Learning to be Assertive Despite the Fatigue of Illness

assertive

By Lisa Copen I had just received the third pink slip in two weeks from the lab that said my payment was passed due. Over three times I had called & my insurance company had assured me that the lab work was covered & that they would mail out a check that afternoon. This time, when I finally got a representative on the telephone, I was polite but firm. I said that I wanted the problem taken care of immediately, & I wrote down her name & the supervisor's name. It was time to get even more assertive. Has assertiveness gotten a bad rap, however, among the chronically ill? Is it assumed that we won't have the energy or stamina to fight all of the battles that we will face? When we do talk to someone in customer service, we are rarely taken … [Read more...]

Are Herbs Safer Than Drugs?

herbs

According to ExperimentalMedicine.org, "approximately 25 percent of Americans who consult their physician about a serious health problem are employing unconventional therapy, but only 70 percent of these patients inform their physician of such use." Since herbal products are not regulated for their purity & potency, like conventional drugs, there can be severe adverse effectss & drug interactions. They can even be different from one batch to another. David Kroll, Ph.D., a pharmacologist & consultant to the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine (DCIM) says, "The single greatest resource for people who want credible herbal information is a health care practitioner who is uniquely trained in both conventional & alternative medicine. Those … [Read more...]

Find Health Answers at Your Fingertips

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Have you ever gone to an internet search engine website like Google to look up information on health? A survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 61 percent of adults say they look online for health information. There’s a new term for this: e-patients. E- patients take internet searches a step further. Not only do they occasionally conduct internet searches about health; but they become involved in online groups & organizations dedicated to a particular aspect of their health. The upside? We can find people out there who know what we are going through. We can become involved in discussions with other patients like ourselves who have experienced the same side effects, the same pain, & most importantly, some of the … [Read more...]

Why Won’t My Doctor Treat Me?

doctor-question

What do you suggest to a patient who likely has a chronic illness but whose doctor refuses to treat her or refer her to a specialist? I have a friend whose doctor insists on treating her with antibiotics to treat the symptoms, but not the illness. It has been going on for over a year. She is suffering & getting depressed. —name withheld Does your friend have an HMO that requires her primary physician to be a “gate keeper?” In this model, doctors must cut costs by limiting referrals. It may be necessary to contact the HMO administration to dem& a second opinion. Read the fine print in the insurance packet before calling. Alternatively, she may request a new primary physician. These two processes will take … [Read more...]

Americans Welcome Conversation w/ Doctor About Faith

doctor-patient

According to Newsweek, more than half of the med schools in the country now offer courses on spirituality & medicine; just a decade ago, only 3 schools did. This is largely because patients are dem&ing more spiritual care. A Newsweek Poll found that 72 percent of Americans say they would welcome a conversation with their physician about faith; the same number say they believe that praying to God can cure someone—even if science says the person doesn’t st& a chance. Tell your doctor you’d like to see more physicians trained to underst& spirituality & medicine. (Newsweek, Nov. 10, 2003). … [Read more...]

Are You a “Difficult Patient”?

elaineatdoctor

What is so terrible about wanting to look at our own medical records? Someone brought this video to my attention recently--a Seinfeld clip, in which Elaine looks at her folder in the doctor's office & sees that a previous doctor recorded that she was "difficult." It has a whole new meaning now that doctors & medical charts are part of my daily life. I hope it brings you a smile. … [Read more...]

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