How do I convince my general prac. doc to give me what specialists won't?

[Deja Q]

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The eczema is too much. I can't help but to scratch. Incresingly I scratch to bleeding and it gets infected. Last month I nearly had gone to hospital because of a finger infection.

I get cysts on my head all the time because of this. Cysts that, when they burst, leave bald patches in their wake. x(

As we speak, I have THREE infected areas: Two on right leg which are bright pink, and another on my left arm - whose bright pink color is spreading down the arm. But no area is puffy and there are no red streaks... And I managed to eke out some of the pus for two of the three areas, but it might be too late...

I recently discovered that cortizone prescrip ointments and even pills can be given. Why the hell not? This is frigging agonizing.

I have an appointment with a new demotologist, but that's not until Oct-frigging-ober. The previous two weren't all that great (though I've dealt with people who are total quacks), with the second one not even giving me a chance to SPEAK. x( And our medical industry is supposed to be great, does anybody have a bridge they can sell me too? :eyes:

I have an appt with my main doc on Monday for this and another problem. How do I convince him passive-aggressively that getting the cortizone pill or whatever is worth it? Indeed, the drugs exist so why won't they prescribe them?

As it stands, I haven't a fever worth worrying over yet (98.9, my normal temp is 97.2) and I'll admit I've been feeling woozy the last couple of days (could be fatigue or the other condition I'm seeing him for tomorrow). I might just go to the UrgentCare clinic tomorrow and save the ER's high fee if nothing improves...

Thx!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Get thee to a holistic physician

because only that kind of MD can really figure out what is going on with your body. Holistic physicians look at the entire body, and work on keeping you healthy rather than merely treating symptoms. They check for allergies and prescribe diets, use herbs and, if needed, prescription medications. Check out the American Holistic Medical Association for a list of docs in your area.

[DemExpat]

3. I second this suggestion!

I obtain the best healthcare advice and treatment with holistic medicine. Diet, herbs, Homeopathy, and counselling have all been very positive tools for me and my family, along with prescription meds in some instances.

Good luck, though, Hypnotoad, your discomfort sounds pretty extreme. :hug:

DemEx

[Mnemosyne]

2. I've been ill and misdiagnosed for years

finally found out mercury poisoning and thyroid. All endocrine glands functioning poorly and failing.


Low temp more accurate of bad thyroid than lab work, causes skin conditions as does mercury toxicity.

Please get checked.

holistic is good also, better than poisons pharm. fill us with.

[Doctor Smith]

5. Low temperature is not an accurate indication of hypothyroidism,

and is not a sufficient reason to consume thyroid extracts, which can have long term side effects, including (ironically) hypothyroidism.

[Mnemosyne]

12. didn't advocate thyroid extracts, that's self medicating

Have done MUCH research on this.

Check http://health.allrefer.com/health
Dr. Broda Barnes
"The Lancet" August 3,2002 issue

I could go on but it's not difficult to find the info on line.

I am being treated by a physician, not some quack, and he is disgusted at the rigid ideas of most Md's regarding lab tests written in stone.

People need to be treated for symptoms and not just a range of #'s.

This Dr. is trying to save my life right now, due to the negligence of others in the med field for the last few years.

Much info on this if time is taken to look.

[lumpy]

40. Mercury poisoning ?

I am interested in how this came about. I worked in the dental profession for some years and handled (literally) mercury. I have medical problems that doctors find difficult to diagnose.

[Mnemosyne]

48. I just gave research to Mom

Dad used bichloride of mercury for about 20yrs in milk hauling business and had symtoms.

I will get back and let you know some links by private mess.

serious problem if you worked in dental field, though ADA denies it exists.

will get back to you Lumpy

[caledesi]

4. OK, this is what you do.

Go to your PCP (Primary Care Phy)and tell him/her to refer you to a specialist. If he/she balks, you say "ok, then please given me a written statement as to why I don't need a specialist" because I am going to one and pay on my own.

My friend taught me this little trick and it has worked for him.

[Doctor Smith]

6. Are you using an over the counter cortisone ointment?

A prescription cortisone ointment will not be significantly more effective.

[Deja Q]

7. Yes - has little effect.

:-(

[Doctor Smith]

8. I'm sure your GP can offer you appropriate treatments options,

including oral steroids or antibiotics, if justified.

