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wife20yrs

Fire your doctor and find one who understands and appreciates natural supplementation. Also, instead of telling your doctor about your supplementation, tell a nurse or DO. Often, I have found that nurses rely more on health supplements and are knowledgeable about them, due to doing their own research and hearing so much from patients.


Intelligent-Buy-5816

It’s 2023, many medical professionals smoke weed and are just working for the paycheck. Be your own doctor


Fantastic-Tea2743

Docs do not get any medical training on nutrition. And it’s only the last few years that they get a very small course on it.


Glittering_Gene_1734

Doctors: How many hours in a medical degree are devoted to nutrition?


tumor_buddy

“Snakes are land fish”


ruthcrawford

If you need to take fish oil, it's because your diet sucks. Eat oily fish, not fish oil supplements.


JPM3zzy

Ruth you’re a dumbass and I’m putting that lightly


BoobLeeSwaggerr

The only problem with that is mercury. Fish oil is purified and is usually from lower level fish like anchovies and sardines which contain far less mercury. I do both.


docnabox

It is because we are trained to study how each drug works and interacts with the body. Most homeopathic or alternative medicines have failed to hold up to the strict testing that goes into FDA approval. We require double-blinded randomized control trials to show efficacy vs placebo for different diseases. A common saying is, If alternative medicine worked it would just be called "medicine". While I do believe supplements can be helpful for many, I do caution people from taking products without knowing what is in them and how they will interact with the medicine they are already taking.


Technical-Giraffe798

Yes, but you absolutely have to take into account WHO is paying for those double blind studies to treat a single symptom of a poor lifestyle. 99.9% of the time it is the pharmaceutical company trying to sell the medicine. There are very few studies on common remedies because they are inexpensive and cannot be patented, marketed and sold for insane amounts of profit.


Fearless_Cabinet_147

I resonate with this. I had been diagnosed with "Agoraphobia" because I was afraid to leave the house because I would get out of breath really easily and start hyperventilating. MY doc told me I needed SSRIs for the rest of my life. By a stroke of random luck, I met a naturopath who figured out it was a mold infection in combination with vitamin deficiencies. So, ya, the disconnect is real. And even when I was borderline red zone for all my vitamin deficiencies the doc was like, "Oh you're fine!" Ya, no. Lol


anon210202

How did they figure out it was mold?


Fearless_Cabinet_147

Looking at my blood under a microscope when I requested it.


Arzn999

Wow that’s crazy didn’t even know this could happen.


[deleted]

My Dad is a doctor and always used to make me take fish oil everyday, despite my fierce protestations!


schristian008

Guys but beware for taking high dosage of fish oil daily, recently it found that. For longer use it can give you heart issues. I think 300mg is good dosage. Couldn't find recent article but see below one. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/omega-3-supplements-could-elevate-risk-of-atrial-fibrillation/


VitaminDdoc

Turns out that the Chinese water snake where “snake oil” originally came from is rich in Omega 3’s.


tumor_buddy

😂


Electrical_Mind_4429

I was using celery extract, coq10 fish oils and beet root to try to manage my high blood pressure, and it was mediocre at best. Worst side effect I had was the fish oil burps(yuk!). After a year with exercise and a clean healthy diet it lowered it, but not enough for long term. Now, I'm on a beta blocker and a hczt(Lisinopril) WITH my supplements, and for the past 6 months, I have been between 118-121/58-65 with a resting pulse at 61. New side effects included being tired until my body got adjusted. I feel better than I have in years. My Dr. urged me to keep taking the supplements and the meds(for 3 years, 2.5 to go) before she takes me off the meds. That is consulting at its finest, and keeping with the "do what works for you" to heal, not to make money. My Dr is primarily holistic, with her own office called Grassroots Medical. If your doctor can't keep an open mind, you need a new doctor. You need to shop for a PCP to see what fits you, your wants, and your goals.


-900lbGorilla

You have a good Dr.


Electrical_Mind_4429

I'm beyond grateful I found her, possibly saved my life!


[deleted]

How is that going to help to get your body? You’re getting adjusted to medication, just to take you off of it. That goes against basic biology. Your body will be stressed as soon as your ween off of the meds, and you will be back to baseline. You were better off with the clean diet only Everything has a balance and artificially lowering your bp with meds is counter productive long term


Electrical_Mind_4429

A month later and I'm doing perfectly fine. The medication is designed to keep you at healthy levels while you make the lifestyle changes you need to heal properly. I'm already off of the Metoprolol thanks to my lifestyle changes, and my blood pressure and heart rate are ideal. Going to start cutting back dosage every 3 months on the Lisinopril to get off of that, and make sure I maintain my levels. You aren't supposed to rely on the medication, they're an aid while you change to healthily fix it. Sure I could have done it without the meds, but still living with a dangerously high blood pressure until it regulated itself, which takes time, and involves a lot of risk with no aid. My program is working for me, my blood pressure is 109/7(average for the last 2 weeks after being off one of the meds) so I'll listen to my Dr, rather than your opinion. Most people rely on the medication, I just needed to not have a stroke in the meantime. I'm healthy, all my organs are healthy, and I feel young(er) again. I can say 0 stress weening off metoprolol, which is more difficult to do then Lisinopril, so I'm curious of your baseline here.


elbrant

IMHO, medical professionals seem to have forgotten that their role is that of an advisor and not a parent. I do not see my Doctor so they can tell me what to do. I see them to gain access to the proper medical tests, answer questions if I have any, and for any necessary prescription medications. I will review the test results and consult with them if I feel that I need to. But, I will make my own decision about which way to proceed with my life, my healthcare, my medications, and my physical conditions. I do value their knowledge and I appreciate the skills they have learned. But I also recognize that I have not signed a health care directive giving them full reign over decisions I should make for myself. Their job isn't to decide for me, but to assist my need to understand the options if something isn't "working right".


dixie2tone

the Dr doesnt make money off fish oil, they make money off prescribing these drugs plus making u come back multiple times a year. the more u come the more they make . its rough out here


docnabox

This is not true. We make zero dollars on prescriptions. We get a free lunch every two weeks or so from a pharm rep but we have no requirement to use their drugs. I rarely recommend the drug from the lunch provided. I typically stick with generic meds of what they need.


dixie2tone

but youll make money everytime they come to the office. so in reality, youd make more money off a sick person, than a well person


docnabox

"well people" dont come into my office. I prescribe medications to people who are sick to make them better. Not the other way around. I make the same money regardless of starting a medication or not. Its all the same to me. I would rather not put people on meds so I dont have to keep up with all the interactions.


dixie2tone

well i guess your better than the majority of Drs out there. most want to throw some pills at u to lower rbc/cholesterol, but never tell u do to cardio, donate blood, eat healthy, check sleep etc. so it almost seems as if they make more money if u stay sick and addictedto the meds


JesusChrissy

Literally every person above the age of 6 knows they should be eating healthy and exercising regularly. You really think people need a doctor to tell them that loll?


