Chronic Illness – Ideas to consider
There are a large number of people suffering from un-diagnosed chronic illness. I am included in this group and would like to share my experience and the many possible causes I’ve investigated. Its become increasingly clear to me that most doctors are simply unable or unwilling to diagnose many conditions due to a variety of issues. Alternative or integrative doctors are often better at rising above these issues. Once you develop a medical record showing this range of visits, the willingness of doctor’s to make an effort declines. The issues I have encountered with most local and university caliber doctor’s include:
- More downside than upside risk in complex chronic patients;
- Complex chronic patients often inconvenient testing and referrals that take effort;
- Complex chronic patients often require riskier “empirical treatments” as the best method of resolving equivocal testing;
- Unwillingness to consider or even think about possibilities outside a vary constrained set inside their specialties “Standard of Care” – Standard of care is used to avoid thinking or effort;
- Have allowed their practice to sink to a “Cook-Book” like practice looking only at specific symptoms and conditions they have become accustomed to;
- Don’t want the responsibility of a patient with a chronic conditions developed outside their care;
- Simple lack of intellectual curiosity or desire to help someone using their knowledge and skills;
- No financial reward with the additional effort a chronic patient requires;
- Don’t want to take the time to research medical journals or even services such as “UpToDate“;
Many people with complex chronic conditions probably recognize these doctor issues after years of seeing many doctors. I’ve seen dozens of doctors ranging from local family, internists and specialists. I’ve seen doctors at Kaiser Northern California, Stanford, UCSF, Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins.
I’ve come down to praying one would make a significant effort. I’ve yet to find such a doctor with the exception of a few integrative doctors. I’ve seen the following specialists including more than one at multiple university centers and locally:
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Gastroenterologist
- Pulmomologist
- Infectious Disease
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