Have you tried dandruff shampoo for your scalp?

[Deja Q]

9. Constantly

The scalp problem started 1.5 years ago. Been rather annoying since. :-(

Luxiq worked for a while but then stopped. Olux, a variant of Luxiq, didn't work at all. :-(

[supernova]

10. My sister has eczema

really bad. She gets big blotches all over her arms and legs, and it is exacerbated by stress. When I stayed at here house over easter, she was even putting cream under her fingernails. :-(

She gets steroidal creams from the dermatologist. And she gets a different one for her scalp. Though I don't remember her complaining about her hair falling out.

And I think she sees someone who specializes in eczema and seborrhea. I hope you can find someone like that where you are Hypnotoad.

[Mnemosyne]

35. steroids and antibiotics

The misuse and overuse of antibiotics has caused the development of super bacteria that are responding to NO antibiotics,

Steroids cause terrible side effects used for very long

speaking from experience and research

[NashVegas]

14. Try it On Top of Neosporin (cream)

..

[Stephanie]

31. Neosporin can make it worse! If you're allergic.

Be careful with the neosporin - it can cause excema in some people.

[sendero]

28. I'll try not to bore you....

.... by asking if you are eschewing dairy products. Because food allergies are probably at the root of your problem and dairy is particularly implicated in eczema.

I hope you can get the treatment you need, and you probably can if you say the right things to your doctor. I'd tell you what the right things were but it varies from doctor to doctor :)

[MrsMatt]

11. For what it's worth

I've experienced some similar symptoms (the scalp blisters). I tried many dandruff shampoos but was turned on to the Rusk "Purify" shampoo (with tea tree oil) and haven't had an episode in 1 1/2 years.

[pagerbear]

13. What possible motivation could a GP have

...not NOT refer you to a specialist when you need one? God, the health care system in the US is so fucked!

"How do I convince him passive-aggressively that getting the cortizone pill or whatever is worth it?" Why the passive-aggressive business? Why not discuss with him forthrightly your symptoms, your research, and any questions you have, including questions about the choices he makes? Yes, it's difficult if you're not accustomed to talking with a doctor that way, but it's really worth it!

[lojasmo]

15. Steroids are not at all without risk.

Especially if you're infected, you don't want to be on them. They supress your immune system, among other VERY bad things.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

16. Dude, I go in and ask for something...

and they usually give it to me, I mean, within reason. I heard about this pen thing on the radio the other day. If I hear the commercial again, I'll let you know. It's over the counter.
Duckie

[arwalden]

17. Beware Of Quacks And Recommendations To Visit Quacks

Miracle "cures" that "mainstream medicine" tries to "hide from you" are never what they seem to be.

If holistic and herbal remedies actually had any worth (beyond placebo effect and unproven-untested anecdotal "evidence") then it stands to reason that the (money grubbing) mainstream doctors and (money grubbing) physicians would all be rushing to package and sell these remedies too. --- Yet they don't, so this should be a red flag as to the safety and efficacy of these so-called remedies.

Explore the Quackwatch site and you'll find out how these holistic "doctors" and herbalists manage to get around FDA regulations by being very vague and non-committal. Indeed many of these remedies cause more harm that good.

I don't know the answer to the problem with your doctor and in getting the prescription you think you need. If you feel your doctor is not right for you, then the obvious solution would be to search around and find another doctor. A REAL doctor who better understands your needs and that you can develop a good relationship with.

Good luck to you.

-- Allen

Questionable Organizations:
http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/nonrecorg.html

Eczema Search:
http://www.quackwatch.org/search/webglimpse.cgi?ID=1&query=eczema

[arwalden]

21. Some Additional Thoughts...

I have yet to read one convincing study of any alternative medical therapy curing a serious disease like cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, AIDS or Parkinson's disease.

Modern medicine, with all its advances, has not come up with a cure for them, yet many alternative practitioners claim a very high success rate in curing such diseases. I wish it were so, because it would be a wonderful thing. Imagine if homeopathic medicine did indeed cure pneumonia or if a macrobiotic diet cured cancer.

Think how many billions of dollars could be saved in medical costs. But if alternative medicine were truly effective, then Gary Null, Andrew Weil and Deepra Chopra would have shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine a long time ago.