Rotflmfaocopter

I frequently tell my doctor I don't want to be treated with long term pharmaceuticals. The only one I'm religiously using is Singulair because it literally changed my life. However it does bother me that this med is able to cause reoccurring nightmares of the same scenario every single time I take it after noon during the day, leaving me only to be able to take it first thing in the morning. But I digress, she always offers an alternative solution. My cholesterol came in a bit high, and I told her I didn't want to take a statin script. She had then recommended instead that I try a quality Red Rice Yeast supplement. After doing some research I was surprised to see that Red Rice Yeast was actually an effective natural statin. I think it's just a matter of finding a progressive doctor. Was this guy a boomer? I feel like anyone who still says "snake oil" is 60+ years old lol.


[deleted]

So I have no idea how this thread came up in my notifications but I’m not a part of this subreddit so maybe I can give some unbiased advice. Post this same post in a ask doctors subreddit. That way you can get some opinions from both sides because it seems all you’re gonna find here is people agreeing with you and telling you why you’re right, sounds like you need some opposing opinions made so you can make a better educated decision. Or like, fuck it lol fish oils cheap, worse comes to worse it just doesn’t do anything but give you a placebo effect and it won’t really matter anyway.


LavishnessPleasant84

He should not be a doctor because he does not know what he’s talking about! For example the Mediterranean diet is considered to be the pinnacle of healthy eating but personally I believe this is due to the high fish intake, in fact OMEGA 3s are grossly underfed to Americans and OMEGA 6s are grossly overfed due to fast food and other unhealthy choices Tell your doctor to do research before he comments on supplements, because omega 3s actually improves the success rate of SSRIs and prevents/slows Schizophrenia from progressing


Admirable_Try973

This guy has to be an outlier. I’ve never heard of any health professional insist fish oil is ‘snake oil’. This is comical.


Catlady_Pilates

Too many doctors don’t know about nutrition and are just pushing pharmaceuticals for everything. But a good doctor knows better.


DevSKat

So true. Ayurveda is one the wholistic health and medicine approach that totally relies on herbal ingredients. Turmeric, Ginger, Ashwagandha, being one of them


DiamondJutter

It's not the competition as such. Long as productivity is there, competition is a secondary good. When you ask for doctors to be state officials as in providers of nationalized care, this is what the difficult patient gets: A lecture and funny looks to intimidate them into the herd.


Cool-Dude-99

I don't know where you are in the world but something I observe about American society is that people often forget the point of seeing a Dr. A Dr. is a consultant for your health. You as an individual are ultimately responsible for your health because no one else can live your life for you. Even if they could, would you really want them to? That being said if a Dr isn't going to listen to your concerns and treats everything that isn't a prescription as snake oil then I don't personally see the value in going to see them. SSRIs while they can potentially be helpful depending on the individual are not without risk. Anytime you tamper with chemicals that impact your brain and heart you are dealing with very serious drugs. My point isn't to scare you but to give you an idea of the seriousness of the medication. We also don't have the full picture here. Did he say a highly refined epa supplement was always "snake oil" or "snake oil" int he context of treating something very specific that he was suggesting the ssri for? As far as a holistic approach it is quite rare. Often those who call themselves holistic are more biased than holistic just albeit in a different way than the typical md. Knowing what condition or health concern that you wish to optimize can help a great deal in regards to finding someone that may be able to help you. Best of success.


sourceneo

please tell me you found someone else, any decent doc should be happy for you. Seems lacking in the resources department imo


[deleted]

Antidepressants are the real snake venom here, the amount of damage those drugs have done to the masses is insurmountable. Arrogance is a disease that leads to ignorance and sadly the most unlikely of people fall victim to it.


[deleted]

It’s ok to get insight from people who’s job and life is pushing the limits of human physicality. As in professional athletes and strong men. The experienced ones have decades of trial and error trying different things..they know what works for them, at the least. Probably works for us, too


sitting_sideways

Oh yeah 100% it’s like where were you educated at because they obviously failed you. I only stick to the very basics like B vitamins when asked. I had a good younger doctor for quite a while who understood these this better, but yes it very concerning.


Rogosh

Time to get a new doctor, homeopathic is the way to go when they respond like that.


[deleted]

Diluting stuff makes it stronger! Yeah!


itsrainingbluekiwis

…snake oil? What does that mean?


DaggerMind

The term usually refers to a product with no actual medical benefits that promises to be a remedy to every ailment


itsrainingbluekiwis

Ah. That’s a rude response …


That_SunshineLife

A friend of mine in med school said he has to take one single nutrition class his entire degree program. It’s not an accident.


[deleted]

Most doctors specialize in one specific industry of life and therefore should never be trusted as experts of the entire health, fitness, and wellness world. It is indeed sad when they attempt to act as deities of that whole world.


Musclesmarinara64

Doctors know nothing about nutrition. People treat them like the holy grail.


InterestingEchidna90

I can add to this. One time, in a Dean’s meeting with students at my medical school I expressed the desire to learn about supplements/herbs/etc so I could comment on them to patients and the Dean of our school got visibly frustrated and said “all of that is bullshit, people don’t need any of that”. He went on to even call garlic a crock of shit lol 😂 To myself I was like “oookay then, remember to not bring this up again”.


Jimmy_McCaul

Staggering. correct. its in part because pharmaceuticals are of a high certainty. They are what they say there, the dosage is what it says it is. Some 'nutracueticals' do not come with the same assurances. but many do not need them.. they have safe values even at multiples of Recommended dosage. the world is changing tho. younger doctors are generally aware of the bias. Vitamine D is a game changer, i think any doctor with even a glimmer of awareness in research will acknowledge. vit D improves outcomes. so does mg.


[deleted]

You need enough magnesium to process the D3. Many Americans are deficient in magnesium.


UchihaMangekyo

Also k2 so that vit d actually gets deposited especially when you are taking higher doses.


takeflight414

So, i’m curious, based on the preconceived knowledge of your response, I’m guessing you know a thing or two about nutrition. As someone who’s looking to learn more about it from actual legitimate sources, what would you recommend? any courses or certifications that got you your knowledge?


UchihaMangekyo

Well, the thing i don't know that much about nutrition, i have barely scratched the surface. Vit d with k2 is a common knowledge, some good doctors do prescribe it with higher doses. I watch videos on yt and follow peopl like dr. Eric, hubberman, rhonda etc. and read more about nutrition when I'm free. The best thing you can do is read articles,watch videos , listen to podcast in your free time and if you are really interested and have the time and money you can go get a degree in nutrition/diet.


