- Mar 26, 2005
- 4,094
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- 106
I constantly see drugs with very serious side effects being prescribed to people with various ailments who are not in danger of dying. I do not understand the reasoning behind such actions. If for example I have a flu, chances are my immune system will fight it off, but if I am prescribed a drug with adverse side effects for the treatment of the same flu, the drug MAY kill me, or make me very ill in a different way. Is the risk justified? OFF COURSE NOT! Unless the flu has progressed to the point where my life is in danger, there is NO REASON to prescribe such drugs. The odd thing is that the doctors are VERY LIKELY to give them to a patient who comes in with a flu.
Unfortunately, even if the drug doesn't cause any serious side effects and the flu is cured, the patient has NO guarantee that in the course of treatment the drug hasn't affected his stomach, liver or kidneys in ways that will cause more ailments later in his life.
Here is another example: ANTIDEPRESSANTS. These drugs often have very serious, and sometimes life threatening side effects. It is true that depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems may interfere with ones life to the extent where people are forced to take the drug out of desperation. But is the risk REALLY worth it?
If you are loosing your job, your spouse is leaving you and you cannot pay your mortgage or rent, then the risk may very well be justified. However, if you can afford not to work for a while, you have an understanding family who is willing to give you some time to get better, why would you want to risk your life or suffer from nasty side effects? Off course, your body is YOUR body. Do what you want with it. Many people will tell me that drugs are for the most part, harmless, and will do much more good than harm. That may be often indeed the case. However it is the doctors reasoning that really pisses me off - NOT the patient's reasoning. I believe that the doctor shouldn't be quick to write a prescription and send the patient home, but instead REALLY consider just how necessary it is to bombard the patient's body with drugs unless absolutely necessary.
Off course as you can see, I am clearly dramatizing here, and I am being somewhat paranoid, but that is as far as it goes. My main idea here is very relevant and I stand by it 100%. The doctors are much more likely to stuff you with dangerous drugs just to make sure your ailment doesn't progress, instead of encouraging you to try other, less harmful methods.
In case I don't sound eloquent enough, (which I probably don't) - here are some examples out of my life.
I had serious problems with my stomach... I came to my doctor and asked him to help me, noting, that antibiotics usually do me more harm than good. The doctor told me that my concerns are ridiculous, and an antibiotic is NECESSARY in my situation because my stomach problems MAY be caused by bacteria that will be killed by the drug. I asked the doctor to provide proof of his words by taking a blood test or directing me to a specialist who will do necessary tests to prove the presence of bacteria. I told him that antibiotics are serious drugs and shouldn't be taken "just in case" but only when truly needed. He told me to trust him and take the drug anyway. He also quickly mentioned to me that a diet may be a good idea but never focused on this topic. I went home and took the drug. After 2 days my stomach got A LOT worse, I became weak, dizzy and extremely nauseous... I was shivering like I was cold.
I ran to the doc and told him that the drug is making me a lot worse, but he just told me not to be silly. He told me that the side effects are normal and are not serious enough to stop taking the pill. According to him, the reason for my suffering was the fact that I am not taking the drug with food. (I was taking it with food).I was shocked to hear such words because the side effects were indeed extremely serious and severe. If they were any more severe I'd end up in a hospital. The doc just told me to trust him and to continue the drug anyway. Just before I left he gave me a referral to a specialist. Needless to say I stopped taking the drug immediately which is probably what saved me from a visit to a hospital. Once I visited the "stomach doctor", he was very surprised to hear that I was given antibiotics before having the necessary tests done to justify prescribing them. After all tests were done, the doc told me I have no bacteria, and antibiotics were actually the worst course of action in my situation. It turned out that I indeed had a problem, but it want very serious. After sticking to a strict diet for a while, and calming down simply because I had proof that nothing serious is wrong with me I got somewhat better.
Now.. If my story was an isolated case, I'd probably not make a big deal out of this, but this is not the 1st time something like this happened, and my physician is not the 1st physician in my life to treat me this way. This happened many times before.
I hear similar stories to mine all the time, from friends and parents. My mother, for example had a dentist "fix" her tooth a while ago. Recently the problem occured again, and she went to another doc for a 2nd opinion. The doc told her that his "collegue", who my mom visited in the past, knew about this problem and didnt fully "fix" it ON PURPOSE, because this way he was guaranteed another visit from her when she would get worse.
I think there is something very wrong with the whole "medicine" system, and it is very sad that there is nothing a patient can do to set things right.
This leads me to wonder.. Is an average doc a gentle, kind man who's primary intention and desire is to help a patient and make him well, or a careful, calculating businessman who's primary intent is to make money, and then worry about everything else?