Modern medicine may not be perfect. Doctors sometimes make terrible mistakes. Many drugs are over-prescribed and can have disastrous side effects. People can, and do, die unnecessarily in hospitals. There are doctors who are greedy, incompetent and unsympathetic. Some surgical operations are not necessary. --- Doctors often don't spend enough time getting to know their patients. But despite the faults of modern medicine, it is infinitely better than the quackery of alternative medicine, which claims miraculous cures for serious illnesses without presenting any clinical evidence to prove those claims.

http://www.randi.org/jr/101102.html

[DemExpat]

24. If avoiding milk products, using black current oil, bathing

in spring water, using calandula or aloe vera helps, why not?

It does sometimes take some time and effort for complementary approaches to provide complete relief - possibly one reason why many people say it doesn't work at all - classic American impatience, wanting it all now, perhaps?



It is advice like Dr Weil's that has pointed me in the right direction for finding my relief.



Just kindly sharing this knowledge to someone asking for other's advice and experience for very uncomfortable symptoms, and with little help from a regular doctor so far....

Let people make up their own minds and hearts out of diverse choices is my way of thinking.

DemEx

[arwalden]

25. Anecdotal "Evidence" Is Not Really Evidence.

The "time and effort" you mention before "relief" is obtained can be attributed to the "doctor's" desire for more money... or it could simply be that the condition has run it's course.

"See, Allen. Your chest cold went away. It must have been those pebbles I told you to hold in your mouth. THEY REALLY WORK! I know it took a whole week... but think how bad it would have been otherwise."

He would be wise to stay away from the quacks you recommend.

-- Allen

[DemExpat]

37. Sorry, conditons helped with Homeopathy have been chronic...

not just in myself but with my children and pets.....

sinus infections that went on for years for my son
epilepsy and hearing loss in my dog
chronic anxiety and depression
menopausal discomforts
etc.

Personal experience IS excellent evidence!

DemEx

[arwalden]

42. Just Continue To Chew Rocks Until Your 24 Hour Diarrhea Passes...

then you can attribute its passing (running its course) to the magical rocks you were chewing. That "secret remedy that mainstream medicine doesn't want you to know about" sure did work. Knock yourself out, Pat.

No, Pat... "personal experience" is nothing. It's anecdotal. It's worthless. -- Well not entirely worthless... it's a basis for conducting something a bit more scientific to find out if there's a genuine cause and effect. But by itself, as the sole source of "proof"... it's totally meaningless. A sham.

-- Allen

[Dogmudgeon]

38. Clinical Medicine is based entirely on "anecdotal evidence"

Also, Quackwatch promotes its own form of quackery; and James Randi, as entertaining and educational as he is, is a magician, not a physician.

The solution? Don't trust either The Authorities or the "rebels" with your life. A healthy patient is a well-educated patient.

--bkl

[arwalden]

41. One Does Not Need To BE A Fraud To SPOT A Fraud.

Your analogy and comparison is illogical and fails to make sense. How does James Randi's previous career as an illusionist make him any less believable as one who exposes fraud and lies? That's just a silly thing to say.

The quacks rely on desparate and fearful people to practice their craft of lies and deception. They are the ones most likely to believe the "here's-the-cure-that-the-FDA-doesn't-want-you-to-know-about" hype and tinfoil hat crap.

[Dogmudgeon]

44. No shortage of quackery on either side

One of the primary methods of inquiry promoted by the "anti-quackery" movement is its dependence on medical authorities. James Randi is well-qualified at spotting frauds, but has no special expertise in evaluating new medical treatments. When he demands that only accepted members of the medical community should have any say at all in health matters, he automatically disqualifies himself.

Mischaracterizing what I wrote and condescendingly calling it "silly" does not change the fact that Randi's own expertise is in deception, not in medicine. It is valuable, but it is not medical.

In fact, the point I made was simple: no one should accept medical authority of any kind without subjecting it to as much scrutiny as they can. While the alternative medical field has a far greater number of brazen quacks operating under its aegis, the "orthodoxy" has its own heavily stained reputation to face down, and uses the mojo of respectability to minimize its culpability.

James Randi and Steve Barrett avoid those issues, and their work suffers greatly from that selectivity.