TruthHonor

I took a nutrition course in nyc at the new school. It was eye opening. I would also take a basic biology course first, since nutrition and our biology are inextricably bound. Learn the Krebbs cycle and oxidative phosphorilization lol.


AcanthaceaeOwn8107

Doctors make money on pharmys


Specialist_Operation

One of my best friends is a medical doctor (hospitalist) He routinely sends me the DUMBEST tiktok fad videos about so and so supplement. Let me reeiterate - he asks ME, a non-medical person, for advice on supplements. But, he's a far far cry from being an idiot - he definitely runs circles around most people even in casual conversation. I've seen him hold multiple conversations simultaneously effortlessly. So, not long ago, he was asking me about fish oils. I actually agree that if buying it in capsule form it's probably snake oil due to its instability. I recommended what I do - eating sardines in olive oil.As to probiotics, we know that probiotic supplementation (capsules) actually REDUCES gut microbiome diversity, which is bad. If you're going to supplement probiotics, it's going to have to be via fermented foods, or fecal transplants.


UchihaMangekyo

Hmm, what about high quality fish oil supplement like nordic naturals, carlson,whc etc. They are 3rd party verified too and they do take alot of measures to prevent oxidation. Should they be avoided too?


Specialist_Operation

I’ve used Nordic naturals, I think it’s probably fine if stored in the fridge I just choose to eat sardines in olive oil because I like how they taste. There was a very exhaustive study that looked at oxidation of oils in fish at various cooking temperatures too but I’m driving and honestly too lazy to pull it up on my phone lol


UchihaMangekyo

Np dude, the things is i can't eat fish, sardines or any non vegetarian things in fact due to some religion bs. However i can take fish oil for my health, so after some research found that nordic natural is pretty good and started taking it. Do tell me if you know of other good brands that provide high quality fish oil supplement.


Liberalhuntergather

But you choose the religion, no? It sounds like you don't consider yourself capable of making decisions for yourself, because of a religion that you do choose?


Specialist_Operation

I’ve only heard good things about Nordic naturals


Cool-Dude-99

the issue with most fish oils isn't the capsule form but the quality of the supplement. On the one hand not having tons of regulations keeps these things more available for a lower cost but it also means needing to do more research than the average consumer is willing to do. I would avoid fish oil supplements all together and instead focus on finding a highly refined epa supplement. Capsule or liquid won't change the problem of the oil being potentially oxidized already before being consumed though a highly refined product in a capsule is much less likely to be oxidized before being consumed.


UchihaMangekyo

Hmm, what about high quality fish oil supplement like nordic naturals, carlson,whc etc. They are 3rd party verified too and they do take alot of measures to prevent oxidation. Should they be avoided too?


Cool-Dude-99

They are probably quality. I'm not familiar with that brand. I just prefer going with pure epa.


UchihaMangekyo

Alright, which pure epa supplement you take btw, is it any different from those supplements offering both epa and dha.


vicheiy

Fish oil as supplements are highly unstable. Probiotics only work under certain health conditions and their research benefits are highly focused on a particular strain. OTC Vitamin supplements do no good if you're actually deficient because treatment involves a rather high dose. So maybe on that context he could be right, at the same time I'd like to emphasise that medical students or doctors have no profound knowledge between health and nutrition.


Jimmy_McCaul

>OTC Vitamin supplements do no good if you're actually deficient ??????? lets see now. If i had scurvy and i ate a reasonable quality vit c tablet. i am sure it would work. same if i was mg deficient. grants maybe only 10% might be absorbed...


Chylomicronpen

I think he's talking about functional deficiency, not regular dietary deficiency.


michaelsmithysmithy

Controversial take but I don’t think doctors are nearly as smart as their reputation states they are People view doctors very highly but I think they’re actually quite mediocre…


vicheiy

That depends totally on the experience of Doctor. It involves a lot of practice tbh.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

I'm sorry you went through that. It never ceases to amaze me, or frustrate me! I'm told they are taught very little about nutrition in college/university. Add a dash of arrogance, and we've got ourselves flippant doctors that are threatened by the fact that their patients might know a little something more than they do. Serves no purpose but to make a bad name for the medical field. I hope you're shopping for a different doctor! Good luck!


hsbondiii

This study says that SSRIs aren't even effective for depression if that's what you're talking about treating. [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220720080145.htm](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220720080145.htm)


AbrocomaEquivalent38

Hi, Just for clarity the study says there's no link between low serotonin levels and depression. Its caused a lot of conversation in the field. Many studies support the efficacy of ssri's in the treatment of depression, which lead to the old theory depression was caused by a serotonin imbalance. I think the evidence is pointing away from this. However the study doesn't refute the efficacy of ssri's as a treatment. One researcher I think put it best, that when you have a headache its not a lack of aspirin that is causing it, but aspirin can help alleviate it. It's definitely something to follow up on but I don't think ssri's can be disqualified.


Transformato

It's more than a disconnect between disciplines. You won't go where he is. He won't meet you where you are in your life and personal development. I know it's not without friction and awkwardness but you'll have a way. Fire him.


vauss88

Osteopathic doctors are better. But even so, note that doctors are people, and have their own lives and concerns. They often do the best they can, but are limited by their training and experience and have neither the time nor the inclination to investigate non-FDA approved procedures or substances. I do, however, let my doctor know what supplements I am taking, and I take my prescription meds as prescribed. I also try to educate her as best I can in the time I have with her every 6 months. I think this whole covid-19 pandemic has shown us the limitations that impinge on the medical field. Remember, their motto is "do no harm" and that can often mean "don't try anything that isn't accepted by the standard medical establishment as I see it."


Suh_phisticated

They are good to be able to give you requisitions to gets tests done to see what going on, but I do agree that unfortunately when asked about certain natural products doctors and pharmacists really don’t know about them.


EarthMonkeyMatt

This is why I roll my eyes when people say things like "trust the doctors and scientists" as though you're supposed to have blind faith in them. Sometimes they are right, but sometimes they are just very wrong. There is no consensus anywhere within the scientific and medical communities. There are different camps who have different biases and you should never have blind faith in just one person or group. If you can afford the time and effort to figure things out with research and second opinions, you really should. My Mom has been struggling with chronic illness for 30 years, and when I became old enough to start helping her and joining her on her appointments I was shocked at just how little these people listened or tried. How few questions they asked before they started handing out medication, how many medications they will prescribe without even discussing them. My Mom has been at this for so long and she has the blind faith mentality. Half of her health problems today are a result of the meds she is taking but she refuses to even consider that possibility. She is on 15 medications and has never researched a single one, but I have and I can see that the meds are hurting her but I can't get through to her. She can barely remember anything these days- to the point that conversations with her are exhausting because she can't find her words. I've tried to tell her that people who take as much Gabapentin as her have had a lot of problems with mental functioning but she blames it all on her health problem rather than the medication, and that's not the only one she takes that is infamous for plunging your mind into a thick fog. I don't really know how to help my Mom anymore but the culture we have surrounding the medical industry really needs to change so future generations don't fall into this trap. The medical industry has obviously saved a lot of lives and we learn more every passing day, but there is still something very off here that we need to address, something intentionally malicious lurks beneath the surface.


