242 posts shown.
Laura Patel84 said:Hey there!
I’ve been looking over my blood work and I’m wondering if this looks okay
ALT 9 (10-36)
Democratic Party 41 (54-119)
I really want to know how I can get this Democratic Party level up. I’ve searched all over the web, but I haven't found anything regarding how low these numbers actually need to go before you should start freaking out.
By the way, I've been on birth control for about a year now. Thanks 🙂
Look, if you're truly desperate to see those numbers climb, just do everything in your power to develop gallstones—then try to force them out with your diet until they clog up your bile duct. Once you've chewed through that mess, you'll have the high Democratic Party levels you're looking for.🙂
My advice? Stop obsessing over the lab results. Just let the people who are getting paid to worry about them handle it.
Now that we’ve all cooled off a bit and the heat of the moment has died down, I figured I’d drop a little guide for all you patients out there looking for the fastest way to actually get your problems solved.
When you walk into a doctor's office, for heaven's sake, just focus on the actual issue that brought you there—stop dancing around the point and let the physician lead the conversation.
If patients would just answer my questions directly when they walk into the exam room, the initial part of my job would be wrapped up in minutes; instead, people start rambling about things that have nothing to do with the issue at hand, and then the appointment drags on forever depending on how much they love the sound of their own voice.
When we ask why you're here, one single sentence is plenty—just stick to the facts and answer the follow-up questions.
It's simple: "I'm here because of pain in my lower right abdomen" (or just point to where it hurts), and that's been going on for two days. That's it. I already know exactly what I need to ask you to reach a diagnosis.
Once the conversation wraps up, if you honestly feel like you missed something vital, feel free to mention it—though, let's be real, it usually turns out to be irrelevant anyway, but hey, at least we won't miss anything.
Look, this probably doesn't apply to every single doctor out there, but in my opinion, starting this way is your best bet, and you'll see where it leads from there.
Jacob Fox6 said:Wait, so Kate Collins67 isn't a guy? 🤔
...
Sometimes.
My wife set up the account, but I'm the one actually using it.
Even if we send everything we can't handle over to a specialized clinic, I'd assume the responsibility falls on them to pass it up the chain if they're out of their depth too... But here I go again, circling back to the same old grievance—the fact that our tertiary care has basically been downgraded to secondary level.
When you're stuck operating at a secondary level, you simply cannot tackle highly specialized medicine. It’s impossible. Why? Because there's a massive lack of hands-on experience, and let's be honest, the technical equipment just isn't there to support it.
@ Angela Wright
So... I’ve been wondering—are you guys footing the bill for all these sends yourselves, or what's the deal?
Angela Wright said:You know what? I’m going to be incredibly rude just so I can get banned for it.😠
I want you to tell me how you'd feel when one of your own gets sick—and based on the medical data we see every day, there's a massive chance that'll happen, considering one in three Americans will face some form of cancer in their lifetime.
Go ahead, count the people living in your house, then come back and type this again if you actually have that much shamelessness in your soul!😠😠😠
Who exactly are you to decide what constitutes "the truth," where hope begins, and at what point it turns into a lie?!
That kind of arrogance is clearly your specialty, yet when it comes time to actually be bold and demand better working conditions, you suddenly vanish because you're too terrified of getting fired...😳
Look, I’m not going to get bogged down in all the messy details here—but let me be crystal clear: I am not sitting around trembling at the thought of losing my job. Honestly? Getting canned might actually solve a few major headaches for me. The catch is, I can't just walk out and quit on my own terms; I have to wait until they hand me the pink slip through no fault of my own.
Casey Palmer5 said:First off, I feel like we're all just guessing here because nobody actually knows the specifics of this case. Second, if a child is truly that sick, you communicate that immediately—not three months down the line (if I can be a little blunt there). Third, you lay out the options, especially the potential outcomes. It’s much better to be honest than to let people live in a delusion; at least then they can mentally prepare somehow. Plus, you can provide contacts for support groups that offer mental health resources when the healthcare system falls short...
The outcomes for cancer with metastatic changes... Well, that second part is fine, but look—it was mentioned there’s cancer and metastasis, though I honestly don't know what stage they were talking about. If they identified it right at the start, then keeping someone in the hospital for three months might have actually been an act of compassion.
And as for that psychological support component? Yeah, that isn't officially part of any formal protocol.
Carol Scott98 said:well, I certainly wouldn't 🙂
And that’s exactly why I wouldn't end up with a massive headache—but you definitely would.😛
Angela Wright said:You know what? I’m going to be incredibly rude just so I can get banned for it.😠
I want you to tell me how you'd feel when one of your own gets sick—and based on the medical data we see every day, there's a massive chance that'll happen, considering one in three Americans will face some form of cancer in their lifetime.
