wibble Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I have a way of looking at things that they call WIIFM (what's in it for me). When you look at why somebody does something or their motivation behind it you ask yourself "What's in it for them to do these things?". It can really help you understand what motivates some actions that on the surface seem illogical. One such example is the medical profession and their use of drugs. Say, for example, that there was cure for aids that involved a single shot of an antidote. What right-minded pharmaceutical company would give up a lifetimes business from sufferers for a one-off shot? No matter how much they charged for the shot it couldn't compare with the cocktail of drugs that they currently supply for years. I am not saying that there is a cure for Aids that has been hidden (I'll leave that to the tinfoil hat brigade) but what I am saying is that the entire medical industry is motivated to develop treatments rather than develop cures. Treatments always involve a drug or ointment or surgery, rarely a simple lifestyle change. I had 3 bouts of Pancreatitis and was told that they'd whip out my gallbladder. Only one of about 6 Doctors who saw me suggested I have a good look at what I eat and drink and warned me off surgery as it should be a last resort. I changed my diet and cut out the binge drinking and have never felt better the last 10 years. Thanks go to that one guy - the rest were salivating at the money my operation would bring their hospital. Those with kids and elderly relatives should have a long hard look at what is being prescribed to their families and question whether this stuff is the most appropriate treatment. Often prescribed drugs shouldn't be used for more than, say - 6 months, but a GP will overlook this and keep your old lady on them for decades if he gets a chance. I know a woman who recently ran an audit of the prescribed medicines at an old folks home and after grilling the GP's they were able to reduce the medicines used by 40% without compromising any healthcare. Just remember that the healthcare industry is a money machine and many of the people in it are pushing their products/treatments. Do your own research about your ilness and seek out natural treatments and lifestyle changes that might help. Google up everything you can about your problem and make up your own mind about how it should be treated. It is your body - you know what's best for it. One last thing - If you eat a load of crap and drink way too much and smoke - you will get very ill. This is a fact. Pills and potions and operations won't stop all that crap from killing you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medico Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I have a way of looking at things that they call WIIFM (what's in it for me). When you look at why somebody does something or their motivation behind it you ask yourself "What's in it for them to do these things?". It can really help you understand what motivates some actions that on the surface seem illogical. One such example is the medical profession and their use of drugs. Say, for example, that there was cure for aids that involved a single shot of an antidote. What right-minded pharmaceutical company would give up a lifetimes business from sufferers for a one-off shot? No matter how much they charged for the shot it couldn't compare with the cocktail of drugs that they currently supply for years. I am not saying that there is a cure for Aids that has been hidden (I'll leave that to the tinfoil hat brigade) but what I am saying is that the entire medical industry is motivated to develop treatments rather than develop cures. Medical pharmaceutical companies are the one's who supply the drugs, which is the reason for there being several names for pretty much the same drug. If somebody did find a cure for AIDS (which is highly unlikely in the first place due to the nature of the virus), the particular pharmaceutical company involved would make so much money from being the original supplier of this cure that they wouldn't have to care about other drug concoctions which only treat it. Not only that, but if there is a cure which has been 'hidden', what is it that is stopping anybody else from finding that same cure and telling the whole world about it? Its the kind of thing that would be far too difficult to keep secret. Treatments always involve a drug or ointment or surgery, rarely a simple lifestyle change. I had 3 bouts of Pancreatitis and was told that they'd whip out my gallbladder. Only one of about 6 Doctors who saw me suggested I have a good look at what I eat and drink and warned me off surgery as it should be a last resort. I changed my diet and cut out the binge drinking and have never felt better the last 10 years. Thanks go to that one guy - the rest were salivating at the money my operation would bring their hospital. I don't think that's necessarily so much about GP's/doctors in general wanting to push operations or drugs in order for the medical industry to make money. I think that there are now so many guidelines to follow and targets to reach for different things (e.g. referring people to anti-smoking clinics) that the job has become, to an extent, more about ticking boxes than actually caring for patients via a common sense approach. The sad thing is, that unless targets are met, the practices/hospitals etc. will not get as much money for the resources they require in order to treat patients properly (or that's certainly