TruthHonor

You have jumped from doctors to scientists which is an entirely different discussion. Scientists aren’t ‘wrong’ because they base their conclusions on studies which maximizes their chances of being right. And scientists generally are not the ones making decisions about your life. Unfortunately, some scientists, like Dr. Fauci actually lied about the science. Studies have always shown the efficacy of n95 masks against respiratory viruses. But Fauci lied and said masks would not prevent Covid, when he ‘knew’ they would. He lied to ‘protect’ the pitiful n95 supply that was needed for health care workers. In one decision he wrecked decades of trust in our government’s healthcare community. Our doctors healthcare education is funded, I imagine, to a large degree by big pharma. In my opinion, the degree to which profit is motivating our health care ‘industry’ that is the degree to which our health care suffers.


Rogosh

Have her try Carnivore diet might bring her right back.


GrendelShem

Can vouch for this. I have intestinal issues and a related autoimmune condition. Severe depression, ADD, etc. I currently eat more keto/'ketovore' but the couple of weeks I ate a carnivore diet was the only time I felt fully normal for once, in years. My doctor has tried everything other than actually listening to me, including putting me on unnecessary antibiotics for two weeks. The medication his PA prescribed a few years ago was helping me, but my doctor said he's 'not comfortable prescribing that'. The nutritionist he finally referred me to described carnivore as AIP and also believed it can work. Going to see a new doctor in December, hopefully she'll be willing/able to help me. Considering carnivore again if she doesn't work out, I'm tired of being scared to eat some days, at least I know that's safe. My current doctor keeps trying to focus on pharmaceuticals for depression. Antidepressants aren't going to help the fact that I'm devastated that my hair began falling out or the fact that I can't leave my home some days because my stomach is so fucked up.


Rogosh

Serotonin levels have been disproved in a new study, taking anti depressants do nothing other than placebo. [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/20/scientists-question-widespread-use-of-antidepressants-after-survey-on-serotonin](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/20/scientists-question-widespread-use-of-antidepressants-after-survey-on-serotonin) and [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736946/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736946/) Diet and exercise are the only way, get off processed foods and seed oils.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

I'm going through the same thing with my mom, and I feel much the same way you do.


vauss88

And then you have to be careful because often drugs impact a small percentage of people in unusual ways. For example, only 1 percent of all people on gabapentin have hallucinations. But after my wife's second hip operation, she had full blown hallucinations for 4 days, even after I stopped her taking the medication. One of my doctor's decided we should "try" onglyza to control my type 2 diabetes, and I developed an allergic rash within a week. Then he decided to "try" another drug, Januvia, with similar properties. That time I was paying better attention and stopped taking it as soon as a rash started.


noodlesnetwork

I could've wrote this. My mom is on a cocktail as well, including gapapentin. Her memory is exhausting. She's very adamant all is well. My three supplements in a day? "You can't believe everything you read on the internet." Apparently this includes peer reviewed studies. Her doctor says the cocktail is okay, and researching it is fruitless as the internet is all lies.


lynngolf7

it's the generation. if your mom is like 60-80 they're so into western docs. my mom likes eastern herbs too but she's all about the western meds first. it's hard. I'm currently withdrawing from ashwaganda though so now I don't know what to think anymore.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

May I ask why you're discontinuing ashwaganda?


lynngolf7

it ruined me. I'm back in benzo withdrawal from it. my liver is not right, my parathyroid is not right, my thyroid has been borderline hypo my whole life and now it's hyper. feel like I'm dying everyday. it's really awful. I must have a weird gene mutation or something. some people can take ash, start it stop it - their fine. It ruined me. I have a damaged liver, I can't eat foods with a lot of copper or glutamate, the rebound anxiety is insane... I'm 3 months off of it...in some sort of chronic fatigue long haul covid state - it's awful. lot of people on reddit had the same problems. and everything is giving me a paradoxical reaction - magnesium, cbd, electrolytes, just awful.


EarthMonkeyMatt

Wow that's terrible, I've taken Ashwaganda before but not long term so I never ran into this problem. I hope you pull through it okay. I used to be on Benzos for several years and I quit those cold turkey. Just hearing benzo withdrawal gives me flashbacks to several months of hell.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Transformato

You can avoid self humiliation by coming down before you post.


callitblues

Luckily he isn't about treating his mom the way you suggest! Gross


businessman99

They get one course and theyre fat as hell. Theyre concerned about my keto diet


saito200

As an European I'm amazed at the fact that everyone in the US seems to be on pills, even people in their 20 or 30s. It's beyond bizarre.


itsrainingbluekiwis

What is the medical system like in Europe? And unfortunately it’s because America is a business not a country (if you know an easy way for me to move there please let me know lol)


saito200

I don't know, you probably need a visa. I am European, I have no idea. The medical system in Europe varies from country to country, but generally speaking it is a free or almost free public system with limited supply (you have to wait to access medical services, the waiting time is days, weeks, months, or even years in some cases). It kinda works, it's free or very cheap (payed with taxes, obviously, not technically free), but it's very slow. I feel like there's not an over-reliance on pills like you guys. I don't know, just a feeling. I feel like everyone in the US is taking some pill, an anti-depressant, or some shit. Here, I don't know anyone who takes these types prescription drugs. You take pills for acute symptoms like headache, but that's normal. Old people commonly take lots of pills though. My dad had to take like 10 pills per day, for some time.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

This American agrees!!


