I am having a small temper tantrum at the medical community this week. I have been very lucky and in the last ten years and assembled a great group of doctors to take care of me. I learned that if they don’t suit me, or I don’t trust them I should replace them, and I have. Not all people are so lucky.
I am in a number of groups on Facebook for my various and assorted medical conditions including my specific cancer drug. This week a woman asked if any one else had experienced a certain side effect, she had asked her oncologist and he said it was not due to the drug. Not only is this question asked regularly in the group because so many of us experience it, if you do a minimal amount of reading of the literature it as listed as a common side effect BY THE DRUG MANUFACTURER. That’s right, it is a completely normal and known side effect.
This is a super common issue. A patient says a side effect is happening and the nurse or doctor says, nope, not the drug. I have had it happen to me. I do not understand this. Why wouldn’t you check? If the patient is told that it is not due to the med they then have to worry or at the least wonder what else could be causing it, or worse yet, they start thinking maybe it’s just them, and not a real thing.
Today someone else asked about a certain supplement. They were told by their doctor that they should not take it with this drug. It is a supplement commonly found in a lot of foods and not only is it not counter-indicated it is actually recommended as a way to help with the other known side effects. There have been actual medical studies. There are no known ill effects, none.
It is just so frustrating to me. I do not expect all medical professionals to be as amazing and knowledgeable as mine but I do expect them to at least know enough to look up information about the drugs they are prescribing. These are peoples lives they are dealing with, Even if the issue isn’t a life or death one it is most likely a quality of life issue.
At least there hasn’t been anyone this week talking about how they are told that there is only one drug to try and when it didn’t work, sorry, nothing more we can do, say your goodbyes and enjoy your remaining time.
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