Off course I met good doctors in my life too, as in the case with the "stomach guy", but for the most part, I had good reason to write everything you see above.
Please, share your view on the matter and express your opinion, but do it in a mature and constructive way. If you got nothing better to say than "Go hide under the bed" - don't bother. I heard it too many times before on forums.
Unfortunately, even if the drug doesn't cause any serious side effects and the flu is cured, the patient has NO guarantee that in the course of treatment the drug hasn't affected his stomach, liver or kidneys in ways that will cause more ailments later in his life.
Here is another example: ANTIDEPRESSANTS. These drugs often have very serious, and sometimes life threatening side effects. It is true that depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems may interfere with ones life to the extent where people are forced to take the drug out of desperation. But is the risk REALLY worth it?
If you are loosing your job, your spouse is leaving you and you cannot pay your mortgage or rent, then the risk may very well be justified. However, if you can afford not to work for a while, you have an understanding family who is willing to give you some time to get better, why would you want to risk your life or suffer from nasty side effects? Off course, your body is YOUR body. Do what you want with it. Many people will tell me that drugs are for the most part, harmless, and will do much more good than harm. That may be often indeed the case. However it is the doctors reasoning that really pisses me off - NOT the patient's reasoning. I believe that the doctor shouldn't be quick to write a prescription and send the patient home, but instead REALLY consider just how necessary it is to bombard the patient's body with drugs unless absolutely necessary.
Off course as you can see, I am clearly dramatizing here, and I am being somewhat paranoid, but that is as far as it goes. My main idea here is very relevant and I stand by it 100%. The doctors are much more likely to stuff you with dangerous drugs just to make sure your ailment doesn't progress, instead of encouraging you to try other, less harmful methods.
In case I don't sound eloquent enough, (which I probably don't) - here are some examples out of my life.
I had serious problems with my stomach... I came to my doctor and asked him to help me, noting, that antibiotics usually do me more harm than good. The doctor told me that my concerns are ridiculous, and an antibiotic is NECESSARY in my situation because my stomach problems MAY be caused by bacteria that will be killed by the drug. I asked the doctor to provide proof of his words by taking a blood test or directing me to a specialist who will do necessary tests to prove the presence of bacteria. I told him that antibiotics are serious drugs and shouldn't be taken "just in case" but only when truly needed. He told me to trust him and take the drug anyway. He also quickly mentioned to me that a diet may be a good idea but never focused on this topic. I went home and took the drug. After 2 days my stomach got A LOT worse, I became weak, dizzy and extremely nauseous... I was shivering like I was cold.
I ran to the doc and told him that the drug is making me a lot worse, but he just told me not to be silly. He told me that the side effects are normal and are not serious enough to stop taking the pill. According to him, the reason for my suffering was the fact that I am not taking the drug with food. (I was taking it with food).I was shocked to hear such words because the side effects were indeed extremely serious and severe. If they were any more severe I'd end up in a hospital. The doc just told me to trust him and to continue the drug anyway. Just before I left he gave me a referral to a specialist. Needless to say I stopped taking the drug immediately which is probably what saved me from a visit to a hospital. Once I visited the "stomach doctor", he was very surprised to hear that I was given antibiotics before having the necessary tests done to justify prescribing them. After all tests were done, the doc told me I have no bacteria, and antibiotics were actually the worst course of action in my situation. It turned out that I indeed had a problem, but it want very serious. After sticking to a strict diet for a while, and calming down simply because I had proof that nothing serious is wrong with me I got somewhat better.
Now.. If my story was an isolated case, I'd probably not make a big deal out of this, but this is not the 1st time something like this happened, and my physician is not the 1st physician in my life to treat me this way. This happened many times before.
I hear similar stories to mine all the time, from friends and parents. My mother, for example had a dentist "fix" her tooth a while ago. Recently the problem occured again, and she went to another doc for a 2nd opinion. The doc told her that his "collegue", who my mom visited in the past, knew about this problem and didnt fully "fix" it ON PURPOSE, because this way he was guaranteed another visit from her when she would get worse.
I think there is something very wrong with the whole "medicine" system, and it is very sad that there is nothing a patient can do to set things right.
This leads me to wonder.. Is an average doc a gentle, kind man who's primary intention and desire is to help a patient and make him well, or a careful, calculating businessman who's primary intent is to make money, and then worry about everything else?
Off course I met good doctors in my life too, as in the case with the "stomach guy", but for the most part, I had good reason to write everything you see above.
Please, share your view on the matter and express your opinion, but do it in a mature and constructive way. If you got nothing better to say than "Go hide under the bed" - don't bother. I heard it too many times before on forums.
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