Let me start by saying a couple of things. First I am a male and lost 70lbs 7 years ago and have maintained the whole time. Second this is a complete rant about doctors and why I don't believe in going to them unless absolutely necessary.
For my job I need to have a physical ever year. 3 years ago the doctor said I was in great health especially the EKG that shows great heart rithum and pulse of low 40s. The next day she got my blood results back and said they were terrible. After getting the blood results back she now thinks I look yellow and forces me to see a family doctor. Her main complaint is that my cholesteral is too low 115 and my billiruben is .05 percent out of range. I go to a local clinic get my blood drawn and the results are the same yet this doctor says the results are great. He also says I don't look yellow at all and the doctor I saw at my company is crazy about the chloesteral.
2 years ago there is a new doctor and my results are exacltly the same and he says I'm one of the healthiest people he's ever seen.
This year again another new doctor at work at she says my EKG is terribble even though results are exactly the same as two years ago, the results the other two doctors said were excellent. She then referrs me to see a local physician. The physician looks at my EKG and thinks it looks great but then says I look yellow. I go back to the company doctor to give the results from the local doctor. I also tell her about being yellow and she looks at me and thinks the local doctor is crazy and thinks I look fine.
This is why I think doctos are quakes. Doctors see one thing out of ordinary even if it's in the good range and then start imaginig things. Half think I'm super healthy and the other half would put me in the grave next month.
I'm a total believer that I personally have a better understanding of my own health. I feel great, I play intense sports in warm weather and not break a sweat, I have more energy than most people, I haven't been ill in over 5 years, I have no pains, no allergies, pains, trouble sleeping, etc. I personally believe that most people would be healthier if they didn't go to the doctor so often and get all medicated up because you don't meet the normal. Not everyone is the same and trying to make everyone fit a standard is stupid. Using this kind of standard healthy people get penalized because they have results better than most but don't fit the "norm".
Finally, let me state I don't think people should stop going to doctor. I just believe it should be reduced to looking for actaul problems like cancer screenings and things that have either an abesolute positive or negative result. Looking at things like blood work is like weathermen predicting the weather and we all know how acurate weathermen are.
I think part of it is that doctors are all taught in different schools. Sure Medical schools teach similar curriculums, but that doesn't mean there isn't any variation.
I'd honestly rather have a doctor who is more concerned than one who blows me off. My last doctor basically gave me the attitude of "deal with it" when I went to her- crying for help. She told me things that were so wrong- even I had to point out she was wrong!
At one point she sent me to a nutritionist and told me that I should be losing at least 3 lbs a week. The nutritionist told me my doctor was crazy and asked me to lose half a pound a week- she took such a weight off my shoulders.
I then changed doctors and have been happy ever since- the weight is coming off- the new doctor listens to me- and so on.
I think it comes to a point as patients where we have to assert if we feel fine or not.
Oh and that last doctor of mine? Talk about BAD- she was also my husband's doctor. And he went from a perfectly healthy 34 year old man to just one day not being able to function, literally, not being able to function AT ALL. Doctor said it was vertigo and gave us medication we LATER found out was totally useless. My husband got to the point he could no longer drive, could not go to work, he couldn't even watch TV! He was seeing double vision- he could barely stand- I thought my husband was dying.
Finally after researching I went to her office and demanded that she give me a referral to a neurologist. She practically SNEERED at me asking me how I know he needs to see a neurologist! I had to tell her vertigo doesn't last for MONTHS and he's not getting better- this has to be neurological. I told her I'm not leaving without a referral and she'd have to call the cops to drag me out of there.
She wrote the referral- and the first time my husband saw the neurologist guess what?! He said "he has multiple sclerosis but I have to do some tests to make sure."
YEAH.... Multiple Scleroris- thanks doc- my husband suffered for almost 3 months of his immune system attacking him cuz of her total incompetency.
Um, so you're bilirubin being 0.5% off - that's actually REALLY important and could turn you yellow if its on the higher end. Your liver is a very delicate organ and it doesn't take much to throw it out of whack. Also, it can fluctuate enough fairly quickly that even if there is a day between doctor visits, your appearance can and will change.
You're young, at your age its worth being concerned about slightly abnormal blood tests because this is the point in time when you can do something about it. And it DOES matter if your cholesterol is too low. Cholesterol isn't all bad, you do need some to function. If its your LDL you need a certain level of it to fight off heart disease. Even your HDL needs to be at a certain "normal" level for your body to work properly.
And different medical tests can be interpreted different by different doctors. If you feel fine, that's saying something, but you shouldn't just blow it off that one doctor says your EKG looks abnormal and another says it looks fine. Why aren't you concerned that the one who says it looks fine is wrong? Plus - are these cardiologists or are these just GPs? Because a cardiologist will give you a heck of a lot better reading than your standard internal medicine doctor. Heart Disease is actually one of the leading killers of people starting from their 20's up. Seemingly "very healthy" individuals have been known to just drop dead of heart failure. Just because your asymptomatic DOESN'T mean there's nothing wrong with you.
