List All Your Supps At the Doctors?

Nutrition
21

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
Ignorance. Aside from blood pressue and blood lipids which are worth monitoring, there’s testicular cancer, a spot on your body that you or your girl doesn’t notice but for which a doctor might refer you to a skin doctor, and a million other things a doctor could catch in a 10-minute physical that could save you a lot of grief down the line. And perhaps your life.[/quote]

If the doctor does a thorough enough check to see the spots. And you should be checking yourself for testicular cancer. If you feel a lump, then go to the doc’s. The last time I went to the doctors was several years ago, and I never saw a doctor, just an RN.

22

Exactly. Oh and if you’re doctor won’t give you a copy of your own blood work, you need to find another doctor.

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
Ignorance. Aside from blood pressue and blood lipids which are worth monitoring, there’s testicular cancer, a spot on your body that you or your girl doesn’t notice but for which a doctor might refer you to a skin doctor, and a million other things a doctor could catch in a 10-minute physical that could save you a lot of grief down the line. And perhaps your life.[/quote]

23

[quote]SWR-1240 wrote:

I would like to go and get bloodwork done to satisfy my curiosity, but I have a feeling it may be difficult to get the doctor to give me a copy of the readings (from what I’ve heard), and to give good, sound advice about anything nutrition or exercise related.

[/quote]

If you ask your doctor for your test results, I would expect they’d give them to you. My doctor routinely hands patients their test results before they leave. I’m not sure that I absolutely need to know my last eosinophil percentage, but I not only do, I know the previous result and my average.

If really all you want is the tests, there are direct-to-consumer testing services. You select the tests you want done and they send you information to go to a local lab (local to you) to have the blood work done. Then they send you the results and call to follow up on any anomolies. The disadvantage is insurance won’t pay for it.

24

your doctor has to give you your results its the law.do a serch on the HIPPA LAW

25

[quote]rsmorales wrote:
In my opinion, doctors of western practices are extremely close minded when it comes to supplements, or anything they are unfamiliar with. They dismiss any questions I have with "there are no studies shown on that so I cannot comment. If you want my professional opinion, don’t take _____(enter supp)____. And funny, every supp contains a disclaimer that says “consult physician before taking.” How ironic!

But yeah, I’ve been blatanly ignored when inquiring about things like colon cleanses, probiotics, L-glutamine, BCAAs, protein supplements, sesamin and R-ALA. I guess we health conscious people need to act as intermediaries. With doctors, know which advice to throw out, and know which advice to heed.

Do any of you guys have experience with naturopaths or alternative medicine docs?[/quote]

Absolutely - we have to manage our own health if we truly want the best care. Using physicians merely as a tool to that end, not to dictate their opinion as it’s often flat out wrong.

I only use my GP for routine blood labs that I take home and analyze myself. You won’t see me going to any MD/DO for anything other than that unless I need the ER.

Just like any MD/DO, any ND (doctor of Naturopathy) is only as good as his own research and training. I had a client of mine (I’m a trainer/nutritionist) tell me that a ND told her to ALWAYS rotate her supplements on and off so her body doesn’t lose the ability to make them endogenously!! WTF!? Does this ND have any clue that EPA/DHA cannot be synthesized in our bodies, and even ALA only converts at 10% on a good day! How about supplementing with minerals? Our bodies cannot manufacture them and unless one is eating a huge amount of organic fruits and veggies, most people are chronically deficient! This ND obviously has her head up her arce.

This is honestly my only experience with them besides that fact that I am going for an ND myself. I’m sure there are ND’s that know holistic nutrition very well, you just have to be cautious, as with any health care provider. That said, I think they are way ahead of conventional physicians generally speaking from a “treat the whole person” point of view. For instance most MD’s would see a 250 total cholesterol and you would get a statin drug and told to eat less saturated fat. Where as an ND should reduce your systemic inflammation through dozens of dietary and lifestyle modificiations, never “treating” the high cholesterol. Then again, high is a relative term because even with perfect eating and exercise, a total cholesterol could be 250 with no real risk of CVD. But, CPR and homocysteine should be checked.

TopSirloin

26

To the OP -
I take about … 3 supplements, so I dont; bother listing them at the MD, BUT
If you are seeing an allergist, that is a whole other story.

I took an awesome why/casein/egg protein this summer but about 2 weeks into it, fell really ill and my allergist (and allergy log) showed me that egg protein and I are simply incompatible.

So while “HOT-ROX” might not get you too far with the doctor, I would advise trying to bring in an ingredient list if you do have allergies.
You are not accountable to your allergist and shouldn’t have to explain why you take things, but it might really help him/her understand what things/combinations are affecting you aversely.

27

[quote]Nicholas F wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

Whoa. You should go every year. Not to call you out on anothing, but thats pretty stupid of anyone not to go to the doc for a checkup every year.

Im hardly an MD supporter, I think they are highly untrained in alot of matters regarding alot of topics, but you should USE THEM as tools for your OWN general health. [/quote]

Every year? Are you serious? How old are you?

28

[quote]BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

[/quote]

Someone very close to me in my family would be dead if it weren’t for the routine physical. And he’s under 50. Choose for yourself if you want to a badass and fight the system but keep in mind it may cost you your life. It’s not that hard to go to a physical ocne a year and the doctor doesn’t have to be the be all-end all of medical opinions to you.

