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There is no replacement for time in the sun. I happen to be an indoor person. I am better off taking Vitamin D supplements than not, even as they are not a be-all and end-all. The point is, when the sun is not enough, Vitamin D supplements become important. People are not told this. No doctor ever told me this. Then I am supposed to believe their every word about statins or contoversial, experimental vaccines.
Yes, sun, exercise, sleep, diet are all important. There is a reason farmers are so historically healthy.
This whole idea of Vit D and the sun doesn't always pan out in real life. I practiced in the sunny state of AZ, and over the years did a whole lot of Vit D level testing. Many folks there are low, but rarely critical. The need to boost low levels is quite common in post-menopausal women due to the incidence of osteoporosis. Vit D is the only supplement I take myself. I take 50,000U with my wife who has osteoporosis once a month. Our levels are therapeutic.
In regards to statins, having practiced before and after their introduction, the drop in serious cardiac and stroke events over time was huge. They are very low risk for most people. Especially if properly monitored. I've had very few cases of liver inflammation over the years, and the med was just stopped with no clinical implications. 2 patients over the years required hospitalization due to muscle injury, both recovered quickly. I've taken statins myself for decades, as have many docs, some not even needing them based on numbers alone. Crestor gave me muscle aches, so I switched to another.
Side effects with any medication are a very important aspect of modern medicine. A patient has a medical problem and a new med may be needed. this is our primary purpose as a doc, to improve on the health of our patients. But very close behind that is 'first do no harm'. So with most new meds there is appropriate medical follow up. Asking and looking for any possible side effects/symptoms, and in many cases lab work is done to ensure safety.
I have to push my Doctors typically to think beyond just the textbook and look at me as an individual patient. It's stressful and not easy, and then they wonder why I have White coat hypertension. Going to the Doctor should be a relief. Even the 5 star ones on Zocdoc, Yelp can be challenging to really get them to think outside of the box.
My father needs a new Cardiologist and vascular expert. I am really concerned they are not managing him correctly long term but I have my own problems to contend with. I'm trying to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) so that I can devote the proper time and energy to helping my family find better physicians.
Boy do I hear you. With my wife over the past 4-5 years she has been in the hospital roughly 50% of the time with life threatening trauma and then various horrific medical conditions. The medical care over time has been very variable, all the way from outstanding to OMG are you kidding me?! I feel so sorry for patients and families without someone close for trusted medical advice. The best way to get your father's cardiologist is through a referral by some trusted doc. Not via some online popularity contest.
The employers HC insurance companies varies their group rate based on risks. At least that how our plan worked. So one employee with bad risks raises the premium of all the employees.
Not anymore. The ACA was created to prevent this type of issue. Think of the discrimination. Employers would not want to hire anyone with a disability. Beyond disability; anyone with a heart condition, immune disorder or hundreds of other issues would be considered a "bad risk".
Two years ago I took ibuprofen for only four days and every since I've had a recurrent canker sore on my gum, I read that ibuprofen effects the immune system, which effects the mucous membranes, the scientific reason can be found on-line. If I knew this when the dentist gave me the ibuprofen prescription for a TMJ issue I would have never taken it. I knew that ibuprofen long term can cause atrial fibrillation, so I never took the over the counter one. I never thought taking ibuprofen for four days would cause me an ongoing problem that I need to take care of all the time with remedies, watching my diet, etc.
My point is if taking ibuprofen for four days effected my immune system so negatively, what will the mRNA spike proteins from the injection (we are told the decoy spike proteins stay in our systems for a few weeks) do to my immune system that I might not even be aware of until some medical problem develops?
if ibuprofen impacted your immune system so negatively what will covid do to it?
Prior to the internet I had to listen to my doctor because I did not have the information to make decisions.
Now I have about 90% of the studies and information and raw data (plus I can get information on other humans and their reactions).
I have more info and time than a doctor.
Add the ability for me to get blood tests on my own... why do I need them exactly?
Anyone who blindly trusts now is either lazy or stupid or both.
The problem with this comes down to the appropriate training and experience. That is how to interpret your lab findings. How do those numbers relate to your real world health? Many blood tests come out with 'abnormal' numbers. But many of those have no clinical importance. And their are tests that have no clinical importance in the first place. Prevention Magazine can send you to those 'clinics'.
The NMR test is covered under Medicare and most private insurers pay for a part of it, it costs around $100. About 15 years ago a doc wanted to give me statins from the results of the blood panel test (my good HDL was bringing the total count to 280), I insisted on getting the NMR (it was a different name back then, and only $40.00), he asked sarcastically, "are you a cardiologist?" but ordered the test and my HDL was the large, non sticky kind, triglycerides normal, meaning I didn't need a statin and he agreed. Fifteen years later, I have had no cardiac events, and I definitely won't get the mRNA or J&J vaccine to keep it that way. I can't imagine how many people are on statins needlessly. Almost everyone I know on statins have had their gall bladder removed or have a-fib, maybe statins were the cause in some cases.
HDL's are checked all the time now. In the US it is not common to have a very high HDL that obviates the need for a statin in a high risk patient.
Statins remain a very common Rx for many older folks, and many older folks have had their GB out and have had Afib. You must know a lot of older folks.
I trust that my doctor is not being bribed to make health decisions like Fauci is.
Fauci has been by the side of all Presidents starting with Reagan. Being in the medical community's center and in the public's eye for over 40 years, you will not find any credible evidence that the fine Doctor is on the dole.
What you see is the Fauci conundrum. That is how to best express a central opinion that applies to all medical communities and all individuals within those communities. While those opinions are bound to change with the virus itself and as the Pandemic evolves. The right calls this flip-flopping. The left follows the medical which indeed is confusing and chaotic at times.
Part of the problem is there are many "quacks" that are Dr's. One need only look at the anti covid Vax groups to see they are lead by groups of Doctors.
I trust my GP, but verify, if it is a significant issue.
There are 1 million +/- practicing physicians in the US. That some of them are anti Vax ( generally or specifically the Covid vax) does not necessarily make them quacks.
The most visible group is the America’s Frontline Doctors, a group of extremely pro Trump physicians who vigorously oppose state/ county/ local restrictions related to Covid and then Covid vaccines.
This group was formed by Simone Gold MD who was inside the Capital on 1/6 with a megaphone. She claims there was no violence and although regrets her intrusion.
Dr Stella Emanuel is a member of this group and a strong advocate for hydroxychloroquine to prevent and cure Covid. Trump Sr and Jr retweeted video of this MD at a pro Trump rally and seems to have influenced Trump’s thing for hydroxychloroquine which he claimed to be taking. Given his reckless behaviors, he obviously believed it would prevent him from being infected. Obviously, this MD and Trump were mistaken.
Dr Stella also has some unusual thoughts about disease. She believes devils and space aliens have sex with humans while they sleep and in doing so, infect them with Cancers and other diseases, including Covid.
People believe anything that seems to validate their perceptions.
Had there been a 24/7 news cycle, internet and social media back when, Polio and Small Pox would continue to infect people.
The bottom line is that most people don't need it.
They've already either had it and have natural immunity, or they are part of the 99.8% of people who won't have any issues other than maybe having the sniffles for a few days.
Why would people take medicine that "protects" them from a problem that is extremely unlikely to occur (unless they are a hypochondriac)?
That's why a lot of people don't take it.
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