been my experience in London so far). Those with kids and elderly relatives should have a long hard look at what is being prescribed to their families and question whether this stuff is the most appropriate treatment. Often prescribed drugs shouldn't be used for more than, say - 6 months, but a GP will overlook this and keep your old lady on them for decades if he gets a chance. I know a woman who recently ran an audit of the prescribed medicines at an old folks home and after grilling the GP's they were able to reduce the medicines used by 40% without compromising any healthcare. There is also so little time between appointments that the doctor has very little time to consider all the different treatment options, discuss them with the patient and then make a mutual decision about the way to go. It is more than likely that most GPs will just have a standard treatment for each condition (high blood pressure etc.) that the patient will automatically be put onto unless there is any contra-indication to it. It is possible that this is why many elderly people especially end up having to take 10 different medications every day, when there is possibly a more simple solution if the time is taken to research everything properly. Just remember that the healthcare industry is a money machine and many of the people in it are pushing their products/treatments. Do your own research about your ilness and seek out natural treatments and lifestyle changes that might help. Google up everything you can about your problem and make up your own mind about how it should be treated. It is your body - you know what's best for it. Whilst that advice makes sense to an extent, you also have to remember that a lot of what you read on the internet is absolute crap, with no background to it whatsoever. There is nothing stopping people plugging their own 'natural treatments' even if they may do more harm than good. Its something you always have to be careful of. Fair enough google everything so you know exactly whats going on, but what's the problem with then taking that information along to your doctor, discussing it with them and coming up with a joint decision about the best treatment? Doctors do years of medical training for a reason, they may talk crap some of the time, but for the most part they do know what they're talking about. One last thing - If you eat a load of crap and drink way too much and smoke - you will get very ill. This is a fact. Pills and potions and operations won't stop all that crap from killing you. I couldn't agree more! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Really interesting post, thanks. Some people do just want a pill though. Lifestyle change involves effort, a pill, a procedure, these things are easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wibble Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Good additions/comments MedicoHearts. The Aids thing was an example, not a conspiracy theory. ..and as MH says take everything you hear/read with a pinch of salt until you've verified it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigC Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 One thing I would say though, is that you shouldn't replace medicine with alternative treatments - particularly things like homeopathy - which has been proven to have no effect above and beyond a placebo. I had a problem and I shunned the drugs that my doctor prescribed in place of a combined vitamin supplement that I was given by someone that sold it - with anecdotal evidence that it was a miracle cure. It wasn't. It made my problem a whole lot worse and it didn't start getting better until I took the pills prescribed by the doc. They have a word for "alternative medicine" that has since been proven to work...... It's called medicine. Don't learn that fact the hard way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 It is your body - you know what's best for it. True for lifestyle decisions (diet etc) but not so true when things of a serious nature start to go wrong. Googling your condition is no substitute for professional advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 You have to be careful with internet advice. I read one time not to take colonoscopies because they were more trouble than they were worth. Went for annual medical, doctor tells me there is blood in a sample recommends colonoscopy, I say no. we talk she compromises by suggesting and I accept a sigmoidoscope (sp), thats when they found the cancer. I now leave it to the person who knows best. That I define as anyone other than me, or the internet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vladtheexhaler Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 One thing I would say though, is that you shouldn't replace medicine with alternative treatments - particularly things like homeopathy - which has been proven to have no effect above and beyond a placebo. I had a problem and I shunned the drugs that my doctor prescribed in place of a combined vitamin supplement that I was given by someone that sold it - with anecdotal evidence that it was a miracle cure. It wasn't. It made my problem a whole lot worse and it didn't start getting better until I took the pills prescribed by the doc. They have a word for "alternative medicine" that has since been proven to work...... It's called medicine. Don't learn that fact the hard way. Fan of Dara O'Briain perchance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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