They are not all "educated equal"...
The OP thread x yesterday re: Hound's doctor visit prompted this post.
If a Doc tells you something confusing ask him/her to provide medical literature (not pharmaceutical flyers) or direct you to valid web resource (ie. not just google) like cdc.gov or emedicine or UpToDate.

There is misinformation & lack of evidence-based updates by many physicians.

Good luck.

So many physicians, not all, but a LOT throw that shit at you.

One thing I write about, (blog,) is being your own advocate and studying up on your probs yourself as well. (Don't self diagnose, that's not what I'm saying, but if they diagnose you with something, study up on it! There are books and plenty of reliable sources out there.)

I spent a year studying up on neurological stuff and therapy for stuff because EVERY ONE of the 100+ doctors I saw about it suggested something different. Music therapy was the answer, as well as a few other things.

Had to figure it out on my own bc nothing worked.

Either way, when going into your next appointment, study the hell outta' the stuff and over time, learn how to guide the appointment with the right questions, and don't let them push you off with 'what the books say' bs. You know yourself better than any doc, and at least try to know all you can. If it's a little off, they'll correct you, but go in knowing your s*** or they will take advantage.

I've practiced this, and the second something intelligent comes out of my mouth that's on their level, (I work to speak on theirs, in their language, and with their terms, right at the beginning of the appts,) their facial expression changes, their posture changes, and the appointment changes. It also gives them confidence that they can talk to you like a grown adult as if you're an educated individual/colleague. (Though I wasn't, they at least knew I wasn't going to just take some extra pills so I would shut up.)

I do respect their time, but you're paying, so you're (respectfully) the boss.

The doctor was just trying to scare me into practicing safe sex.
That's all.  
You nuts blew it way out of proportion.

And now I know why....

You and I, my friend, are brothers.. Nooky told me yesterday..

That raises two questions...

1. Who is our mother...?

2. Who is the guy who I have been calling dad all these years..?

*Edited for Grammar..

-- Modified on 8/30/2013 9:49:21 AM

Doctors are very busy people. They often cannot give your medical problem the time and attention it requires. Many illnesses, conditions, etc share overlapping signs and symptoms. They use expressions like "common things occur commonly" and "when you hear hoof-beats first think of horses, not zebras."  in creating a differential diagnosis; physicians usually go with what, to them, seems most likely based on what your signs and symptoms most commonly represent within their medical specialty and they may be incorrect. Do your own research utilizing reputable sources and ask questions predicated on that research. It may cause them to consider something they might otherwise have overlooked.  Then, get a second opinion

Scheduling patients back to back because they keep having to come back due to lack of proper diagnosis... because the doctors are too busy.

Schedule more time with these people docs, and maybe you won't be so busy in the long run. Wait. Could be a money issue. Not against all docs, but in every profession, even this one, money money money.

Regarding diagnosing based on common symptoms. Yes, symptoms overlap. Dehydration can make you hallucinate, and lack of sleep can throw you into psychosis, hallucinations, depression, anxiety, seizures, etc. etc.

This is totally off subject from sex. Maybe someone will benefit from it, lolol, but it's really good to know what is going on in your life. Diet, sleep patterns, stress, hydration, climate, which can dehydrate, etc.

Off my soap box with this one.

My boys, you both deserve to know the truth. Actually, you are only half brothers.  Hound was spawned as a result of a tryst I had with Raquel Welch, during a "lay-over" in LA.  Curly was birthed by Fanne Fox with whom I canoodled just after she caused the resignation of Cong. Wilbur Mills.  I have sired children across the globe during my travels as a merchant semen, er, seaman, and an International Amb-ass-ador of Good Will.  Many of these hatchlings are unknown to me, but I can say with authority that your older brother is Anthony Bourdain, you have a sister who calls herself Madonna and a distant relative with the last name of Bin Laden (burkhas can be quite sexy, you know).
Aren't you glad you asked?

I've got a greeting card for you.

Breaking the news
Front - Who's your daddy?
Inside - The paternity test says I'm not the father, but I love you anyway.

n 99% of HIV cases, it will show up in six months. So, if you have had sex within six months of taking the test, then your negative result may be inaccurate. That is why it is best to get tested once, then again 5 months later, provided you've not had sex even ONCE in that time. I think that's all the doctor was trying to tell him. If a doctor knows you are highly active with different partners, they basically think you're wasting money to get tested only twice a year

doctor.

Nor are all of them looking out for the best interest of their patients. My personal physician gave up on the BS with me many years ago.

to know that Ms. Steele was nowhere involved...

