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World of Lucky ([personal profile] worldoflucky) wrote2009-03-18 06:24 am
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Horrible Doctor Rant

So last week the wife and I both went to Dr. Stocker for our initial exam. We don't have an MD in Everett (we did have Dr. Mayeda on Beacon Hill in Seattle, the best doctor I have ever had). I wont even go into too much detail of how much Dr. Stocker sucks except to direct you to [livejournal.com profile] imake1tgirl's post here: imake1tgirl.livejournal.com/775781.html.

I did however receive the results of my bloodtests. Evidently my overall cholesterol is just within the normal/good range. However my Triglycerides are a good portion above the norm. My bad cholesterol is only over the acceptable range by less then 2% and my good cholesteral is under by about 20%. Overall this means my cholesterol needs to be taken care of, not because its horrible, but the bad to good cholesterol ratio is too high and I need to bring it down a little. It doesn't pose any real danger at the moment, but my mother had a heart attack in her mid 50's and I don't want a repeat.

On a sidenote I am not anywhere even close to having diabetes (YAY!), my WBC count was a little low, and my liver functions were just a little high (they always are, its probably due to my premature birth and undergrown liver that kept me at Seattle Children's Hospital in critical when I was born).

I get the results on Monday from the doctor. She does this by mailing me the results. No phone calls, no come in and talk (especially since like I normally do I had HIV/Hep test done, maybe they overruled the law that states the results have to be given directly to the patient). Among the blood test results she puts a script in for one of the statin drugs for cholesterol. Along with a note that says "Its statin time". This is her way of treating my cholesterol.

Honestly this sort of shocked me. I have worked long enough in medical facilities to know how cholesterol is "normally" handled. The first step generally is to change the patients diet. Ever since the wife got diagnosed originally as Celiac, we ate a lot of meat. By going back to mostly vegetarian that would probably be enough to lower my bad cholesterol and raise my good cholesterol (just altering my diet a bit, although I am probably going to do more then just a little bit). That should be enough to easily change my cholesterol.

The second step if that didn't work would be some weight loss. Lets be honest, I could afford to lose 40lbs (possibly 60). At 6'4" an 260lbs I definitely could afford to drop some fat (or go back to weight lifting and gain some muscle). Losing that weight also should be enough to fix my cholesterol.

Yet the first thing she reaches for is a script (statin is basically a group name for drugs such as Lipitor and other cholesterol meds) that should would want me to start taking. What the fuck is wrong with her? For some reason last two days this has really bothered me (and it also just underlines why we are getting a new doc). I hate quacks like her, they give the good docs a bad name.

So, we are looking for a new doc, and I am reducing the bad fats I eat and going to lose a few pounds (I have lost 14 pounds since February 2008, just got to do it a little quicker). Fuck the doctor.

[identity profile] jajy1979.livejournal.com 2009-03-18 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I refuse to let doctors push me onto medication as the default. This society's "take a pill for everything" reactions are completely fucked up.

You aren't anywhere near the need for a Staten, and frankly Statens cause problems. And even if you did actually need a prescription you could do just as well on a much cheaper, older medication. My grandfather does. Basic blood thinner, nothing fancy, cheaper than dirt.

You're very much in line with my response to doctors, and I definately agree... Ditch the Quack.

Incidentally the newest numbers they use for Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and the BMI itself are all actuary tables and are not strongly supported by actual clinical evidence regarding the benefits of those ranges. In fact a recent study showed that the healthiest people were at the high end of normal to low "over weight" on the BMI. Which is a collossal DUH for any of us who actually know shit about physiology.

And being in the accounting field I'm sure you've groan over enough bad actuary tables as it is.

[identity profile] finnegwyn.livejournal.com 2009-03-18 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
She probably gets some sort of stypend from the drug company for pushing their product...

[identity profile] jajy1979.livejournal.com 2009-03-18 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
This may very well be true, but what is sadder is that most medical professionals no longer get information on many medications from journals or conferances, but rather by those incessant pill pushers that take up their time in office and deny us coverage while insisting we get treated with newer and more expensive medicatons without reasonable alternatives being discussed. Makes me sick.