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Untitled Comment
Allen
Sunday, October 04, 2009 at 11:35 PMre: Untitled Comment
David Mendosa
Monday, October 05, 2009 at 11:18 AMDear Allen,
Excellent points. And you are very lucky to get email support from your endo. It's still unusual for doctors to even give out their email addresses.
Best regards,
David
The Support We Need from Our Doctors
Allen
Monday, October 05, 2009 at 01:42 PMWell, it was earned. I was asked to and actually participated in a study performed by my Endo. During that time, we gained a respect for each other and it just goes forward from there.
Email contact with doctorsKa
sjs
Monday, October 05, 2009 at 05:57 PMKaiser Permanente patients can contact their doctors (and apparently any KP doctors and most nurses they've ever had contact with) via a web page and when he responds, you get an email telling you can login to read his response.
In mid July, my current primary care physician used this method to ask how much simvastatin I had been taking. I replied that I wasn't taking any because I was concerned that the risks outweighed any possible benefits. When he replied, he seemed rather angry so I have not responded back to him.
Since then, I attended the annual meeting of the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness (the majority of attendees were, like me, not doctors) in Denver and heard Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a cardiologist, talk about the dangers of statins. He said another doctor he knows discovered that 70 to 80% of patients he had prescribed statins to developed heart arrhythmia within a few weeks. About 70 to 80% of those recovered when statins were discontinued and they were given CO-Q10.
ddponline.org has podcasts of talks from previous meetings, but none yet from the 2009 meeting and I have no idea when they will be up. CDs and DVDs of the talks are for sale, so if anyone is interested, call the phone number on the web site to get ordering information.
I might have to ask KP for a different doctor as this one seems rather inexperienced in the field of diabetes. I base this on the fact that when he did the required annual diabetic foot exam, he only looked at my right foot. He didn't do anything about it when I told him that although my heel had been sore for a long time. Now the ball of that foot is also sore (after a large blister developed there on Labor Day weekend) and my ankle and the top of my foot is somewhat swollen, so I am afraid my foot might get infected (or maybe it already is).
re: Email contact with doctorsKa
David Mendosa
Monday, October 05, 2009 at 06:25 PMA foot exam of only one foot? That does work with most of us! I agree that you need a better doctor.
Go for it.
David
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How to find a good endocronologist?
pjminola
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 01:28 AMDavid,
Is there any way to find a good endocronologist, who is willing and able to support the dietary remedies that you espouse, in particular geographic locations? For instance, I live near Seattle, Washington, and I have no idea of how to go about finding a good doctor, other than trial and error. I have benefited so very much from your articles, and I'd like to find a doctor just like you, but with an MD so that blood tests and so forth can be ordered! In truth, I wouldn't even expect my doctor to be as knowledgeable as you about all the little details of managing diabetes -- just supportive of the approach you take and of my dramatically improved response to following your advice.
Patty
re: How to find a good endocronologist?
David Mendosa
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 11:25 AMDear Patty,
Isn't that sad? Unfortunately, the only ways that I know are trial and error and recommendations from people you trust.
Best regards,
David
re: How to find a good endocronologist?
David Mendosa
Monday, November 02, 2009 at 11:53 AMDear Patty,
A correspondent just wrote me directly about your search for good doctors near Seattle. Here is that message:
I saw the message from Patty near Seattle regarding finding a diabetes doctor.
"There is a wonderful Diabetes Center at the University of Washington with world famous diabetes experts such as Dr. Irl Hirsch and Dr Failor who ran the ACCORD study I just finished. First rate CDEs too. No shortage of great experts:
"University of Washington Physicians - Diabetes Care Center
(206) 598-4882 - 4225 Roosevelt Way NE 101, Seattle, WA, 98105
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/patient-care/our-services/find-a-clinic/pages/clinic.aspx?clinicid=1339
"And there is a Diabetes Center at Swedish Medical Center also.
"I do not trust my diabetes to GPs."Best regards,
David
Seattle Endocronologist
pjminola
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 02:47 PMThanks so very, very much to you and your correspondent!!!
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What the community is saying...
The Case for More Vitamin D
Sound like you have a keeper. I am fortunate to have an Endo who is completely dedicated to my benifit. The two of us discuss my treatment and set achievable goals.
She is also very open to discussions via email. I have had discussions about my own conditions while she was giving a lecture in Malaysia. The only shortfall of this method is that you don't have an immediate conversation. The plus side is that I don't have to wait for my next appointment to ask questions or make a comment on a particular treatment method I have heard about.
The biggest thing you have to have is a professional you can talk with. Also, make sure you have everything written down before your visit, so you don't miss things. My Endo actaully appreciates this as she can see that I have spent some time organizing my thoughts and that I am not there to waste both of out time.
I also have friends who don't have the same rapport as I do with my Endo, but that is thier loss.
But in short, support is a two way street. As patients, we have to ensure that we are prpared ofr our doctor's appointment. Coming in just to get blood test results is something that could be done through the mail system and not take up valuable clinic time.
Remember, there a more of us than there are of them, so treat them with respect and don't waste their time.