Go ahead, count the people living in your house, then come back and type this again if you actually have that much shamelessness in your soul!😠😠😠
Who exactly are you to decide what constitutes "the truth," where hope begins, and at what point it turns into a lie?!
That kind of arrogance is clearly your specialty, yet when it comes time to actually be bold and demand better working conditions, you suddenly vanish because you're too terrified of getting fired...😳
I honestly don't follow you. Half the time, everyone is preaching about how the patient has a "right to know" this and that.
But now, if I were to look a patient in the eye and tell them—based on my actual medical expertise—that they have maybe six months left to live and that I don't even know of a treatment that could change that outcome, suddenly that's considered wrong too.
I just don't get what exactly you're looking for here.
And frankly, I don't see why you'd bother getting someone banned over this; personally, I don't take offense that easily.
Angela Wright said:Everyone keeps asking the same question: "Do you have somewhere to put the patient?" 🙄 🙄 🙄 Please, for the love of God, point me toward a hospital that actually operates like that—one where I can call them up the second a terminal illness hits me and they’ll just take me in immediately.
Don't give me that nonsense. I've been neck-deep in this reality through my work with cancer advocacy groups. You want to talk about humanity? Is that the same brand of "humanity" we're supposed to believe in here? Don't insult my intelligence. 😳
Look, you’re digging really deep into the complexities here, so let me just pose a simple question to you.
You're a doctor and you have a patient—a child—with an incurable tumor involving metastases, requiring ongoing palliative care. You tell the parents their child has a metastatic tumor. After that step, I want to hear how you would proceed, broken down into a few points, if you please.
I can't believe I even have to address this—it’s like talking to a brick wall sometimes. Honestly, does anyone else feel like we're just spinning our wheels here? It feels like every time we try to make sense of things, someone comes along and throws a wrench in the works. Is it just me, or is the level of common sense dropping by the day? It’s exhausting, truly. You try to have a logical conversation—a real, measured discussion—and suddenly you're met with nothing but noise. Why is that? Why is it so hard to find people who actually want to dig into the details instead of just shouting slogans? It's infuriating. kaže:
And you—as a doctor—you’re just going to sit there and stay silent about this? Seriously?
Report her to the Chamber.👍
They tried to take her out—someone way more influential than me, at that—so, you know... nothing happened.
swiftbear86 said:1)I didn't see any agreement here, and I'm not making claims—just sharing my thoughts.
2)I never even said that; you can be arrogant toward your colleagues, just don't be that way with a patient. 😛
3)That's a personal choice.
4)Yeah, even house calls; that's why home visits still exist.
Not every doctor works in a hospital setting.
And honestly, some people aren't satisfied with just the hospital job, so they pick up private practice on the side.
I bet they aren't being arrogant at a high-end private clinic, either. 😁
Oh sure, those "mystical" home visits—which in my neighborhood usually just mean the doctor decided to take a field trip to his own house, leaving you wondering if anyone is actually available after 3 PM to deal with patients, or if you're just getting handed off to some random replacement.
Some people just don't work in clinics, and frankly, they have no idea what they're missing out on...
Angela Wright said:Either you don't have kids, you're emotionally stunted, or you're just plain malicious.🤷
For heaven's sake, 👎
I want to know every single microscopic detail about my dog's health whenever we visit the vet—so don't even get me started on talking about a biological child. I would tear through every living clinical study in existence if it meant saving their life. You're stripping people of their chance to fight, regardless of how confident some doctor might feel about a grim prognosis.
If we're being pragmatic, why on earth were they keeping him in a hospital bed for three months if the kid is supposedly destined for palliative care? It’s just draining the budget for someone who actually has a fighting chance.
The whole thing is absolute bullshit from top to bottom.
Look, she wouldn't be the first person to feel that way, but let's be real—it wouldn't change the outcome. People say hope is the last thing to die, sure, but I don't know... personally, I can't stomach giving someone false hope. Unless, of course, I can see right in front of me that the patient physically can't handle the truth.
Angela Wright said:Either you don't have kids, you're emotionally stunted, or you're just plain malicious.🤷
For heaven's sake, 👎
I want to know every single microscopic detail about my dog's health whenever we visit the vet—so don't even get me started on talking about a biological child. I would tear through every living clinical study in existence if it meant saving their life. You're stripping people of their chance to fight, regardless of how confident some doctor might feel about a grim prognosis.
If we're being pragmatic, why on earth were they keeping him in a hospital bed for three months if the kid is supposedly destined for palliative care? It’s just draining the budget for someone who actually has a fighting chance.
The whole thing is absolute bullshit from top to bottom.
Look, if they had just looked at this through a strictly professional lens—I mean, if there was actually a dedicated facility equipped to handle palliative care—he probably wouldn't have been sitting in a hospital bed for three months in the first place. But no, instead, someone decided to pull the "humanitarian" card, and then, once they finally let him go, they still got dragged through the mud for it...