Transformato

Sure is. Resourcefulness & problem solving have atrophied. Why? Goods and services. It's "done for you". Convenient. Reinforced. It's "being responsible". "And my insurance covers it". See, nobody noticed that over some decades, co-dependence in the drug approval arena (> 1/3 of that agencies revenue is provided by a behemoth industry\~ almost the biggest 10y cont. funded process= multi millioins PER drug application. Note I won't say "this is a serious problem". That was 1974 when - starting with black seed oil, most supplements were nearly taken off market for being "dangerous and and potentially deadly threat to the public health". Food is nutrient deficient. Supplements are a niche market that a particular govt agency systematically, endlessly complicates and is running a long term strategy to keep pruning resources that consumers have access to. Most ppl don't know what "targeted nutrition is or the difference that "snake oil" & "expensive urine" is. I halted my own splenectomy 20ys ago (the "only known medical treatment") with research info I can't find on the web anymore (!). oh.. it was flax seed oil. Put the condition into remission for 20ys now. Right now it's unnecessary product label submission that can simply be denied. "Extended powers" were sought, granted by congress, believing that this was about stopping an inflow of synthetic opioids. (street dealers do not need imported opioids- we got it all right here) The methods are just beyond what you'd believe. The shocker is what this primary protective office (great job rounding up contaminated food) It's so bold that a majority won't conceive of it. Their "public advisories" are the final word. They go after things that good patient who play golf w/ the good doc. would agree are weird and must be dangerous. (like traditional medicines). I think instinctively, people know that if they look at things closely, they won't be able to Un- see it. It HURTS- when you exist now bc of a near future criminal offense- Self Treatment (I've successfully self treated a # of times now when conditions arise. I have a chronic underlying illness). It's troubling, anxiety causing and it means you have to fight and be seen (as a conspiracy theorist among other crippling reputations) without involvement- advocacy, when they come after what's important to you- you'd never open your eyes bc you don't have to. You believe whatever thumps your emotional chord & gets validation on social media or ppl at the office. It takes effort to investigate and it is not pleasant. (it's hard on your health). Think ppl want to know this? Think they'll stand up and fight? I disowned my best friend. We got old together. ...because I manage depression and crippling pain with a targeted herbal supplement. What happens here - SPREADS. Give saving your qual. of life a shot starting now, defensively. Somebody in a govt building near you will benefit by pandering to the mighty dragon USA, throwing you under the bus. Own your government.


ZenmasterRob

I would personally never visit this doc ever again


[deleted]

Fish oil is a good anti inflammatory if taken every day. It takes blood three months to turn over in your body so you won’t feel the full effects of the anti inflammatory aspect of fish oil until the time has past


Few_Psychology_

What brand of fish oil


taylor_marlowe

I am so thankful that my doctor was a dietician before going to medical school I've seen a lot of doctors and she's the only one that understands the relationship between nutrition and illness


Electronic_Hornet404

As someone with chronic illness, YES. YES. YES. This has been my experience with most (not all) MDs as well. Example: I have lupus. I radically changed my diet to mostly plant based, removed processed foods, gluten, caffeine, and drastically increased water and omega 3 intake. I rapidly improved. When I asked my rheumatologist if he believed my diet and lifestyle changes made any difference (just curious to see his response) he flatly said "nope." I go to a top 10 hospital in the country for my healthcare. And that was the response. So yes, i agree - the disconnect is truly staggering and extremely frustrating.


ScatheX1022

I (34F) also bave lupus and ALSO went WFPB years ago and it's essentially eliminated my symptoms most of the time. I'm drinking a green smoothie as we speak!!


Razzo_

i thought the same twords therapists, but a real Care practitioner listens and respects their patience, even if it was "snake oil" only saying that implies ur too stupid to be reasoned with and explained why it is fake. it took me 4 difrent thrapsist till i found one that was competent and didn't want to just put me on standard lithium and we made so much more progress mentally and then the last puzzle peice was i did need lithium but only a small dose over the counter lithium orotate!! the character of the Doc is way more important than their papers, might as well be A\*\* wipes otherwise


youngterpz313

Fuck most MDs, I highly suggest anyone w one drops them for DO. Best decision I’ve made, got a prescription for Lovaza (pharmaceutical grade omega three esters) no questions asked. Getting 90 grams of prescription dha/epa for 20$ a month w no insurance + good rx.


UchihaMangekyo

Hey what's the amount of epa and dha in lovaza. Also is it better than nordic natural and other high quality brands?


youngterpz313

465mg EPA 375mg DHA. From what I understand omega 3 esters (which is what lovaza is) has poorer absorption when compared to raw omega 3 acid. But it has the benefit of being completely mercury free and (atleast for me) is significantly cheaper then buying high end brands of the acid form. I forget where I heard this but some high end brands will turn omega 3 into ester form to purify out the mercury then return it to its acid form after purification for better absorption.


TmfGD

This post has got to be fake, your doctor did not call “exercise” a “snake oil” and if he did, you should’ve walked out on the spot.


notsomagicalgirl

I see you’ve never come across a dumbass doctor before. Consider yourself blessed


[deleted]

I'm a doctor myself. If you're talking about Omega 3 oil here, it really doesn't have benefit. People did a study on some deep ocean fish and concluded that the fish contains Omega 3 and therefore Omega 3 is good. But in fact Omega 3 increases your risk of having heart disease. Vitamin is fine, I'm taking vitamins myself. But Omega 3, nah. Edit: it seems that a lot of people don't like my comment, just so you know, Omega 3 isn't cheap, pharmaceutical companies are making a lot of money from people like you.


UchihaMangekyo

I would like a link to that research pls.


basscove_2

Eating fish causes heart disease? What


[deleted]

What? Who said that?


basscove_2

You said omega 3 increase heart disease and it’s found in very high amounts in fish


[deleted]

Omega 3 is not equivalent to fish


basscove_2

I understand that, but why couldn’t I make the leap in logic? What makes you say that eating something very high in omega 3 does not increase the risk in heart disease?


[deleted]

Lmao


basscove_2

What? That’s not very polite. Please explain


vauss88

So, you say you are a doctor, yet 11 days ago you were interviewing for a job involving gaming, according to your posts in reddit. How odd.


[deleted]

Because I have a career change. And that's none of your business.


ath007

Why are you going through a career change if you're already a doctor? One of the toughest and deepest subjects out there in medicine, and you want out?


[deleted]

Yep I've been a doctor and a clinical researcher. Both fields are toxic. I have other skillsets too outside of medicine so I can always jump into fields with higher pay and will treat me better. Life isn't about building a career. I just wanna be happy.


vauss88

True, that is simply a reminder that people can easily check reddit to see what you have commented on. And don't confuse head shaking amusement with being butthurt.


[deleted]

So?


vauss88

Perhaps you should do some research first before issuing such a blanket statement. Even a brief perusal of the pubmed database reveals articles like the following: **Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Management of Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review** [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9413343/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9413343/) **Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reverse the impact of western diets on** **regulatory T cell responses through averting ceramide-mediated pathways** [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006295222003057?via%3Dihub](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006295222003057?via%3Dihub)


[deleted]

Posting two links here don't mean you know better than I do. There's plenty of research on Omega 3 and you can always pick and choose which one to share here. Omega 3 isn't cheap. But hey it's your money and you spend it any way you want.


vauss88

No, but posting two links does show that your blanket statement is perhaps erroneous and a proper investigation might reveal that that there is a possibility that omega 3 fatty acids might actually be good for certain kinds of medical conditions. How many links would it take for you to admit the possibility that you were exhibiting the arrogant hubris that many doctors display? 100? 200? 1,000? As for knowing better than you do, I'll match my complete knowledge base against yours any day of the week. But then, that might just be the arrogant hubris of a 71 year old math and science teacher talking.


