Why #1: If I wasn’t a difficult patient- I wouldn’t be talking to you right now, or you even been able to read this article. Or many other thyroid patient stories, for that matter. Many years ago when I got sick with hyperthyroidism I literally had to fight for my treatment options, even though I was told that only 2% of all the hyperthyroidism patients get healed with my chosen method of treatment (i.e medication and alternative methods). I took my chances, and as you see, I did a good job, I survived.
Why #2: Doctors, some of them, no matter how well they are trained, how well they excelled in their education, and how many straight A’s they got at the medical school- they still treat you as a diagnose (which might be very wrong indeed), but not as a person itself. You are a person, not a diagnose, even not a symptom!
Why# 3: Regardless of the Hippocratic Oath all the doctors took when finishing the medical school, many of them have to be reminded constantly that to treat appropriately the patient is even more important than the commission % they’ll get from pharmaceutical companies for prescribing medications and procedures that are not the best for their patients. Sorry, not all, but many doctors do that! Some years ago I worked as a psychotherapist in a medical office with some doctors, and while I was trying to take my patients off the drugs, my dear colleague next door was generously prescribing all kinds of them, because, I quote to the best I remember ”I get 4% for prescribing certain drugs”. Needless to say, I left soon this medical facility for good, and never went back.
Why# 4. For many medical procedures, including thyroid surgeries and Radioactive Iodine Treatments the hospitals, and respectively the medical offices get paid times more, compared to the traditional medication treatment. Check, if you don’t believe me.
Why not then, suggest, advise and push the hyperthyroidism patients to receive these expensive procedures, as they are believed to “remove the problem completely”, i.e the thyroid, faster and “safe”? The excuse here is: “Let’s completely destroy your thyroid, in case of possible remission in the future”???
Really? Doesn’t that sound like “Let’s cut your leg, in case you break it in the future….”? Same pertains to the numerous C- sections for pregnant women (to avoid possible complications they say. Yes, my grandmother is laughing right now), but that’s another story.
The other one that I hear constantly and really makes me laugh is “If you don’t do the RAI, your heart will fail!” Well, prescribe this patient some beta- blockers then instead of waiting…
Why #5: For the past 60 years or even more the only treatment options for Graves’ Disease so far invented by the traditional Western Medicine are: 1. Medication (methimazole or propylthiouracil), 2. Radioactive Iodine Treatment and 3. Thyroid Surgery (subtotal or total). That’s it. No matter how much money are spent on researches every year, endocrinology doesn’t seem to advance a lot on this particular subject. And Graves’ disease patients don’t seem to get less in number, either, compared to the disease rates from some 50 years ago.
Why then just you do your own research and try alternative, complimentary, Eastern- Medicine based, supplemental, herbal or any other methods available as well? Be a difficult patient, and try to work this out with your doctor. And if he seems uninterested in cooperation- just fire him and get another one.
Why #6: This is your body that’s sick and affected. You are experiencing all these debilitating symptoms, not the person who treats you, no matter how qualified he is. Stop shaking then when you have to defend your own health choices. Your body- your choice.
Why #7: Doctors are never 100% sure which is the best medical option for you, theoretically speaking, just because we are all different humans. They can only guess and do their best experiment on you. They don’t know if the side effects on any medication will manifest on you or not, they don’t know how your body will react. There is no way to know that information no matter how experienced the doctor is. So why don’t you participate actively in that body experiment of yours, share your opinion, fears and concerns? That’s called again- a difficult patient. Be difficult.
Why# 8: Isn’t that strange how many people can argue with their auto mechanic about expensive car repairs, or try to negotiate a better deal with car dealer, or endlessly argue with their wives/husbands regarding unimportant stuff, but when it comes to their own health, they become speechless, and deliver themselves to the mercy of their doctors to make the health decisions for them. Now, go back to the medical office and be that problematic, tough, person for the sake of your own health!
Why #9. There is this doctor, whom I respect very much, his name is Bernie Seigel,M.D, he is a very old doctor on cancers, who also wrote a lot of books about treating cancer patients with non- traditional methods (and traditional as well). What I vividly remember from his books and observations was that cancer patients, the ones who are difficult and actively participated in the treatment process, cured from their cancers quicker, and at higher rates, compared to the other patients, whom were not involved so much in the process and relied mostly on their doctors. If this works for cancer patients, why would not work for Hyperthyroidism/ Graves ’ disease patients? It does, in fact.
Why #10. You are witty, clever, educated and intelligent human animal/ being. You have also access to all kinds of information, available in books and Internet, and in many other places. Step up on that rule and rule your own ship called “my health”. You have the absolute right to do so. Bon voyage!
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Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism Books