Getting hard to trust some doctors

squatting dog

squatting dog

We don't have as far to go, as we've already been
Location
Arkansas, and also Florida
Had my 6 month blood work done and got the results yesterday. Good news was most all results were on the good side. Then came the frown and showing me the LDEL cholesterol result. Hmmm, 139 he says. That's in the borderline high range. We better get you on statins. No chance dude. I've studied this thoroughly and found that they keep changing the number. (lowering it of course).

I remembered the article from Dr Joseph Pizzorno a credible source of info... The Vilification of Cholesterol (for Profit?) - PMC

Here's what he said...
The recommended cholesterol levels changed from 300 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Those who have read my editorials over the years will know that I am not a wild-eyed, far-left anticapitalist. Nonetheless, the only justification I can see for the new cholesterol practice management guidelines (discussed below) is to print money for drug companies. Truly, how can anyone think we need to prescribe statins to 50% of the population older than 40?! In order to justify this extreme position, data had to be distorted and cholesterol vilified.
 

I have noticed that over the years they want everyone on cpap machines and diabetes medicine even when you don't have diabetes and statins. And if you don't want to be on these things they want to know why and try to talk you into it. Since I can't take statins and refuse them my doc has me listed as non compliant.

I had trouble with the metformin too. Also listed as non compliant. I'm sorry but I'm not just gonna take whatever the hell he tells me to just because. Whoever typed in all the information on my drug allergies left things off so when he looks at penicillin it says vomiting and he wants me to take it. I have severe vomitting with hives and other things.

Then he calls me a liar because he thinks I'm making up stories and he doesn't know what to believe. I've had these allergies my entire life. Why would I make crap up? He's a total ahole but there's nobody else I can go to that our insurance will take.

I don't trust them either.
 
I'm fortunate, that I have got to 70 ears old and take no blood pressure pills or diabetes meds..or anythng usually associated with people my age.. so when I'm asked what meds I;m on by a doctor or consultant and indeed pharmacists , they are always surprised...when I say none...

However I agree that Doctors seem to know less and less about their medicine or ailments et al...

For example for the last 12-18 months I have seen 3 seperate doctors at our local surgery..( we never get to see the same doctors these days)... and while there asked about a lump on my arm that was getting bigger and just not going away regardless of how I treated it..

I was told just to put a hot flannel on it.. by one... a second doctor a few months later said '' use hydrocortisone cream... the 3rd looked at it, and just shook her head, don't know, she shrugged.....

Earlier this month I had an appt to see a dermatologist about something else.. and while there I asked her if she would look at this lump on my arm... immediately she said , that 's a Classic Basal Cell Carcinoma..! that will have to be removed

She's wide eyed when I told her what the previous GP's had said
 
Last edited:
I was at the doctor on Thursday for test results. According to my Dr. the HDL was a little high. She said she didn't mind because my LDL was so good. I could have mixed those up but anyhow the good cholesterol was very good. I'm glad she didn't start trying to push those awful statins on me. I can't take them anyhow because they always cause me upper leg pain and debilitaingly! I still have some pain from the low dose statin I was taking a few years ago. They should do a long term study on what those statins do to a person's body!
 
Aunt Bea said:
I take a statin and have had no obvious ill effects from them.

I take a boatload of drugs everyday, try to eat right and exercise.

So far I’ve been ok and managed to stay out of the emergency room as I inch my way to the finish line. 🪦

In a few more years it won’t matter if I took the recommended drugs or not. 😉🤭😂
Click to expand...
Same here. My grandmother passed of a stroke at 71 in the early 70s. Had she been on BP meds, statins and other modern meds, I believe with all my heart that she would have lived much longer.
 
hollydolly said:
I'm fortunate, that I have got to 70 ears old and take no blood pressure pills or diabetes meds..or anythng usually associated with people my age.. so when I'm asked what meds I;m on by a doctor or consultant and indeed pharmacists , they are always surprised...when I say none...

However I agree that Doctors seem to know less and less about their medicine or ailments et al...

For example for the last 12-18 months I have seen 3 seperate doctors at our local surgery..( we never get to see the same doctors these days)... and while there asked about a lump on my arm that was getting bigger and just not going away regardless of how I treated it..

I was told just to put a hot flannel on it.. by one... a second doctor a few months later said '' use hydrocortisone cream... the 3rd looked at it, and just shook her head, don't know, she shrugged.....

Earlier this month I had an appt to see a dermatologist about something else.. and while there I asked her if she would look at this lump on my arm... immediately she said , that 's a Classic Basal Cell Carcinoma..! that will have to be removed

She's wide eyed when I told her what the previous GP's had said
Click to expand...
Was there a biopsy done?
 
True, in the 1960s, the average life expectancy was 70, compared to 78 today, from most sources I've looked at. It's partly due to advances in medicine. [And maybe more people regularly see doctors now thanthen.]

