Are doctors Hippocrates or I mean hypocrites?
In the last ten years I have been disabled due to a drug "only an antibiotic" without getting any sort of warning as to the fact that this medicine could cause "permanent damage."
Why didn't they at least give me a head's up or a fact sheet or a simple "watch out for this or that?"
My observations of doctors in the last ten years since this damage occurred, changing my whole life, and my future, was that our healers have no time to both make money and do their jobs...well.
Only a few words and a phone call would have changed my whole situation, but that is not the game of medicine is it?
My doctor was young, probably still had student loans to pay off, and a life to lead, and making sure I knew that the medicine I was being given had the potential to cause life changing damage, was probably last on the list.
The failure of medicine in my case was simple, a warning, a phone call, communication: all things that could be done simply and easily if the doctor was not overworked and stressed.
Statistics in medicine are common, one day one thing helps 30% of the people, the next it's off the market or part of a class action lawsuit.
When the federal government decided to change the playing field to allow pharmaceutical companies the use of television and media to promote medicines that could potentially harm you, they may have just have legalized drugs.
Pharmerica we are now being called by some throughout the world as we are owned and operated by companies which can correct mainly erectile problems, sleep disorders, foot fungus, high cholesterol, depression, but not without the side effects of say, "death" and "permanent damage."
We cannot stop this onslaught of prescription medicines as now they are tied to corporate America and keep many television and most especially magazines going with their big time advertising dollars.
With doctors allowed little more than ten minutes to see a patient and a prescription pad to salve the concerns of the patient, I think there should be more statistics.
For instance, when my injury to my inner ear occurred, did somebody run to the pharmaceutical company and add my name to the list of people injured by this particular medicine?
Did the new statistics regarding my reactions to medications get back to the companies who provide these chemicals?
So, when you open up that slip of paper from the pharmacy or manufacturer rest assured it's outdated and there is little in the way of new information being gathered.
One medicine I personally was given and warned about had a 5% rate that it could effect my endocrine system. Well, it did.
Just because the rate is low, doesn't mean it couldn't happen to you. Somebody had these reactions listed, so therefore, it's all about the odds.
In fact, I researched that medicine after my reaction and found that I was given the wrong statistic: it was 5% of men and 12.9% of women. Being a woman, my risk was greater, but my doctor did not point that out.
Again, what can a doctor do except play the game?
When our local community gathered for the healthcare reform "town hall" meeting, they had to be corrected as many of these people thought reforming healthcare would be more than simply fixing a system of reimbursement and insurance for all.
People were more concerned as to how they are treated by their doctor and the medications they are being given, then the issues of costs. I found that very interesting.
Shush, says the government to the people.
When President Obama decided to reformulate the system of healthcare he wanted it done and fast. He pushed at this thing as he knew after bailing out the needy CEO's on Wall Street, that his popularity would dim quickly.
It did. I mean his popularity hit the skids and we have some specter of a monstrous federal program that will probably hurt us all in the end. And it was pushed through without being finished.
By finished, I mean, they left the door open for lobbyists and strong arm robbers like Pharmerica, and closed it on the American people and their concerns.
It's not the doctors, it's the government, as usual.
I try to imagine the doctors I have had to see over the last decade of ill health in a situation where they could see maybe five to ten patients a day, taking their time to know the patient, allow for more options for treatment, consider all else before the prescription path: then pay them well.
I imagine the attitude would change dramatically as they would not be stressed out and overworked, thereby, making mistakes or not being able to treat those with disorders that are out of the ordinary.
If you gave me a prescription pad and I believed all the statistics provided by Pharmerica, along with having little time, I would probably do the same thing.
Two problems: the studies on these medicines are checked by who, the federal government, meaning they are done to bring "cures" to the market as quickly as possible. That's the first problem.
Second problem is that a doctor doesn't have the time or energy to "follow up" and therefore doesn't know exactly what sorts of problems these medications are causing.
People don't always complain or even come back after a bad experience, so where are these numbers?
Yes, America you should be concerned about what has happened to our medical community. Now we see that doctors have hit the path of politics creating their own ideas about what should be done here in the United States.
We are not Canada nor the UK, we are America. Not the greatest country in the world, but one where you find people who will upset the apple pie cart to get something done right.
Healthcare reform will be difficult due to the many factions who want their money out of this industry which really holds the economy together. Oh, yes, that's right, the industry of medicine, be it "over the counter" or "behind the counter" is big stuff and that is why the President did what he did to push past the bulwark of big medicine business to get something going.
However, one President or one person, has an uphill battle to defeat the parasites residing in medical care everywhere.
We keep hearing about the doctor shortage, yet we don't encourage this particular profession with enough focus.
Get rid of their student loans, if one wants to become a doctor, then give them all the time and money they need based on the individuals ability to complete the long task of educating themselves in this profession.
Nurses too. (Note: there are many programs for nurses who want to continue their education, but that is obviously a scattered promise, as hospitals and colleges have programs to help, but again, if we really see the problem, help needs to get here fast as the numbers are drooping.)
Give these hard working people their share so they can share their "real potential" as a healer with their respective communities. Allow them to focus on the task at hand, and not what or when the health insurance companies decide is best. And certainly keep them out of politics as this is where many have lost their compassion and morality.
With gridlock in government, it's unlikely you will see action, more talk for years to come. And with the President Obama plan, the only consideration seems to be cost and keeping certain factions happy.
What does it cost to lose the trust of the American people. I guess we will find out soon...