--bkl

[arwalden]

45. I Disagree... "Silly" Was The Correct Word.

Randi's expertise is in SPOTTING deception and REVEALING and EXPOSING deception. Your well chosen and skillfully crafted sentence makes it appears as though Randi is the one doing the deceiving. (Or was that accidental?)

Really? It's the "medical authorities" that Randi depends on. He's just taking their word for it, eh? No testing, no scientific method, no double blind tests, no nothing... just taking their word. Still the homeopath quacks don't subject themselves to such tests. (A waste of time! It worked for my wife... SHE TOLD ME. And there you have it. PROOF that chewing on my magic pebbles cure diarrhea.)

Clinical Medicine is based entirely on "anecdotal evidence"

Wow! Really? I'm sure all the participants in double blind testing of AIDS and cancer drugs will be disappointed to learn that all their efforts have been for nothing. When all along the only thing medicine has been based on was (as you pointed out) "anecdotal evidence".

I simply don't know where to begin. You pretty much laid it out squarely for everyone to see and read. I honestly don't know how one can do much "mischaracterizing" with that profound bit of wisdom that you chose to share with us. (But I'm sure you'll accuse me of it anyway.)

Frankly, the word "silly" sums it up perfectly without the necessity to go into great detail. Reasonable people can come to their own conclusions about that, and don't need me (or anyone else) to point out the obvious.

One of the primary methods of inquiry promoted by the "anti-quackery" movement is its dependence on medical authorities. James Randi is well-qualified at spotting frauds, but has no special expertise in evaluating new medical treatments. When he demands that only accepted members of the medical community should have any say at all in health matters, he automatically disqualifies himself.

Bullshit. Totally absurd nonsense. Grasping at straws.

Should Randi also disqualify themselves for pointing out that magnet-therapy is quackery? After all, they are not expert magneto therapists themselves, then why should we trust their views. Ought not we simply allow the magneto doctors to regulate themselves since after all they ARE the experts and we mere rational folk can't comprehend what's REALLY going on. Eh? Why should we be confined by the boundries of science and the scientific method and respected testing methods. (Wait! I know... because "these cures don't lend themselves to being proven by standard methods". Right. I forgot. We'll just have to trust them because they say so.)

-- Allen

[Dogmudgeon]

46. "Magneto doctors"?

I simply don't know where to begin.

A good start would be to skip the haughty rhetoric and bogus outrage.

Frankly, the word "silly" sums it up perfectly without the necessity to go into great detail.

Of course not. You have no detail to go into. You've made a clever (if indirect) attack, but you've merely thrown a volley of punches into thin air. You're attacking things I never wrote. Is this the much-feared Skeptic's Gambit? -- assertion without evidence, followed by sarcasm without accountability?

Bullshit. Totally absurd nonsense. Grasping at straws.

More assertion without evidence. That's simply a high-octane reaction to a reasonable, rational set of statements. In the case of the original preceding paragraph, the statement that Randi undercuts his own position with arguments to medical authority.

James Randi does, indeed, deceive people for a living. He shows how deception works, and does a good job of it. I contend that he's not without his own feet of clay, but even five minutes at his website will demonstrate the value of his methodology. Far from it being a "bad" tactic, he's exposed many crooks and con artists in the past two decades. If you want to read more into my sentence than I wrote, that's up to you. Just don't claim I said it.

But that's just about all you did in the entire post.

You took great exception to my statement that clinical medicine is based on anecdotal data. Have you ever really paid attention to how medical advances are made? Most of them come from observations of events we'd later call anecdotes. Physicians keep records of their practice as a matter of legal requirement, but the good ones are alert for the details that lead to better practice and the occasional breakthrough. Experimental methods are applied only after a number of observations that may initially seem unconnected -- and a great deal of medicine is practiced by just such a process of clinical intuition. This does not justify stupidity, superstition or quackery, but intuition is still essential. Experiments can not produce discoveries; the experimental method is for the refinement of theory and technique. Along the way, certain practices are dropped, and others become standardized, as the observations are tested clinically and experimentally. But the foundation of discovery remains the solitary observation -- the anecdote.

I honestly don't know how one can do much "mischaracterizing" with that profound bit of wisdom that you chose to share with us. (But I'm sure you'll accuse me of it anyway.)

