Wednesday, October 08, 2008

The brainless leading the brainless




*Disclaimer*
From here on in what you read is unedited and uncensored and unprocessed. If some of the following comments offends anyone... my sincere apologies. Their just my honest opinions.
It's my venting out

There a host of things to be frustrated about in the practise of medicine. But none i think are as frustrating, cumbersome and downright infuriating as the attitude and disposition of patients with regards to their own health.

today is one perfect example...

i had a patient (and i do get them every now and then) who came into the diabetic clinic for her regular review with her husband. As i quickly flipped through the previous entries (i was seeing her for the first time you see) and as i read through the notes of the previous doctors including my specialist, it was apparent to me that i was going to have a problem getting through to this patient. Her blood sugars had been through the roof over the past 2 years and she's already been on almost 5 medications for her diabetes at maximum doses (the recommended guidelines is to not even exceed 3 maximum doses, in fact beyond two... it's time for insulin). And yet, she refuses insulin! No reasons given.

Fine, so i thought i'd better do her justice (i was particularly concerned about her future in terms of her health because once her condition deteriorates to the point of grave complications there's really no turning back...and she was sure headed that way)... and explore her reasons for being so averse to the idea of insulin (starting insulin early is now recommended and the majority of patients really have no problems whatsoever with the therapy). Guess what, she just refused to give me a reason. With no help from her equally ignorant husband who claims that she's been excercising and as such expects her to imrove on her own without taking our advice (thank you very much!), i looked at her blood results taken 2 days prior and improvement was far far from where she was headed! Blood sugars almost 3 times the normal, fat almost 7 times the normal and cholesterol almost 50% above normal!!!

And there they were just plainly telling me in not too may words... "I know better doc, just give me my meds and let's be done with this". ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

And to put icing on the cake (pun intended... since she's diabetic and all)... she finally tells me that a 'friend' of hers told her insulin is bad!!!

WHAT!!!!!
Who on earth is this friend!
Ask this friend then to start up her own clinic if he/she's so smart!!!

My blood boils just at the thought of patients who are willing to take serious risks with their health simply based on ...nothing! or worse still the brainless opinions of a uninformed and totally ignorant so-called friend. And i've seen too many pay too dearly to take it lightly!

Sure, it's easy for her friend to give some stupid remark...she's not going to bear responsibility for it, is she!!!
She's not going to have her own foot cut off, or go through dialysis or spend countless days in the hospital or intensive care unit.
THE PATIENT IS!!!!




And to put the cherry on the ice-cream (again, pun intended)... she has to tell me that she has not been taking her medication for some time now!!!


When i asked her and her husband why on earth then do you come to the hospital. To get advice you don't want? To seek help you don't need? Her 'simple' (more like idiotic) answer is "to check ma"! Check what???!!!! i should very well check if you and your husband have brains or not!


of course, as you can imagine, i could hardly keep my opinions quiet and as such, they were getting upset themselves (probably not used to getting the truth told to them...finally) and even told me that they'd go look for another doctor in the private setting.




GO RIGHT AHEAD!!!!


See if you can find another brainless (and also heartless) doctor to comply to your brainless requests!



ARGHHH!!!!!!!!!!

3 comments:

IvJoy said...

this patient sounds so much like me..
saya makan cili..saya la rasa pedas, doc..
i'm so sorry.. i'll makan ubat next round :(

*ask ur wife wat happen.. hehe

nana said...

HAHAHAHA this is so FUNNY!!!!!

Dr V said...

hehe.. not so funny when you're facing it yourself.. trust me ;)