Seniors - Do you follow your family doctor's advice to the letter?

I listen to him, but use my own judgment. Once, my cholesterol number got up to 142, and he wanted it 139 or less..He told me he was putting me on Simvastin, and I told him I was not ready to start a medication regimen for 3 points, because of side effects...He said I would take the medication...I asked if he planned on coming to my home, and giving it to me everyday, because otherwise, I won't take it...I cut processed foods out of my diet, for two months, and my next check up the number was 124...Now it is 111....had it been 180, I may have considered it, but our health is a combination of doctors and our own choices....Seniors - Do you follow your family doctor's advice to the letter?
I refuse to go to any ';Dr.'; (any longer) as most of them are in cahoots with the Pharmaceutical, hospitals, and the Insurance Companies.


I do have access to a great Physician Assistant, in case of emergencies. He doesn't push drugs and has given me the best advice of any Dr. that I have ever been to in my entire life. Seniors - Do you follow your family doctor's advice to the letter?
I have learned to question my Doctor, when he gives me a prescription. I was taking a ';pill'; which was giving me certain side effects. My Doctor gave me another ';pill'; for what he said, was a separate issue. However, after investigating, searching and going on the net looking at the side affects of the first pill, I found that the second ';issue'; was being caused by the first pill. My Doctor (who is a personal friend whom I could talk candidly to) said he didn't know the first pill was creating the second diagnosis. Once I stopped (No. 1) the second ';sickness'; stopped also.





We have to use our common sense, and look out for ourselves as well as taking the Doctors recommendations. Who knows our bodies better than we do? There are so many pills being ';invented'; all with side affects of some kind. Keep your eyes on what is happening with your own body, and use your common sense if you find yourself getting ill.
I have never believed that doctors are gods, although some of them seem to think they are. If his advice doesn't work out, he can always say, 'oops', but you might not survive to say that. If you have doubts about any drugs or medications that you are taking, read everything you can find about it and it's side effects and how it interacts with other medications. www.drugs.com is a fairly good place to start. Get all the information that you can. Everyone reacts to things a little differently and you can't be sure how your body will react to any thing.
A few times I have told my doctor i didn't think he or she was right and then the reason. I usually was right because of the fact that the doctor had forgotten some fact back in my chart from a few years ago. I am a retired nurse and I can tell you that these doctors are so busy with so many patients and in such a changing world that they cannot keep up with everything and everyone. Help them out some and let them know you are not agreeing with them.
I'm really glad that you weighed everything. I had a friend that started acting strange and really freaked out. He too was in pain, but his wife trusted the doctor and kept giving him the Lipitor and he's gone now. I've heard of several people having trouble with it or any statin. I'm a little concerned about Gluophage. There can be some bad side effects (even death) but he says the benifit outweighs the side effects. I just started it a couple days ago ,so I can't tell yet. I'm on Amoryl also. That's two high sugar pills and I'm just not too sure.Good luck and bless you. I get a PDR soft cover at CVS ( $6.95) every yeasr and look up every pill, side effects. doses, and drugs that interact and a couple times I found something I shouldn't take with another pill i was on, I called the doctor and he said to stop taking it that he overlooked it. So we have to check thiongs out. You're right they are not God- and can make mistakes. They are human.
Iam a bi-och when it comes to doctors I question everything and look up everything he says I don't care how smart he is or how long he went to school he couldn't possible remember all that stuff. My dad thinks whatever they say is law he takes 14 pills a day I ask him do you know 2 are antidepressants and he said no! But he still takes it. oh well what you goneing to say.
I don't have a family doctor. I take what I can get at the clinic or the ER Room when I HAVE to go. I tell them to keep their meds because I won't take them anyway. I want information on how I can work WITH what I have, rather than destroy what I happen to now have left to work with. It's a given that I am on my way out %26amp; I want to enjoy my time by not being numbed to the point of confusion %26amp; stupidity....which according to some folks, will say I am stuck with anyway!
My mother found out the same thing. Good for you. Quality over quantity, I always say. I'd rather live life to the fullest now, although it may be shorter, than give up my life to live longer.





I take my beta blocker. If I don't I have a heart racing at 200 beats per minute just walking across the room. But that will soon be done. I take my water pill, so I don't blow up like a melon. But as far as all the other drugs he wanted to put me on--well, I won't even let him do the tests.





Yes, I decide on my health care. Not the doctor. I know women that go once a week to have their BP taken, but it is only borderline high. How dumb is that. I think they are (or their health insurance) being taken advantage of, and it just adds to the rest of the problems this country is facing with health care.
No, our family doctor is also a good friend and I question him constantly about everything and every reason that he has for prescribing meds for my husband. I too, research everything that my husband takes and present him with a list of questions and arguments about all of them. He knows us well enough to be ready for me when we are in for a visit. In spite of him telling me that my gall bladder needs to come out, I will live with an attack now and then as long as I can stand the pain. I happen to think that I NEED my gall bladder. He shakes his head at me and says, ';You will probably outlive all of us.'; I don't take any prescribed medication of any kind but do take vitamin supplements and some herbs. My cholesterol,etc. etc. is like a youngster's. My husband's health is heartbreaking but I won't let him be poisoned with drugs if I can help it.
I used to follow my doctors advice to the letter until he up and died a couple of years ago. He was 10 years younger than me and when I found out that he had died something told me that he really didn't know what he was talking about.





Most of them don't.
Yes , I had the same experience, and always remind myself that Doctors: Practice Medicine...


Also, the worlds Worst Doctor is out there, and that's scary enough, but somebody has got an appointment with them tomorrow morning.





Hope this helps, LOLO
It depends on what advice and what the situation is. I ask tons of questions when I see my doctors and get as much information as i can. They don't know everything but i do heed most of the advice.
It depends. Most of the time we agree on things so its not a problem. If I decide that I'm not going to follow his advice, I tell him and give him my reasoning. I'd rather be upfront so he knows what's going on.
Since my heart attack, now, I try to follow a dietitians advice (difficult), but I do come close to following my doctor's instructions.
Over the years I've found that Doctors seem to guess as much as I have. SO....unless I can't help myself THEN I'll see one. I don't trust them anymore. They have been so wrong so many times. I'm healthier if I stay away from them!
No. I used to until one had me taking diabetic medication when I wasn't diabetic. Now I go by how I feel and what I know about myself as well, and see another doctor if I think it's necessary.
Most of the time i do, but there are times when i disagree. Especially with cholesterol medicine.
Are you kidding? I won't even go to the doctor. They are


all working for the drug companies. You will stay a lot


healthier by not taking their chemical potions.
I try his recommendations - and if they work - fine! If not, I tend to let his recommendations fall by the wayside! Good Q. CJ
Only if I agree with him.
No. Doctors tend to want to ';dope you up'; and I'm not for that at all. Drugs are drugs whether you legalize them or not.
Yes I do. I have had the same doctor for years and he has never steered me wrong.
You bet I do.
I listen to, and respect my doctor -- then do my own thing to a degree.
I'm afraid not.
Yes, I do %26amp; I'd be afraid to go against his orders because I have so much faith in him.
yes -- why pay for advise if you are not going to accept it!!!