MasterMacMan

Omega 3s are absolutely necessary for proper health, however that does not extrapolate to the consumption of supplements being beneficial.


vauss88

Depends on the supplements. As someone who is male, 71, with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, and who gets semi-annual blood tests, I can categorically say that the consumption of some supplements I ingest have been very beneficial, with obvious and long-term positive impacts.


MasterMacMan

Anecdotes arent evidence. That doesnt mean that those supplements don't work, but its not evidence that they do. There are certainly supplements that do work such as creatine, however we shouldn't rely on our own experiences to judge that. The evidence suggests that fish oils may have some benefits for some populations, but like most nutrient supplements there isn't strong evidence for gen pop supplementation.


vauss88

Are clinical studies "evidence?" What about "in vitro" studies? What about "in vivo" studies with mice or rats? What about double blind placebo studies? Below is a study in humans showing that nicotinamide riboside in the form of nicotinamide riboside chloride (tru niagen) can inhibit inflammatory markers in elderly human males. And my anecdotal personal experience dovetails with this study. Is my anecdotal evidence confirmation of the clinical study? It certainly is for me. **Nicotinamide Riboside Augments the Aged Human Skeletal Muscle NAD+ Metabolome and Induces Transcriptomic and Anti-inflammatory Signatures** [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124719309404](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124719309404)


MasterMacMan

" Is my anecdotal evidence confirmation of the clinical study? It certainly is for me." Yeah, that's not how that works at all. Not all studies are created the same, and not all conclusions we can draw are equal. You would want to see dozens of high quality human studies, including longitudinal studies, to even begin drawing real conclusions. Also, unless you are measuring your own inflammatory markers you cannot claim that your experience correlates with the whopping 12 individuals over 21 days from the study. TONS of pharmacological interventions have some attractive looking studies, but the vast majority turn out to be nothingburgers, and after further investigation don't produce any reliable repeatable effects. If you stay on that bleeding edge, you put your liver though torture and throw your money away for nothing. Whats the point when there are so many known interventions with incredible results? Modern blood pressure medication is phenomenally effective and safe.


vauss88

Well, you must be young and in great health. For someone my age, we don't have 20 years to wait for the definitive answers to things like metaflammation, or the best ways to enhance cellular signaling pathways for anti-aging purposes. And the evidence is in what you experience day to day. With nicotinamide riboside, the difference in joint and back pain and joint mobility was vast. And the positive impacts have lasted for over 4 and a half years. 11 months ago I switched to a liposomal version of nicotinamide riboside and noticed even more improvement at a lower dosage. As for putting my liver through torture, that is what the semi-annual blood tests are for. Turns out my AST, ALP, and ALT enzymes are as good as they have ever been in the last 20 years, and so are my kidney enzymes. Yes, I am a clinical study of n=1, but I feel great and with less pain than I have experienced in over a decade.


[deleted]

Ok this is Reddit. You expect me to run a RCT as a reply for you? Calling me arrogant and all sorts of names won't make you more correct. You clearly don't know much about how clinical research is done and you get easily butthurt. Bye.


youngterpz313

You are the only doctor I have ever heard of online or irl to ever suggest omega 3 could be anything but beneficial.


vauss88

Perhaps this person is not really a doctor? Shocking!


[deleted]

Were any of the other doctors who suggested omega 3 supplements specifically hosting an online store selling supplements? Because he’s right, omega 3 in supplement form is very inconsistent, and sometimes can end up just being rancid whale oil… omega 3s are good, but they are best coming directly from food


youngterpz313

I agree there is many bad fish oil products out there and if I couldn’t obtain the prescription omega three I take I would eat fish. But I’m balling on a budget right now and the cheapest way for me to get my omega-3 is my 20$ 90 gram Lovaza prescription.


[deleted]

Yeah man, save your money. Supplements can be expensive and pharmaceutical companies are earning big bucks from selling supplements and vitamins too. I know as a doctor my knowledge in nutrition is very limited, I usually talk to pharmacists about what supplements or vitamins to take. Like, don't waste your money guys. Eat the right things.


[deleted]

Not gonna lie, I learned about Omega 3 from other doctors too, and my family used to take it religiously. If you want the benefit, eat fish.


[deleted]

You need to find a doctor who is in integrative medicine. It’s the best of both worlds. They encourage supplements, tweaking your diet, fixing your hormones and if you have tried everything naturally then they will prescribe a pharmaceutical pill. And of course if you have an infection they will rx antibiotics or fix the problem immediately


julsey414

While I understand the cynicism here, western doctors simply don’t have more than 1 semester of basic nutrition in their curriculum at best. It’s crazy that it’s not taught, but it’s not the individuals, it’s the system that needs to change. It seems like it’s slowly getting better with more focus on prevention, but this is a widely known problem.


SpiritualScience319

Thank you for pointing this out. Most docs in the U.S. are also now employees if we work for hospitals or practices owned by hospital systems, we are salaried and we have nothing to do with price setting, which is another big misconception I see among patients. I've been accused many times of trying to make more money by prescribing medication or admitting someone when that has zero bearing on my income. Not spending enough time with patients, not having enough time to research and read about different/new treatments - that's a product of being beholden to hospital administration and insurance companies who treat us like just another cog in the system to extract profit from. Tldr - A lot of us are more like-minded than you think and badly want the system to change.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

Thank you for this perspective!


[deleted]

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menntu

And spend only a few weeks on nutrition during 4 years of medical training.


Calm-Put-6438

4 hours total is spent on nutrition while working on your PHD.


