Do american Dr.s know anything?

Debated on putting this in the rant section but this seems to work also.

I am so fed up with the American health care system, but mostly the fact that Dr.s never seem to know a darn thing.

For a while now I have dealt with an ammonia odor that only I can smell. At first it was infrequent and i thought it was something in the house. Then it became more constant. I started thinking the smell was in my clothes but my fiance never smelled the odor. I started noticing it everywhere I went.

I have seen 3 dr.s now. My primary care, ears nose and throat and a neurologist. Primary didn't know so he looked it up and decided I was depressed. I politely informed him that I recently got engaged and am very happy, nice try but try again.
The ENT decided that it was neurological and sent me to a neurologist. The neurologist said it was sinus related and to go back to the ENT.

It took them 10 years to figure out I have celiacs. Truly I have no faith in Dr.s any more. As annoying as it is I would deal with it if it didn't have me a little frightened.

Originally posted by calstorm
Debated on putting this in the rant section but this seems to work also.

My kids doctor adtually googled a symptom on his cell phone after a curt glance at a cyst looking thing, gave an antibiotic, and sent away. Ended up in er having surgery for 2 hours next day as it was a severe blockage. Biopsy sent to lab and everything. This is a new doc and I've never experienced such incompetence so won't generalize to all docs.

But with gluton and other food intolerances, autoimmune diseases, neurological symptoms ruled to not be anything severe, fatigue, joint pain, headaches, anything in the stomach after a rule out - see a naturopath. It seems that leaves them good for basic diagnosis that machines help with. That and writng prescriptions. Anything beyond - I'm starting to believe its a waste of time. Too many specialists to go to because no one doc can figure anything out on their own. I'm thinking of trying a naturopath next time around myself.

Glad you finally got an answer 200,000.00 later. I assume you need to watch stress and stay off of anything with gluton (have friend who has it and those two things have cured him).

How scarey for you and your child. Hopefully everything turned out ok. I agree naturopaths or holistic practitioners are a better choice.
I am very fortunate that I finally got a diagnosis for the celiacs and have been gluten free for 2 years but this ammonia odor is still a mystery. You would think that out of 3 Dr.s at least one would run some sort of test.

reply to post by calstorm


Hello I have two ideas worth considering.
Olfactory hallucinations are often associated with either types of sinus infection or also it is considered a possible mini-stroke (alleged). Among many other causes, but I assume you aren't doing anything illegal or out of the ordinary (so I will remove these possibilities from consideration).

The cheapest quickest scientific test you can perform, is one to determine if this is merely a minor infection or anomalous allergic reaction.

Go to the store and find some expensive honey, darker is usually better, and local is best due to the pollen being something you are already in contact with, and make sure it is Pure. Will cost a lot more than the cheap corn syrup spiked stuff (which the FDA claims they are going to crack down on...soon lol).

Take a few spoons of honey over the course of the next day.
Observe progression of symptoms.
(Honey is one of the safest medications ever known to mankind)

If it doesn't clear up 48 hours from taking the honey please see a doctor who can get you to a specialist to examine you for possible "mini" strokes.

That's just my opinion (and I don't need some corrupt government that hides the best medicines from public knowledge to licence my educated and well founded opinions) but I took the time to give it to you because I am sorry that you are suffering due to the corruption within our medical system.

Hopefully I have helped aid you in narrowing down the cause (and seeking solutions) for this nasal hallucination issue you are suffering with. This isn't an exactly uncommon ailment.

Keep us updated.

reply to post by calstorm


Thank you for your suggestions. I have both Manuka honey and local honey in my cupboard. I will definitely give this a try.

Originally posted by calstorm


It took them 10 years to figure out I have celiacs. Truly I have no faith in Dr.s any more. As annoying as it is I would deal with it if it didn't have me a little frightened.

In my life I have discovered that we modern humans don't really know much anything. And to top it off, the vast majority really don't want to know, and will make that painfully clear if pushed to learn or reconsider their beliefs.

This includes everyone even me because we are all human in the end.

So I think your best bet is to first and foremost, count on yourself. Go look up things related to your specific problem and learn whatever you can about it. Question claims and research them.