I go to the doctor often, and I'm pretty healthy and not medicated at all. Many people aren't in tune to their own bodies, and just want a magic pill, and that's where there is a concern. I've worked with many doctors over the past 13 years and the majority of the time I see its the PATIENT who wants the meds, not the doctor who wants to give it to them. Many people are very very ignorant of what goes into the standard medical work up.
Beerab - your experience is just terrible and I'm sorry you went through that.
Last edited by stellarosa27; 04-29-2010 at 03:17 PM.
Um, so you're bilirubin being 0.5% off - that's actually REALLY important and could turn you yellow if its on the higher end. Your liver is a very delicate organ and it doesn't take much to throw it out of whack. Also, it can fluctuate enough fairly quickly that even if there is a day between doctor visits, your appearance can and will change.
You're young, at your age its worth being concerned about slightly abnormal blood tests because this is the point in time when you can do something about it. And it DOES matter if your cholesterol is too low. Cholesterol isn't all bad, you do need some to function. If its your LDL you need a certain level of it to fight off heart disease. Even your HDL needs to be at a certain "normal" level for your body to work properly.
And different medical tests can be interpreted different by different doctors. If you feel fine, that's saying something, but you shouldn't just blow it off that one doctor says your EKG looks abnormal and another says it looks fine. Why aren't you concerned that the one who says it looks fine is wrong? Plus - are these cardiologists or are these just GPs? Because a cardiologist will give you a heck of a lot better reading than your standard internal medicine doctor. Heart Disease is actually one of the leading killers of people starting from their 20's up. Seemingly "very healthy" individuals have been known to just drop dead of heart failure. Just because your asymptomatic DOESN'T mean there's nothing wrong with you.
I go to the doctor often, and I'm pretty healthy and not medicated at all. Many people aren't in tune to their own bodies, and just want a magic pill, and that's where there is a concern. I've worked with many doctors over the past 13 years and the majority of the time I see its the PATIENT who wants the meds, not the doctor who wants to give it to them. Many people are very very ignorant of what goes into the standard medical work up.
Beerab - your experience is just terrible and I'm sorry you went through that.
First off it was .05% not .5 and that was .05 off the "normal" range. For example if the range was 21 - 25 my number was 20.95.
Why am I not concerned about the EKG you ask? Because she is concerned that my pulse is 44 even when I told her that I was a runner. EVERY other doctor I've seen says is great pulse and completly normal for a runner.
IMO doctors are like car dealerships. You take your car into the dealership and they will find something "wrong" when there is nothing wrong.
Last edited by benchmarkman; 04-29-2010 at 04:21 PM.
And different medical tests can be interpreted different by different doctors. If you feel fine, that's saying something, but you shouldn't just blow it off that one doctor says your EKG looks abnormal and another says it looks fine. Why aren't you concerned that the one who says it looks fine is wrong? Plus - are these cardiologists or are these just GPs? Because a cardiologist will give you a heck of a lot better reading than your standard internal medicine doctor. Heart Disease is actually one of the leading killers of people starting from their 20's up. Seemingly "very healthy" individuals have been known to just drop dead of heart failure. Just because your asymptomatic DOESN'T mean there's nothing wrong with you.
That's a question I was going to ask. You are going to all these different doctors, but what kind of doctors are they? If my GP told me my EKG looked fine, but my cardiologist told me it was abnormal, then I'd want to look into it. The cardiologist is going to have a better understanding of those results. Although, some people do walk around with what is and "abnormal" rhythm and they are fine. Their physician can be aware of it and doesn't treat it, because they are asymptomatic.
And as far as blood tests go...while I do think they are important, what is considered "normal" depends on the lab that you go to. I'm a nursing student right now and it is a pain in the butt trying to keep all the lab values straight. It depends what book you look in, or what hospital you are at what they consider "normal" values to be. Granted, it's not a HUGE difference, but what would be considered high in one place could be the high end of normal at another place.
I'm not saying you need medication necessarily, but it is important to get blood work and other maintanence tests done. That way you know how your body is doing, other than just the way it feels.
If your bilirubin was 21-25 you have problems and you probably are yellow.
Also, each lab has different "standards of normal" as they call it - so even a difference of 0.05 could throw you off as normal some where as abnormal as somewhere else.
Well, I'm sorry, this just comes from me working in the industry, but I wouldn't care to have a doctor who just takes your word for it that you're a runner. 44 for a pulse is very very low, and while you are a runner, a scrupulous doctor would say "hey, why don't we take a closer look just to make sure."
I was 24 and having heart palpitations, and even though we knew it was my panic attacks, the cardiologist still wanted to do a full assessment to be sure, because that's the age when heart disease can surface.
If your bilirubin was 21-25 you have problems and you probably are yellow.