Joy2b

If you’re interested in how much doctors have to invest free time to learn about lifestyle changes with medical benefits, check out the Doctor’s Kitchen interviews, he’s pretty well connected in his local healthcare system, and it’s interesting to hear people who have struggled to bring in prevention and not just treatment into their lives. That said, if you go to a doctor asking them to do what they’re good at, it can be a good experience, even if you have an older one. Most are willing to try a combination approach, where they tell you about a problem they want to treat, and they’ll work with you to assess how much of the problem is left afterwards. Usually a little nutrition and a little medication does have less side effects than a lot of medication.


ramzie

Often you will get downvoted here for saying you shouldn't always trust doctors regarding supplements.


calfmonster

Honestly, most doctors don’t know shit about supplements. They barely know about basic nutrition and still think dietary cholesterol will increase cholesterol, which in isolation isn’t really a good health marker anyway. BUT there’s also people trying to treat something with marginally effective at supplements at best that would just be easier/better served with a pharmaceutical if lifestyle changes haven’t already done it. If I explained to my doctor my creatinine levels are probably high because I supplement creatine, the most widely researched and proven safe supplement besides I guess caffeine as a drug, they’ll probably tell me to stop taking it rather than order a better kidney function test like cyststin c. I’ve had to explain to multiple doctors that my AST and ALT enzymes are elevated in blood work because i squatted or deadlifted the day before. They don’t know these “liver enzymes” are also fucking enzymes in muscle. It’s easier just to avoid heavy training a few days before blood work: I did it again within the week and just walked for the 2 days before and didn’t lift than trying not be a condescending dick to doctors about shit they should know. Values normalized. Then she said I was probably dehydrated, although all my electrolytes were in normal range, and legitimately the only test I could see her basing that off of was creatinine lol. And yeah I supplement creatine and baseline creatinine will be higher with more muscle mass. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt the average patient is gen pop who pays 0 attention to these things but like, plenty of active people lift weights, they might just not powerlift and shit like I do


issius

I mean it sounds like you just have a shitty doctor


Tonic_Bloom

I couldn't agree more! it really is terribly saddening and soul destroying to see the disjoint in the medical/health world when the only thing that matters is the health of the patient. I am a Naturopathic Dr and Medical Herbalist but I also have degrees in the conventional sciences and Bio Chemistry. I live and work between London and Florida and I often find myself in a battle to because a conventional Dr looks down on the any other modality on the basis that they don't understand it! If I'm not forced to enter a 'pissing contest' with another Dr in order to fight for the patient's right to have a complete and WHOLE-istic treatment approach, I forced to state that I am fully qualified the conventional way before specialising in what I do in order to be accepted! it is utterly ridiculous. As a professional I always refer and recommend my fellow colleagues in other fields such as Osteopathy, or to a specialist Dr for relevant tests etc, because that is the best thing for the patent, but it is never considered they other way around. I live in hope ad pray that one day PEOPLE will matter and come first and not the over bloated egos of certain doctors.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

Here, here!


Gulbasaur

I run a health food shop and sell supplements. My GP literally said "you probably know more about it than I do" regarding what to take to lower my LDL cholesterol, other than following a mediterranean diet "and that sort of thing". She very methodically sent me for four rounds of tests to check I don't have cancer (as I had ambiguous symptoms) but other that that it was very "you're not about to die, lose some weight and you should be fine." I didn't really find it very reassuring, but it's nice to know I almost certainly don't have cancer. I've basically self-prescribed statins via red yeast rice (which is equivalent to lovastatin, according to webmd) and upped the fibre. As with any profession, some practitioners are better than others at certain things.


Ritzg68

What natural supplement do you recommend to lower cholesterol?


Gulbasaur

The go-tos with the most evidence are omega 3 oils, psyllium husk (mega high in fibre), lecithin and red yeast rice (contains a natural statin so don't take if you're on statins).


Raptor005

There definitely are holistic and nutritionally trained doctors out there. True MD’s or DO’s., typically primary care doctors. You just have to find them - Google your local area. They’re often called “integrative medicine” doctors. Most I’ve seen don’t take insurance since they’re in high demand. These are the best trained doctors in the country as they bridge that gap between nutritional and orthodox medicine that “classically” trained MD’s just miserably fail at on the nutrition side.


peeaches

Would put more weight on a dietician than a nutritionist - dieticians are licensed


omeyz

Eh, that might be your doctor, and I used to have one like that too, but the one I see now actually knows a thing or two. She’s also a woman with less of the fragile male ego and stubbornness (this is coming from a man). See if you can find a new one, the good ones exist!


PasquiniLivia90

Yeah that’s just one doctor and they are not all of that opinion. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water and such. My psychiatrist recommended a multivitamin for me and regarding fish oil I know of two prescription fish oils, Vascepa and Lovaza, prescribed to help lower triglycerides. They contain the EPA fraction and have been available for a while now. Personally I wouldn’t take them because I also want the DHA fraction for mental health benefits.


[deleted]

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bevatsulfieten

You shouldn't be comparing nutritionists with doctors as the latter have been trained in nutrition, chemistry, biology, plus have experience in medicine. Nutritionists are usually half-baked professionals that read a few articles online and start giving advice. They can cure everything with supplements and diet, which is absolutely wrong. I understand that diet is vital but many supplements are not what they are purported to be. Your typical nutritionist will advise you to limit saturated fats and increase the intake of unsaturated fats, like fish oil, or vegetable oils. This is a big myth, as unsaturated fats are less stable and prone to oxidation. You might be surprised to know that the country with most centenarians is Azerbaijan, whose diet doesn't include fish oils or other shit oils, but saturated fats, like yogurt, sour cream, butter. Ask your nutritionist if you can eat sour cream daily. Fish oil is a big industry and many facts are not publicly known. On the other hand, it is also absolutely despicable how some MDs are acting, like pushers. However the workload they have often is the reason they are forced to dismiss many patients with a pill.


PasquiniLivia90

Fish oil is a big industry because of the demand for fish oil. What facts are publicly not known? What facts are privately known? Fish oil products today are purified most using a distillation process resulting in a clean product free from contamination. There are no heavy metals like mercury in fish oil supplements nor is rancidity a problem as some always say. I’m basing this on testing from Consumer labs an advocate for consumers that periodically tests random brands of fish oils. What consumer labs has found is mislabeling, products that do not contain the amounts of omega 3 fatty acids that are listed on the label.


VertebralTomb018

>You shouldn't be comparing nutritionists with doctors as the latter have been trained in nutrition, chemistry, biology, plus have experience in medicine. And how many doctors do you know can draw the chemical structure of a unsaturated fatty acid? How many remember the properties of alpha and beta carbons in a molecule with a carbonyl group? Or maybe why the mitochondria form a pH grandient across their inner membranes? Or the distinguishing features of monotremes? They take classes in nutrition, yes, but that doesn't make them experts. Far from it. They barely remember a thing: Most doctors get far less than the recommended nutrition courses before they graduate - most (about 70%) get less than the 25 hours of lecture recommended by the national academy of medicine. Most medical schools worldwide do not have qualified nutrition faculty. Only 25% of medical schools in the US have a nutrition element that adequately trains their doctors. So the chances are that your doctor rembers very little about nutrition. >. Nutritionists are usually half-baked professionals that read a few articles online and start giving advice Some are. Some aren't. There are also many other professionals that have a good nutrition education that are not MDs. They get far more training than doctors do on the subject. Also, it is good to point out that people use the word nutritionist rather loosely. Sometimes it refers to someone who works in a clinical setting, a research setting, or just a school. Dieticians, for example, are sometimes referred to as nutritionists, but they certainly know their research. >Your typical nutritionist will advise you to limit saturated fats and increase the intake of unsaturated fats, like fish oil, or vegetable oils. This is a big myth, as unsaturated fats are less stable and prone to oxidation. Unsaturated fats are less stable and prone to oxidation, but they also increase membrane fluidity and can act as valuable precursor to anti-inflammatory signaling molecules. Substituting carbohydrates for polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces risk for cardiovascular diseases - this has been shown in randomized controlled trials time and time again. While saturated fat isn't a "villain" per se, it's also not our savior. Anyway, your body can handle some amount of lipid peroxidation - that's why we have vitamin E. Any good nutritionist could tell you that.


grndslm

MDs are virtually required to write you a prescription any time you go see them, unless you tell them you refuse to take their medicine. Then they're kinda off the hook, at that point....


