by zakksdaddy » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:49 am
Hi again,
Thanks to everyone for the words of support. I wish I could respond more frequently, but my home PC is on the fritz, and I'm limited to small bits of time at work where I can hop on the internet and type.
Burgess - I read your stories before making my post. Your discipline is unbelievable. Glad to hear you've taken care of your problems!!
Richard - Wow. That's a bizarre coincidence (same age - 36), same early symptoms, etc... That list of drugs you were on makes my stomach hurt just by reading it. I'm really glad you got pointed in the direction you did. Good luck with the elimination diet!! How long has it been since this all happened to you?
I'm going to my first naturopathic doctor consultation today. I feel confident, and ready to tell her what I need from her (in addition to listening to all she has to tell me). Wish me luck!!
Dr. McDougall himself was also kind enough to email me several times with answers to some questions I had. Class act. Makes me put all that much more faith in what he has to say.
Re - Rheumatologist nightmare: I feel like George on that episode of Seinfeld where he just obsesses about all the things he wished he'd said at the time someone insulted him (haha). I must've replayed that visit 1000 times in my head since last week. Here's a choice nugget:
Doctor (upon seeing that my swollen joint count was down almost 20%, hearing I felt much better, and my grip tests were normal. ): "If you woke in the night and your bedroom, kitchen, and living room were on fire, would you put out the bedroom fire and go back to sleep?!"
Me (at the time): No response, continued to stare at shoes.
Me (a few days later): Of course not. I would continue to fght the fire (diet, exercise, sleep, stress control, regular sleep) until it (arthritic issues) was completely 'put out'.
Why does stuff like that never pop into my head til later???!!!!
My (former) doctors verbal approach is one of control and intimidation. He talks in a very authoritative tone. He talks very fast. And he talks ALOT. All done for the purpose, I believe, of keeping the patients head spinning so that by the end of the visit he's blindly walking out with a prescription in his hand, having had no thought in the matter himself.
Thanks again everyone. I really enjoy reading all the stories around here.
Scott