If you re-read each of our previous posts, you'll see that you are the one making accusations -- a result of faulty mind-reading (in the rhetorical, not the psychic, sense).

Homeopathy, "magneto" this-and-that, an ironic sprinkling of new-age rhetoric, your wife's diarrhea ... this entire performance appears to have come about because I stated a) that clinical practice is based on anecdotal observation, and b) that people should not be too trusting of any source of authority. And you then put forth a poorly-reasoned argument about entirely different issues.

It's absurd.

In fact, it could be fairly described as silly.

--bkl

[arwalden]

47. ROFLMAO! Honestly ... that was amusing. Thanks.

You know as well as I do that one doesn't have to say the words to make their feelings known. You've made it abundantly clear what your personal feelings are towards me. But if your interpretation of my words lead you to belive that I've attacked you, then by all means, click that alert button and report me to the *impartial* moderators who will deal with it swiftly and hold me accountable for any injustice that you have suffered.

I stand by my criticism of your absurd and silly statements. They are and continue to be absurd and silly. Laughable. Ridiculous. Superstitious and naive. Rebellious for the sake of being rebellious. They appear to be confrontational and aggressive simply to be argumentative and bullying.

Statements such as yours certainly do not demonstrate merit and most definitely are delivered in such a way to make up for the obvious lack of substance and credibility. I can't take them seriously.

Quite frankly, nothing you wrote struck me as being reasonable or rational. It's all fluff, no substance, totally without merit. Just huffery and puffery... and frankly... your message comes off as a bit whiny.

Puh-leeze. Of course Randi "deceives" people for a living. The big difference is that he ADMITS it's illusion... I'd call what he does on stage to be entertainment or a demonstration for people who want to be entertained. He doesn't try to pass it off as genuine magic and sucker naive and hapless victims from their money nor does he offer them snakeoil potions and false hope that causes them to forego PROVEN lifesaving treatments. Are we down to splitting hairs on what Randi does for a living? Good fucking grief!

Those are very weak arguments. Ridiculous. Silly.

-- Allen

P.S. Anecdotal "evidence" isn't. "If modern science has learned anything in the past century, it is to distrust anecdotal evidence. Because anecdotes have a very strong emotional impact, they serve to keep superstitious beliefs alive in an age of science. The most important discovery of modern medicine is not vaccines or antibiotics, it is the randomized double-blind test, by means of which we know what works and what doesn't. Contrary to the saying, 'data' is not the plural of 'anecdote.' "

P.P.S. 'Anecdotal observations' and 'scientific observations' are not synonymous.

edit: grammar, clarity, emphasis

[jukes]

43. additional thoughts

Arwalden:
in general, on this subject, you have my complete agreement. i can (sorry, personal experience evidence only) attest to 1 alternative cure.

i was a very bad boy during the '80s, & have the typical herpes legacy. i'm also a vegetarian (except for dairy) since the war.

l lysine therapy has been extremely effective in suppressing outbreaks; my diet is heavy in arginine.

long story shortened: 1 of my cats suffered from stomatitis badly. after trying him on several therapies & 3 laser surgeries, it occurred to me that he may have the feline analogue to human herpes; it's epidemic w/feral felines & several of mine were infected before i rescued them. decided to try the lysine on him as a last resort (prior to euthanasia, his suffering was so bad i was feeding him through a neck-tube prosthesis). he hasn't had an outbreak since. now i add it as a supplement to daily feeding of all my cats, & the incidence of sinusitis has dropt amazingly.

my vet hates to write scholarly papers, & i haven't the medical background, but am corresponding w/ several cat food mfgrs to try to convince them of the viability of a feline herpes oriented line of food w/the supplement.

not a refutation or objection to your post, but "anecdotally" interesting, i think.

edit: to cite original poster more clearly.

[AngryAmish]

29. Thank you

Many times on this site I have had posters make serious diagnosis on the basis of certain posts as well as claims that are not scientifically supported.

[BuddhaGirl]

34. quackwatch???

that site is run by a total nutcase with an obsession about alternative medicine.

He has a huge hardon for Andrew Weil, a Harvard-educated physician with years of study and research into alternative medicine.

[traco]

18. I developed

a bad case of acne not to long ago. The doctor gave me an ointment called: Erythromycin-Benzoyl Peroxide Topical Gel

It worked wonderfully. I used it for about a week and haven't had to use it since. You might ask if this could help you too.