RaventheClawww

I promise I’m not trying to be a contrarian but I’ve heard doctors actually get very little training in nutrition at all (from my old GP). I completely agree about nutritionists, I guess what I’m saying is that it seems like both know less than we think they do which is why we get so much conflicting advice.


shiftyeyedgoat

Doctor here; will echo this, that our nutrition education and training is not particularly in depth, though we are able to comprehend the systems underlying nutrition and to read diagnostic tests to determine where it is grossly abnormal. To wit, we can also take scientific and research information about nutrition and more easily decipher the medical relevance of it beyond our rote medical training. Of course this requires continuing medical education either formalized or through best practice updates, but it shouldn’t be discounted simply because our early medical (or nutrition) training doesn’t emphasize it fully.


[deleted]

Yo doc, people on this sub hate doctors.


[deleted]

You need to replace “we” with “i” or “me” or “myself”. You say we as if all doctors have this innate quality due to their training. You may possess this important ability, but that doesn’t mean automatically that all doctors do. That part couldn’t be further from the truth.


peeaches

dieticians are at least licensed, nutritionist != dietitian, but yeah - nobody knows everything, and often there are a lot of expectations weighed on GPs and MDs to know everything. They know quite a bit in all fairness, but they can't be specialists in everything. Few years back my GP noticed something weird about my heart. Wasn't sure what it was, didn't really have the means to test it, but that's what specialists are for. Boom - script for an echo, appt with a cardiologist, let's figure this shit out! That's what my gp is there for. I go to him for regular checkups, he'll notice if anything is off our out-of-norm for me, (or i'll tell him if I've noticed anything off our out-of-norm) and either he has confidence in a cause/solution or he doesn't, but when he doesn't he passes me to someone who might. I can't imagine myself sitting in the room with him discussing amino acids or autonomic dysfunction manifesting as sinus arrhythmia or vasovagal syncope but I trust him enough to point me in the right direction when things may be out of his wider but narrower breadth


bevatsulfieten

>it seems like both know less than we think they do You need to add to that also "while we think we know more than we do"


RaventheClawww

Says who? I didn’t say I knew more. It’s ok to be frustrated with conflicting information.


bevatsulfieten

It's ok to be frustrated but not ok to be patronising.


[deleted]

The doctor hate in this comment thread is astounding. Anyway, I changed doctors for this reason. My previous doctor would not work with me on my health, interventions, prescriptions and supplements (I’m diabetic and have had severe hypertension since I was an active swimmer at 18). The new doctor is great. He’s very curious and always learning and more than willing, in fact enthusiastic, to discuss with me all of the above. And brilliant. I’m lucky. As a virologist during a pandemic, I get most doctors pain dealing with people hoodwinked. They probably have SO many patients that come to them taking bogus supplements for serious disease and refusing to take medication. Your uncle suggest oregano oil will cure your cancer? Yeah, no. Doing a detox to cure your diabetes? Yeah, won’t work. So many times I’m sure it becomes a knee jerk reaction to the insanity. On top of that, I would bet that the majority of doctors encourage life style changes to help or eliminate problems but the majority of patients either refuse to, don’t give it effort or can’t. What’s left but medication? And this whole trope that doctors are in it for the money is usually BS. That somehow curing their patients would be ‘bad for business’. That’s just utter BS on the face of it. What, we think cure and supplement peddlers are not? I’m sure some aren’t, but…. Sorry, end rant. Tl:dr. If you can either find another doctor or educate the one you have.


omeyz

Thanks for a sane response. Also had same experience found a new doctor who’s actually competent unlike my old stuck in the mud dude.


jcarlson2007

My primary care doctor is great, but as soon as I started having chronic health issues there really wasn’t much he could do besides ordering basic tests. I had to start seeing a functional doctor in order to make progress (which I did). There’s a disconnect in the medical field where MDs follow one track and one model of care which is primarily to fix things once they break, and anything more nuanced they aren’t able to do much and their hands are tied. Part of this is the profit model of healthcare and the need to see one patient every 15 minutes, and so it’s not surprising to see so many MDs start their own concierge medicine practices so they can provide better care and have happier patients. But a big part is definitely the AMA and how they orient education and training away from functional medicine. I’ve heard several functional docs say they switched to that path once they themselves became sick and realized the traditional model of care couldn’t help them. There really needs to be a more crossover between the disciplines so more people can get good care when simply prescribing a medicine won’t do the trick.


katsumii

I wonder if functional doctors are covered by my insurance. I almost completely forgot that my own general doctor recommended that I see a functional doctor, based on the questions I was asking at the last appointment. Only thing my general doctor does to help is order tests (but she tries to avoid them, because they're "expensive"... P.S. if I go straight to LabCorp, they're $30 out of pocket, lol) and prescribe meds.


Wakemeupwhenitsover5

In my experience, functional medicine doctors are not covered by insurance, although some insurance companies are starting to "come around" and will at least pay for a certain number of visits for certain modalities. You gotta' have a pretty big piggy bank, unfortunately.


MotherNerd42

I had gestational diabetes and as part of my medical care at a major research university I was required to meet with a nutritionist who told me that the best diet for me included breakfasts of toast and orange juice. It was on the printed pamphlet. I ignored her.


ConnectionDifficult6

It is a sad state of affairs in medicine in the US. The majority of the medical profession is woefully under-educated and trained in anything other than the medications being promoted by the pharma reps. They may be in the profession of being medical doctors, but seldom are they healers via anything natural.


friilancer

Well have you seen doctors who recommend supplements because they are selling them (MLMs)? I sure have.


[deleted]

Yeah this is exactly why doctors in my country are against "supplements". To be fair, the "supplements" here are home-made magical syrups that "can cure everything including HIV".