But, I've read recent studies suggesting that statin use may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. I don't know - I have no medical training - but my mother started taking statins at age 43 and continued until her late 70s, and sometime around then she developed Alzheimer's. I'm not saying statins caused her Alzheimer's, but obviously in her case, they didn't prevent it. They may have prevented a heart attack or stroke, but those are different matters.
 
I've known very few people who have consulted with a medical specialist or surgeon who have come out any better and usually worse. An aunt of mine had back problems and has had several surgeries. In one the surgeon put what she called "a cage" on her spine. Ever since she's been in excruciating pain. Every operation she's had makes it worse and worse. She is just about crippled now.

Also, several other people I am acquainted with have had knee replacements and are in worse shape than before.

Makes me think twice about even going to a PCP for treatment.
 
Sounds like one of many so called 'professionals' who rarely or never update their skills in this case keep up on studies, news etc in the industry. I've seen it with mechanics, plumbers, lawyers. Some think all they need to get by in life is what they were taught in school wether it be high school, a trade school, college something like med school.

Throw in the CYAers who are probably of the much of the learned everything they need in school crowd a patient will wind up with very aggressive treatment to say the least in this case.

But staying up to date and keeping more than one tool in the box is being professional.
 
It's worth noting that longevity has increased greatly through the years. Diet, clean water, and medicine are key to that.

Some are blessed genetically. Others need help. Blood pressure is a great example - it's to be expected that at our age that we might need help. It's a simple little pill, and you can easily measure the difference they make.

This isn't a black and white issue. We all ought to be listening to our medical professionals. Get the tests. Examine the numbers.
 
If we listened and took everything our doctors wanted us to take, we would be a "walking pharmacy" and I refuse to do it!

I had a friend that took bone loss medication and had bone loss and lost the enamel on her teeth. Because of this, I told my doctor I did not want anything for bone loss. Well, he claimed he was prescribing Vitamin D for me to take. My pharmacy called and said my drug was ready to pick up. I don't remember the name of the drug but I looked it up and it was a bone loss drug. I told them I wasn't getting it and I didn't.
 
debodun said:
I've known very few people who have consulted with a medical specialist or surgeon who have come out any better and usually worse. An aunt of mine had back problems and has had several surgeries. In one the surgeon put what she called "a cage" on her spine. Ever since she's been in excruciating pain. Every operation she's had makes it worse and worse. She is just about crippled now.
Click to expand...
On my dad's side of the family, back problems run rampant. None of us have surgery because a few generations of experience, and we figured out that the chances of a bad outcome is about 2/3 operations. Reading up on it as I have, has not changed my mind.
 
I wish I hadn't been discouraged from taking bone meds when I was younger and had osteopenia, because just vit D and calcium didn't help enough and it progressed to osteoporosis and I shrunk a couple inches in height and now I have to deal with lumbar spinal stenosis. I did do the bone meds after the osteoporosis+shrinking, so I might as well have done them sooner and avoided some issues.

I worry about statins too, but there are some intelligent sounding YouTubes about determining the good/bad cholesterol ratio and using that number to decide, and also there are more expensive tests (not covered by insurance) to determine the quantity of tiny cholesterol (that's not the right technical term but its all that I can remember) which apparently is a very good indicator of when to go on statins.
 
I have been really fortunate with my doctors since 2009. They are knowledgeable and trustworthy. They are interventional cardiologists and family practitioners who also practice geriatric medicine. Everyone is board-certified, and that is great (and required by me) but I got screwed over by a board-certified physician prior to 2009. That guy dismissed women's health problems as being from stress.
 
WheatenLover said:
On my dad's side of the family, back problems run rampant. None of us have surgery because a few generations of experience, and we figured out that the chances of a bad outcome is about 2/3 operations. Reading up on it as I have, has not changed my mind.
Click to expand...

I had a bad situation with my back, and was advised to have some vertebrae fused. I didn't want that, and battled through. My back eventually got better, and I'm without back pain these days. Some things need careful consideration.
 
VaughanJB said:
I had a bad situation with my back, and was advised to have some vertebrae fused. I didn't want that, and battled through. My back eventually got better, and I'm without back pain these days. Some things need careful consideration.
Click to expand...
The human body has remarkable recuperative powers if given the chance. Of course there are times when medical intervention is advisable.
 
VaughanJB said:
This isn't a black and white issue. We all ought to be listening to our medical professionals. Get the tests. Examine the numbers.
Click to expand...

That and take your test results and examine them closely. There is enough information out there to help you make a decision about what treatment or medication is best for you. Don't just trust someone who may or may not be an actual doctor. There are a lot of PA's (Physician Assistants) and NP's (Nurse Practitioners) that can work under a single doctors blanket.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top