Also, each lab has different "standards of normal" as they call it - so even a difference of 0.05 could throw you off as normal some where as abnormal as somewhere else.
Well, I'm sorry, this just comes from me working in the industry, but I wouldn't care to have a doctor who just takes your word for it that you're a runner. 44 for a pulse is very very low, and while you are a runner, a scrupulous doctor would say "hey, why don't we take a closer look just to make sure."
I was 24 and having heart palpitations, and even though we knew it was my panic attacks, the cardiologist still wanted to do a full assessment to be sure, because that's the age when heart disease can surface.
stellarosa27 read please read. The Lab range number I said was 21 - 25 and MY number was 20.95.
I DID read. The upper range of normal for bilirubin at most labs that Ive seen around the country is 2.0. Most people have a bili under 1.0, and there's concern even if it's around 1.9 because something is off with your liver function and you could very well look yellow.
So let me say again, if your bilirubin was 20.95 it's a problem. A big problem.
And if you have one doc brushing it off and another concerned, I'd question the value of the one who's brushing it off.
What I don't understand is why, when they think your EKG is out of whack, they are sending you to local GPs or family doctors. It seems to me the next step would be to go to a cardiologist and have them look at the results - they do this type of stuff all day long and they're going to be more well versed in what's normal or abnormal than your typical GP.
Unfortunately, as hard as it is to accept, perfectly "healthy" people from the outside die all the time. I'm thinking particularly of the stories of marathoners (and half marathoners - one at the San Antonio RnR earlier this year!) who drop dead because of underlying heart conditions. So in my opinion, as a fellow runner, it's worth getting checked out. The heart is nothing to mess around with!
I can sense your frustration - I have had the same experience from time to time... from the one who tried to put me on insulin regulating medication before I even got my blood test results back to show whether or not I was diabetic (I wasn't) to my normal OB/GYN who always told me that I would lose weight if I just stopped eating after 7 p.m. (what a joke!) It's frustrating because you just want to know once and for all if something is wrong or not.
Keep in mind though that doctors are making educated guesses... that's all there really is to it. You present a list of symptoms and based on those symptoms, they make an educated guess about what's wrong. So many diseases and disorders have common symptoms so it takes time to deduce what is truly wrong (if anything).
i'm a first year med student and have learned labs are different everywhere with different ranges for normal values, so that could be a difference of the doctors' opinions. also with EKGs, if you move slightly, the leads can report wrong and it may show something different on the report.
these days doctors are terrified of being sued and thus really look into what are probably slight problems to avoid malpractice suits. especially the younger, brand new doctors. see a doctor that's been around for a while and has a good reputation..they won't be worrying about BS stuff
I DID read. The upper range of normal for bilirubin at most labs that Ive seen around the country is 2.0. Most people have a bili under 1.0, and there's concern even if it's around 1.9 because something is off with your liver function and you could very well look yellow.
So let me say again, if your bilirubin was 20.95 it's a problem. A big problem.
And if you have one doc brushing it off and another concerned, I'd question the value of the one who's brushing it off.
I believe he is talking about bilirubin reported in μmol/L not mg/dL.
But since he said "The Lab range number I said was 21 - 25 and MY number was 20.95," he really doesn't haven't to worry as he is reporting that his bilirubin is low, not high. I don't know if that was intentional, as it doesn't quite make sense in the context of his thread.
I can certainly understand the frustration of all the doctors saying different things. Unfortunately medicine isn't half as black and white as we'd like it to be.
Low bilirubin does not cause jaundice. In fact a low bili level is not a concern and generally not even monitored. What are the results of the rest of your liver panel? Bili is only one component. You mentioned that your doctor thinks you are yellow. Are you? You either are or not. Docs are familiar with jaundice and usually dont tell you that you are yellow if you are not? My sister is a hepatologist and I asked her about your case....Sounds like you are frustrated with your physician. I'd move on and find a new one.
I'm actually a doctor (in my pathology residency training) and agree with you on a lot of what you said, benchmarkman. I've seen a doctor tell a patient there was a problem with her labwork but another physician say there wasn't. I think it depends upon experience of said physician on how he or she interprets the results. Bloodwork is important because there are medications that can fix problems such as high cholesterol, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, etc. However, tests aren't perfect and they are basically a snapshot of the average person and not somebody who could completely be healthy but have a slightly higher or lower score. As far as the EKG, cardiologists and ER doctors are definitely better at interpreting them than say a family physician who only has 3 years of training after medical school (which is the least possible) and doesn't see EKGs everyday. I'll be honest and tell you that I only go to physicians once a year for my physical and if I get sick. If I were you, I would find one internist with experience that you like and can use the labwork as a way of monitoring your health without giving you an incorrect prognosis and stick with him or her. I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but I've learned to stay with one person that can get to know me and won't do unnecessary tests or send me to unnecessary specialists.
Rant about doctors
