do. There's people in the field who have my private cell phone number to call me at anytime because I feel they are important enough and my job dosn't end when it leaves our building. That's part of being a trained professional. If a person decideds to be a doctor they need to act professional and care about people enough to be there, no matter what. How did the medical field become so big that they are no longer accountable for their actions? And I understand they sacrafice a great deal and this is time consuming. That's a choice you make when you get into that field. My job is demanding also and some days I'm just tired, that's not my customers fault. Off my soap box.There are very good doctors out there. It's not easy to find them and is getting harder every day. 
The pulmatologist visit went well. He was a dedicated professional who was respectful and changed my asthma meds so I can breath. Two doctors down and thousands of dollars later, I have what I initialy told them I needed. Go figure, I live with me 24/7.

Betty

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