29

[quote]KombatAthlete wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

Someone very close to me in my family would be dead if it weren’t for the routine physical. And he’s under 50. Choose for yourself if you want to a badass and fight the system but keep in mind it may cost you your life. It’s not that hard to go to a physical ocne a year and the doctor doesn’t have to be the be all-end all of medical opinions to you.[/quote]

I have had a lot of people that got twice yearly check-ups and died young. I don’t devalue doctors, but I can’t see spending the money to have someone fondle my tonge with a wooden stick and wrap a blood pressure cup around my arm. Also keep in mind that doctors are not Gods, and sometimes they do more harm then good. Why don’t you eat by the way the old fashioned food chart said for you too? Also, please try to lower your BMI.

30

If proffesser X had time, maybe he could tell us what doctors actually check for at a yearly physical. Maybe I should be going,because the only things I can think of are the stick in the mouth and checking for blood pressure, maybe they do check for other things.

31

[quote]Nicholas F wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

Whoa. You should go every year. Not to call you out on anothing, but thats pretty stupid of anyone not to go to the doc for a checkup every year.

Im hardly an MD supporter, I think they are highly untrained in alot of matters regarding alot of topics, but you should USE THEM as tools for your OWN general health. [/quote]

That because most of the “doctors” you go to see today… don’t have MD’s. Nurse practiciners and other Docotr Assistants have pretty much taken over the “seeing patients” part of the job for the younger generation. A good doc is one of the best things to have in the world.

A nurse prac. knows less and has less authority to make desicions.

32

[quote]proxy wrote:
To the OP -
I take about … 3 supplements, so I dont; bother listing them at the MD, BUT
If you are seeing an allergist, that is a whole other story.

I took an awesome why/casein/egg protein this summer but about 2 weeks into it, fell really ill and my allergist (and allergy log) showed me that egg protein and I are simply incompatible.

So while “HOT-ROX” might not get you too far with the doctor, I would advise trying to bring in an ingredient list if you do have allergies.
You are not accountable to your allergist and shouldn’t have to explain why you take things, but it might really help him/her understand what things/combinations are affecting you aversely.

[/quote]

Helpful post, thanks.

I’m actually reasonably sure that none of my supplements are implicated for any of my allergies - I wondered briefly over the summer if I was having a problem w/ the Rez-V. But, the Rez-V stayed and the rash went away, so apparently not. Still, full disclosure’s probably always best.

I’m going to start the shots for the allergies I’ve had all my life. I started the shots in college, but didn’t keep up with them. I’ve finally decided I’m tired of living on anti-histamines and sneezing my way through life when the allergies break through.

The only bad part is that I’ve had to go off anti-histamines in preparation for the scratch tests. Today is the first day I intentionally didn’t take my anti-histamines and I’m already miserable. I’ve warned my trainer that Monday is going to be a singles only day so I can blow my nose between reps. :slight_smile:

33

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Nicholas F wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

Whoa. You should go every year. Not to call you out on anothing, but thats pretty stupid of anyone not to go to the doc for a checkup every year.

Im hardly an MD supporter, I think they are highly untrained in alot of matters regarding alot of topics, but you should USE THEM as tools for your OWN general health.

Every year? Are you serious? How old are you?[/quote]

Im 27. Ive went to the doc pretty much every year since I can remember. And once I get the funds together I’d like to start seeing an endocrinologist every year as well.

I dont see whats the big deal about the doctor. Its not like it costs alot. Ive got insurance. Plus I like to make sure all my freckles and spots are in check - I spend alot of time outside during the summer, and shit needs to be removed asap before it gets out of hand.

There hasn’t been a male on my fathers side of the family thats lived past 65. I’d like to be the first.

34

In the end, I brought a list of supplements w/ me, but never got around to giving them to my allergist.

After two rounds of testing, the only things they were able to get me to react significantly to were cats, dust and elms (and, as the allergist noted, dutch elm disease has largely taken care of the last). Even those were only moderate reactions.

I tested positive for a large number of seasonal allergens when I was younger and I continue to have the classic presentation for seasonal allergies, so I was simply dumbfounded by these results. I was also, of course, bummed, because whatever is causing this, my symptoms have been getting worse and I was hoping to finally end my year round dependence on anti-histamines.

I have one more round of tests next week, and I’ve taken myself off everything on the off chance that one of my supplements is somehow blunting my reactions to the allergens. I don’t know if it will help, but I swear my body has started craving fish oil.

35

[quote]Beowolf wrote:
Nicholas F wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
I have not been to the doctors in three years. When they quit giving me a peice of candy after the shots, it took away the incentive.

Maybe if the nurse flashed me or something.

Whoa. You should go every year. Not to call you out on anothing, but thats pretty stupid of anyone not to go to the doc for a checkup every year.

Im hardly an MD supporter, I think they are highly untrained in alot of matters regarding alot of topics, but you should USE THEM as tools for your OWN general health.

That because most of the “doctors” you go to see today… don’t have MD’s. Nurse practiciners and other Docotr Assistants have pretty much taken over the “seeing patients” part of the job for the younger generation. A good doc is one of the best things to have in the world.

A nurse prac. knows less and has less authority to make desicions.
[/quote]

no, he’s not confusing np’s and pys. asst.'s with md’s. the education physicians have regarding nutrition and exercise is woefully inadequate. you must never have had a conversation with the typical md about these two subjects. their information is generally about 5-20 years out of date.