There are distinctions in (A) routine testing & (B) Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
Routine testing is for everyone (not high risk exposures).  Example: Anyone who got blood transfusion prior to 1994.  

PEP is for the Healthcare worker, pregnant mom going into labor says she has HIV & never took meds (baby at risk), Sex-trade worker & client, who had high risk exposure: condom broke, blood or semen through mucosa, etc.

The 99% sensitive rapid HIV antibody test takes 20 mins to give you a "result" but will NOT tell you if you "got" it.  In that situation YOU have to decide if risk of exposure was HIGH enough to take a 3 drug regimen.   The 3 drug regimen if taken w/in 1-6 hrs of exposure can prevent the virus from entering your T-cells and infecting them.  But the virus has already spread w/in 1st 2 hrs & reaches all organs w/in 6 hrs.

So....you take the PEP, puke your guts out, re-test in 2 weeks, then 4-6 weeks, then 3 months, then 6 months.  IF all tests neg- x 6 months  = you did not get HIV; stop PEP meds.

What is high risk exposure?  Maybe it's the caliber of escort you see; does the girl or guy do iv drugs, have unprotected sex w/ men & women socially, bathhouse orgies, etc.

IF not "high risk" exposure, most roll the dice, don't take PEP meds & pray to GOD all their tests return negative.

This is mute point for the "hobby".  
HIV rates per unprotected sexual act w/ HIV+ partner is less than 0.01%.  
It's HSV-1, HSV-2, HPV, Syphillis, & Hepatitis B one should keep in mind .

Absolutely accurate, with the current state of tests and Rxs.  the valuable warning is the last sentence.  It is all the other stds which one should always keep in mind.  Especially if you are female, remember certain stds can cause sterility or lead to cancer (true for guys as well, but manifested differently).  Maybe this is my favorite post of all time.

Yikes.... as one of my surgeon friends once said... "to cut, is to cure!"

by doing your own research you can evaluate the information and how much you believe the results.  Many make the unfortunate mistake of assuming that science always is correct or leaves no doubt on study or experiment results.  Not true - there is always some uncertainty.

by the way, once a Dr finishes med school, the science (art) of medicine, pharmacology and pathology still keeps changing.  gotta stay up to date... and most (unless in a teaching hospital) have neither the time nor the incentive to really stay up to date.

END OF MESSAGE

"In March of 2000 the 40-year-old mother of seven was alone in her cabin when her labor started. She assumed her birthing position by sitting up and leaning forward. At midnight after 12 hours of continual pain and little advancement in labor and rather than experience another fetal death that occurred from her last pregnancy she decided to operate on herself. She drank  3 small glasses of hard liquor . She then grabbed a 15-cm knife and began to cut. She sawed through skin, fat and muscle and after operating on herself for an hour she reached inside her uterus and pulled out her baby boy who breathed and cried immediately. She says she cut his umbilical cord with a pair of scissors and then passed out.  

http://listverse.com/2008/12/09/top-10-incredible-self-surgeries/

I apologize for my rants on doctors, generalizing a high percentage of them as 'uncaring' and coming across as though they're all 'out for the money'.

It was a generalization, yes, based on my experiences. But I commend the ones who are out there with ethical purposes, or the purpose of having an elite job. By no means have I met many lazy doctors.

In many cases, I have been blamed for faking things... if only they knew a pretty 31 year old (then) would want a normal life. (I have an awesome one now!)

There have been a few who were AMAZING. Some not the best bedside manner, but swore by results others declined, and fixed the problem due to their skill and by sticking by their diagnoses. (that's plural)

I've also worked with many who were genuine people, very nice, and treated me like a queen, always complimenting me and thanking me for my work.

I get mad when I hear stories like the ones I heard on the board. Just as CPA gets pissed when bad financial advise is given LOL.

xoxo to all you doc's who are out there for good, and are treating the ladies well. Prob won't get doc clients, LOL, which is fine, I just wanted to say an apology for generalizing. I had a doctor prescribe ear drops instead of eye drops once, but I couldn't go to the pharmacy to pick it up bc I wasn't able to drive yet for health reasons. He drove to the pharmacy for me and came to my door to drop the eyedrops off personally and asked how I was doing. That was sweet, and I will never forget it.

Also had one who was super smart and could point things out exactly when I talked to him. (These things were already verified, but I never told him until after he told me what he thought it was.)

Anyway, in my case, if I go to the wrong kind of doctor, I really can't blame them for guessing, though I went to the right kind many times. It's an extremely difficult profession, I'm sure. I just wish they had more time to think and ponder instead of having an assembly line of patients.

I still hate going though, LOL.