Both of my suggestions could be way off. I merely offered what I thought were possibilities that seemed reasonable.

This is a matter definitely worth some serious research.
My observations (about your specific symptom) are based on extremely limited research, so keep that in mind.

Originally posted by calstorm
reply to post by calstorm

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I have both Manuka honey and local honey in my cupboard. I will definitely give this a try.

Yes try both!

Hippocrates the father of medicine actually used honey to aid people who suffered from most cases of "deranged smell". According to the research I just conducted at least in relation to your specific ailment, haha.

"Let Food be Thy Medicine"

To answer your question... NO!

Most seem to be in it for the money. They walk in, look at your chart, tell you something off the top of their head, and send you on your way trying to see how many patients they can squeeze in at $100+ for a five min. visit in one days time!

NEXT PATIENT!

reply to post by calstorm


When I was in middle school, a doctor cussed me out because I refused to take a steroid shot. I can't remember what it was for, but... I heard the word "shot" and I didn't know what the shot was supposed to do, so I was like, NOOOOPE.

Doctors can be some of the most close minded people you meet.

Also, don't ever sign any kind of form stating that you'll donate your organs if you pass away. If you agree to that, they'll neglect your treatment in the hopes that you'll die so they can harvest your organs and make a few bucks.

Hospitals scare me... and rightfully so.

reply to post by calstorm


Medicine is hardly a perfect science you know.

Do you expect every doctor to be able to diagnose you within 10 seconds?

Sounds like you do.

And if they can't you complain that doctors don't know anything?

There have been millions of people who have had their lives saved by the knowledge that doctors posses and I'm very sorry it took them so long to find your particular problem but do you really think its fair to bash the whole medical community just because you feel your doctors took too long?

Originally posted by Hopechest
reply to post by calstorm

 

Medicine is hardly a perfect science you know.

Do you expect every doctor to be able to diagnose you within 10 seconds?

Sounds like you do.

And if they can't you complain that doctors don't know anything?

There have been millions of people who have had their lives saved by the knowledge that doctors posses and I'm very sorry it took them so long to find your particular problem but do you really think its fair to bash the whole medical community just because you feel your doctors took too long?

I think the fact of the matter is somewhere between what you've expressed and the expressions of the OP.

Ten seconds is ridiculous... but ten years is ridiculous too.

Some doctors are great, no question, but it shouldn't have taken ten years.

As it has been stated previously medicine , unless dealing with something like a break, is not an exact science.

Like any and every single profession in the world you have amazing Doctors and people that you wonder how they got through medical school.

To ask if American doctors know anything is sort of a silly question though.

If you look at Pediatric Medicine alone you 2 of the best world wide located on the East Coast of America. At least the one I work at is populated by amazing clinicians both at the Dr and Nurse level. So much so that Patients from all over the world travel here to get treatment.

Sorry you had a bad experience but you could have that same experience anywhere in the world .


Additionally since depression is not something you can clearly identify on an Xray/MRI/insert some other metric you are left with going through the same document doctors everywhere use, the DSM. Your GP could have certainly been just blowing you off with that catch all but that doesn't really mean much when trying to diagnose depression.

reply to post by calstorm[/ i]

 

Drs make no money,if we get better. Drs get kick backs from pharmacutical companies if they prescribe their meds .
Drs are trained to be prescribers of money making crap (aka Medicines) ,not make us better .

Most meds have side affects ,that make us so ill,they prescribe another med to counter act the side affects ,and so on and so on and so on .

The professors teaching medical school now,especially ivy league schools,all own tons of pharmaceutical stocks . So what do you think they teach new Drs to do ?
PRESCRIBE PRESCRIBE PRESCRIBE

If you have an ailment ,say even a tumor that's not worth doing anything about,they say,...ohhhh....let's just teach it for now.
ie ,they watch it until it becomes a dangerous issue . Doing anything preventative is way out of the scope of their knowledge ,or so it seems.

Anything they don't understand ,they disregard .....so no,Drs know only how to make money milking the prescription and insurance gravy trains .

edit on 05/28/2013 by PtolemyII because: (no reason given)