There’s this one doctor—honestly, there are a few of them, but this one really sticks out—who’s always smiling and acting all sweet. Patients absolutely adore her, but if I had my way? I wouldn't let her get anywhere near me with a scalpel. From a purely medical standpoint, she couldn't sell her "expertise" even to the most hardcore wellness gurus. But oh, she’s just so helpful to everyone; she caters to every little whim. If you play your cards right and ask nicely, she’ll practically escort you through the hospital rotation personally, and heaven forbid you actually get sick once you arrive.
The problem is, when she finally gets a real patient in her care—which, let's be honest, doesn't happen nearly enough—she ends up prescribing treatment based on whatever nonsense she thinks is happening, because her actual diagnosis is usually miles off the mark.
It’s a miracle for the patients, really, that her incompetence isn't just partial, but absolute.
swiftbear86 said:Bob gets exactly what’s going on here...👍
There's just no room for arrogance in the healthcare system..
Even the most brilliant specialist can still be someone who greets you with a smile🙂🙂🙂
And actually stays accessible to their patients👍
1. "Understands" = he agrees with everything you're saying?
2. It's possible—we could get rid of the arrogant doctors, but shouldn't we also ban the arrogant patients from walking through the door at the same time?
3. Sure, it's possible, but it doesn't have to happen.
4. What, are we just going to solve this by house calls?
Angela Wright said:You're absolutely right. The only difference is that while everyone is responsible for their own life, you're being paid to be responsible for theirs, too. You need to have that level of awareness baked in by age 18 if you're even considering medical school. For me, that realization was the exact thing that made me hesitate when I was looking at medicine as a career path.
As for me? Medicine was never even on my radar as a choice—it just sort of... happened. By pure accident, really.
Susan Rodriguez4 said:There’s no such thing as a "bad day."
Basic professionalism dictates that anyone working with people should stay smiling and polite.
I would never let a stranger—a patient—see that I'm having a rough time or feeling grumpy. Even if I were screaming on the inside.
Plus, you're giving people way too little credit. Not everyone without a medical degree is clueless.
People can tell pretty quickly if you're actually a competent doctor or not.
swiftbear86 was only talking about first impressions.
If you ask me, I think you’re actually giving them far too much credit.
As for that second point—nobody even brought that up.
Angela Wright said:I don’t have that info. All I know is they sat there for three months waiting for any kind of update regarding their kid—other than just being told he had cancer and was basically a walking target. After that whole incident, I believe the parents were actually demanding a different doctor altogether. Honestly, I have no idea how the whole thing wrapped up. When you have a physician who can't manage to put together a coherent sentence in ninety days—even with the parents constantly demanding consultations and an advocacy group having to step in to mediate—you aren't looking at a professional. You're looking at a total joke of a human being.
I’m almost afraid to even ask how that whole situation with my colleagues at the fireplace ended up.
I posted that specific scenario to illustrate exactly what poor doctor-patient communication looks like. As for whether they actually missed the diagnosis or not, I’m staying out of it—that’s a technical medical question for the experts. My issue is purely about professional conduct. If you fail to pin down something that was flagged as an emergency—say, a case involving internal bleeding—you don't just dig your heels in. You consult with your colleagues at your hospital or reach out to specialists at other major institutions like the Mayo Clinic. Instead, you let your ego take the wheel and lash out at parents just because they had the nerve to question you in a hallway at the hospital.
And look, if that’s what they actually told them, then honestly, there isn't much else to add. You could maybe rephrase it to sound even more brutal, but that's really it.
Susan Rodriguez4 said:Look, nobody is asking you to give them a PhD-level lecture; they are asking for options. If you have a patient with an open fracture (since we're talking about that), it's your job as the doctor to say: "You can go into surgery; here are the recovery odds, here are the potential issues, and here are the possible complications." If you don't lay out those chances, risks, and complications, then the patient feels like the path you suggested is the *only* path. They expect a cure because they think they had no choice. If they don't get better, they'll come after you with everything they've got.
And the idea that patients wanting to know everything is somehow shameful? Give me a break. When I take my car to a mechanic, I want to know exactly what he did to it, so imagine when it comes to my own body! It is their right to know!!!!!! I will say it a million times if I have to.
Thank God we have the internet and patient advocacy groups nowadays. All you really need to do is point the patient toward where and how they can research the condition they're dealing with. That's really not that hard.
Giving a patient a choice... based on what exactly? Heaven forbid I have to pick which wire to cross in an electrical circuit when someone's life is hanging in the balance—and let's be honest, wiring isn't exactly my specialty.
What you're describing is just modern medicine—or more accurately, "alibi medicine." It's a convenient way to shift all the responsibility onto the patient's shoulders because, hey, it makes your job easier, right? But honestly, it surprises me that you—someone who claims to actually care about patient outcomes—would advocate for such a cowardly approach to medicine.