apology to millions

kcvet said:
only if i want to live
Click to expand...

But what about quality of life?

Maybe it's just because I've known and seen too many people end up existing instead of living by getting all these tests. Admittedly I'm not up on the PSA but I would imagine that, given Lon's experience, one thing leads to another in terms of tests, and I wouldn't have the patience for them all.

I'm currently watching my roommate go through The System and it's pathetic and painful to watch. She's on 20 or so meds, they're scheduling her for endless rounds of tests, and it seems the doctors like to play a game of fighting each others diagnoses. One doc strokes his chin, says "Hmmm ..." and sends her two towns away (on a bus, in 90-degree weather) to get Test A. The following day another doc twiddles his fingers and decides she needs Test B, one town away in the opposite direction, at a time when the buses don't even run.

Today she had a test that involved an iodine tracer. She's had bad reactions to iodine in the past and didn't want the test. When I asked her why she didn't refuse it, she just shrugged her shoulders and said "That would mess everything up". So instead, she almost fainted on the way home.

No consideration for the patient's condition, only that she be able to get to the test location.

Then when they get the results, more often than not they STILL waver and hem and haw and say "We're not really sure, it could be this or it could be that", and what do they do then? More tests, not really for medical reasons but mainly to CTA.

And if by some miracle you get to the real treatment stage, after your humiliation and frustration has reached an all-time high, then you'll find out that they STILL hedge their bets and that there are far more side-effects than they let on. You end up living the rest of your life on pills and office visits for "follow ups".

I know that sometimes it all works out, but the way I've seen it the odds are better at Atlantic City than in the medical domain.
 
I'm of the same mindset as Phil and Doug. I have little respect for these tests, and having them does not always determine if you live or die. I've done without almost all the "preventative" annual testings that line the pockets of the medical community and the pharmaceutical companies. Having a high score on a PSA test, doesn't mean you're going to die...of course they have pen in hand to write you refillable prescription medications to cope with your horrible problem.

An enlarged prostate, and even prostate cancer in a man's old age, does not mean death for him, and it doesn't mandate repetitive tests and pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of his life to deal with it. It's a very common and natural occurrence and is rarely lethal in itself. If that's what you feel comfortable with, then by all means, go that route...but for others, make your own personal decisions on your health and living in your golden years.
 

SifuPhil said:
But what about quality of life?

Maybe it's just because I've known and seen too many people end up existing instead of living by getting all these tests. Admittedly I'm not up on the PSA but I would imagine that, given Lon's experience, one thing leads to another in terms of tests, and I wouldn't have the patience for them all.

I'm currently watching my roommate go through The System and it's pathetic and painful to watch. She's on 20 or so meds, they're scheduling her for endless rounds of tests, and it seems the doctors like to play a game of fighting each others diagnoses. One doc strokes his chin, says "Hmmm ..." and sends her two towns away (on a bus, in 90-degree weather) to get Test A. The following day another doc twiddles his fingers and decides she needs Test B, one town away in the opposite direction, at a time when the buses don't even run.

Today she had a test that involved an iodine tracer. She's had bad reactions to iodine in the past and didn't want the test. When I asked her why she didn't refuse it, she just shrugged her shoulders and said "That would mess everything up". So instead, she almost fainted on the way home.

No consideration for the patient's condition, only that she be able to get to the test location.

Then when they get the results, more often than not they STILL waver and hem and haw and say "We're not really sure, it could be this or it could be that", and what do they do then? More tests, not really for medical reasons but mainly to CTA.

And if by some miracle you get to the real treatment stage, after your humiliation and frustration has reached an all-time high, then you'll find out that they STILL hedge their bets and that there are far more side-effects than they let on. You end up living the rest of your life on pills and office visits for "follow ups".

I know that sometimes it all works out, but the way I've seen it the odds are better at Atlantic City than in the medical domain.
Click to expand...

ok ok you've talked yourself out of it.
 
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