[DemExpat]

19. Yes, be sure to avoid the miracle cure promises,

but a REAL doctor trained and studied in complementary medicines is the best of both worlds, Hypno-toad.

It might take some searching, but it might be well worth the effort, especially in dealing with the complexitiy of eczema, to find a Holisitic doc who takes the time and effort to look for real solutions.
It has proven to be a lifesaver for me in my life.

Try looking around here on Dr. Weil's site if you are interested in other approaches:
http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=GlossaryDetail-pt=G...
ECZEMA
Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is an allergic skin condition, common in infants, children, and young adults, that produces itchy, thickened, red areas on various parts of the body. It tends to come and go and often travels with other allergic conditions such as asthma. Dermatologists treat eczema with topical steroids. This kind of treatment is suppressive to the immune system, not curative, and strengthens the disease process. Steroids also have a weakening influence on the immune system. The following regimen is recommended: Eliminate milk and all milk products from the diet. Take 500 milligrams of black currant oil twice a day. Give children under 12 half that dose. This takes six to eight weeks to produce the desired effect. Try visualization or hypnotherapy to take advantage of the mind/body connection in allergic skin disorders. In Japan, doctors have achieved spectacular success with severe eczema by the use of hot spring therapy. Patients are required to soak each day in hot spring water (delivered to homes in large bottles) and participate in individual and group counseling. No medications are used. Try aloe vera gel and calendula lotion or cream on irritated skin.

http://search.drweil.com/search?q=eczema&site=my_collection&output=xml_no_dtd&client=my_collection&access=p&btnG.y=23&btnG.x=15&ip=213.84.56.69&proxystylesheet=my_collection&filter=p



Best of luck!

DemEx

[arwalden]

20. The "Ask Dr. Weil" Site Should Be Avoided

Sites such as his provide "a huge amount of information, most or all of which promotes unsubstntiated theories and/or methods. They may be useful to researchers seeking descriptions of these theories and methods from their proponents. However, they should be avoided by persons seeking high-quality information on which to base a health-related decision."


Web Site Evaluation Index: http://www.quackwatch.org/12Web/webindex.html

---

Arnold Relman, M.D. former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, has expressed similar thoughts:

There are not two kinds of medicine, one conventional and the other unconventional, that can be practiced jointly in a new kind of "integrative medicine." Nor, as Andrew Weil and his friends also would have us believe, are there two kinds of thinking, or two ways to find out which treatments work and which do not.

In the best kind of medical practice, all proposed treatments must be tested objectively. In the end, there will only be treatments that pass that test and those that do not, those that are proven worthwhile and those that are not.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/altwary.html

---

An even better way to avoid confusion is sort methods into three groups:

(1) those that work,
(2) those that don't work, and
(3) those we are not sure about.

Most methods described as "alternative" fall into the second group. A 1998 editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association made the same point in another way:

There is no alternative medicine. There is only scientifically proven, evidence-based medicine supported by solid data or unproven medicine, for which scientific evidence is lacking. Whether a therapeutic practice is "Eastern" or "Western," is unconventional or mainstream, or involves mind-body techniques or molecular genetics is largely irrelevant except for historical purposes and cultural interest. We recognize that there are vastly different types of practitioners and proponents of the various forms of alternative medicine and conventional medicine, and that there are vast differences in the skills, capabilities, and beliefs of individuals within them and the nature of their actual practices.

Moreover, the economic and political forces in these fields are large and increasingly complex and have the capability for being highly contentious. Nonetheless, as believers in science and evidence, we must focus on fundamental issues -- namely, the patient, the target disease or condition, the proposed or practiced treatment, and the need for convincing data on safety and therapeutic efficacy.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/altwary.html

Good luck, Hypnotoad! Don't let your frustration influence you into making unwise choices.

-- Allen

[DemExpat]

23. lol.....Avoid if only uninterested in other approaches....

if one's regular med doesn't offer any relief, do the smart thing and look around at Holistic approaches.

It has helped many people like me get real relief that allopathic stuff failed miserably in providing.

The more choice, the better!

:kick:

DemEx

[RebelOne]

22. That is so unbelievable

my primary care physician gives me any prescription I ask for (within limits, of course). I saw him last week and he gave me a prescription for Wellbutrin to help me stop smoking.

