Just A Thought

[ladysprite]

The next time I go to the doctor with a nasty upper respiratory infection and he tells me not to take over-the-counter remedies because they're all lousy and ineffective, and that instead I should take his six-page handout of home remedies, would someone please remind me to smile nicely, nod, and then go home and take the damn sudafed anyway?

I'm an open-minded girl, and I'm sure that many of the home remedies are good ideas - I'm a big fan of tea with honey and lemon, and I know to drink lots of water and soup, and I've got a stash of rose hip tea and willowbark tea just because. But spending four hours unable to breathe reliably while contemplating his instructions to eat five raw cloves of garlic a day, gargle with cinnamon tea, and dose myself with slippery elm oil was just ridiculous. And where the heck would one even find slippery elm oil even if you wanted it?

So this morning, honey and lemon and cinnamon tea aside, I am breathing and happy thanks to the miracles of the modern chemical war on germs. I'm sure my doctor would be quite dissapointed in me, but at least I'll have enough air to speak my apology....

Comments

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Aiee. Upper respiratory is always a major pain. Hugs, kiddo.

[tpau]

did the doctor say anythign about impending bronchitus or pneumonia?

also ,didyou get my email with choli bits?

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

It's definitely bronchitis, but so far no signs of pneumonia. And he doesn't think it's bacterial, so pretty much all he told me to do was suck it up and deal. Not the most helpful visit, but at least I feel better knowing it should run it's course pretty quickly.

Email with choli info recieved; I'm actually about to start pinning it together. Wish me luck....

[tpau]

well, knowign is good. and as my grandma always said. teas is good. tea cures all ills. esp when taken withthe proper medication :)

good luck. it isn't hard, jsut convoluted. clip corners, it makes thisngs work so much better! (why yes, i learned this after nto doignit for hte first prototype...

[spiritdancer]

This is the same doc who keeps telling you the same thing ("it's not bacterial, but it's bronchitis. or pneumonia.")? So, did he do anything sensible, like check your peak flow, at this visit?

_M_

(/me is wondering if this doctor has ever heard of asthmatic bronchitis)

[jtdiii.livejournal.com]

You are a vet. Thus you have undergone a great deal of medical training on the effects of various medicines on animals and how double blind tests for effectiveness are performed.

When confronted with a doctor who is pushing the herbal remedies instead of over the counter ones, ask him or her what the actual studies on their herb of the month club cure has actually been... Yes there have been a large number of traditional remedies that have been proven to be useful. However the vast majority of them have little to no effect other than as a placebo.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

seconded. If I had a doctor do to me what yours did to you, s/he wouldn't be my doctor anymore. (says Ann, the overly scientifically-trained one...)

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Ayuh. Anything can work, but some notion of proven effectiveness is a good thing.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine's mother worked for a doctor who went "wierd" and started prescribing things like pitch. When they checked up, his qulifications were forged, and he had only been runnin a popular (2x as many patients as recommended) practice for 30-odd years.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

No shit. It's fine to suggest naturopathic remedies, but this doctor seems to be forgetting the first line of his oath: "First, do no harm". Leaving a patient with bronchitis unable to breathe properly is definitely doing harm.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Sounds overly idealistic and unrealistic... I hope you're feeling better!