[bleedingheart]

26. I feel really bad about your situation as my nephew

has suffered with severe skin problems for years. However that said, his pediatrician has always made sure that he gets referrals to dermatologists right away.

If I were you...I would go to the doctor and press him/her to get you a referral for the same day or the next day to go see a Dermatologist...MD's have special privs to get you into see other MD's when there are problems like yours...

I worry that you have an abcess...and that is not good...you can get blood poisoning from that.

Pressure the doctor, ask them how they would feel about this situation.

[Interrobang]

27. Stick with the allopathic stuff, dude...

Here in Soviet Canuckistan, I have a good rule of thumb -- if OHIP won't pay for it, I won't use it. In other words, don't fall for any of this homeopathic/naturopathic/"alternative" crap.

However, that said, you probably do want to be looking into root causes of excema. If you talk to your GP, he or she will likely admit that skin conditions like excema can be aggravated by conditions like fungal infections, or even allergies. So, while you're getting treatment for the symptoms, see if you can discover the causes as well...

Not to get into the "anecdotal evidence" thing, but since I realised that I have a very severe dairy allergy and quit on the milk and milk products, my excema has gone from unbearable to manageable with occasional OTC corticosteroids. When I asked my GP about it, he said, "Yes, that stands to reason," but it's generally not the first thing they mention, for one reason or another.

[BuddhaGirl]

33. alternative medicine is "proactive"

whereas western medicine is reactive.

"Not to get into the "anecdotal evidence" thing, but since I realised that I have a very severe dairy allergy and quit on the milk and milk products, my excema has gone from unbearable to manageable with occasional OTC corticosteroids. When I asked my GP about it, he said, "Yes, that stands to reason," but it's generally not the first thing they mention, for one reason or another. "

Western GP's won't mention it because they mainly deal with treating conditions - most of them know absolutely nada about the roles nutrition and diet play in maintaining good health.

Several years ago I cleared up my eczema with probiotics and borage oil supplements. No prescriptions needed.

Western medicine needs to get a friggin clue!

[DemExpat]

36. Quite right not to use unauthorized treatments!

if OHIP won't pay for it, I won't use it. In other words, don't fall for any of this homeopathic/naturopathic/"alternative" crap.

My National Health Insurance covers my Homeopathic consultations and remedies - my doctor is a medical doctor as well as trained Homeopath.
The best of both worlds!
A good holisitic doctor will keep BOTH approaches in mind while looking for health solutions.

It is great that the milk connection in your case has given you relief, and your GP's resonse to this is so typical, in my experience.

DemEx

[AngryAmish]

30. One more piece of advice from a non-doctor

Unless closely followed by a MD, long-term use of prescription strength corto-steroids can cause a conditon known as avascular necrosis in one's hips. Bo Jackson had this condition happen to him (as a result of injury). Essentailly, it cuts the blood flow off to the end of a femur and the bone dies. It necessitates hip replacement.

If an MD gives on steroids for more than 60 days without warning about this, the guy may not know all the dangers. Or he may also know that. But bring it up to he/she.

[chaska]

32. Be careful.

My brother has Psoriasis and has taken several different meds for it. I can't remember which one caused it but he now has rather serious hearing loss due to this stuff. Steroids maybe. Hell, I have no damn memory.

But ask about side effects.

[jukes]

39. prednisone & other corticosteroids

w/ EXTENDED usage can have severe implications; my sigoth has to take it frequently for a rare pemfigis condition, & it eroded the head of the femur to the extent she had to have hip replacement @ 40.

if used sparingly, ie, only during bad flare-ups, can REALLY help w/ symptomatic relief and is relatively harmless.

it is extremely cheap (1 reason i expect the kick-back doctors don't prescribe it) and easily available w/o prescription over the internet. it's mostly legal, too. fuzzy.


i do a lot of pharmaceutical shopping that way (i run a feral cat rescue service & frequently need cheap meds w/o the expense of vet visits) PM me if you'd like linx/advice on internet shopping of this nature.

self-medication can be dangerous if you don't educate yourself, but there are several really good reference sites available to help.

1 further warning: pred is somewhat mood-altering (makes you feel real chipper) so there is a danger of psychological dependence.

hope this helps! :7