Frustrating appointment page

[jammies]

Hi everyone;

Yesterday I saw a integrative medicine physician at a pretty well known clinic. I waited months to see him. My goal was to find ways to improve my energy.

During the diet section, I told him how I eat and how I had made amazing improvements in my health, gotten my RA under control, and lost weight with paleo eating. He pointed out that meat was not healthy and should be a limited part of the diet. Ugh.

I mentioned that I found the data on meat unconvincing...blah blah blah, but that either way the diet was so successful for me I didn't want to change it.

He proceeded to bring up the diet and giving up meat about 15 times throughout our whole appointment. It was sooo aggravating. He suggested flax oil and cod liver oil was full of toxins and suggested avoiding all liver and shellfish. He then directed me to read "THE CHINA STUDY"!!!

It annoys me that I got next to nothing out of this two hours other than a thinly veiled attempt to promote veganism.

What a fricking waste.

[lemontwisst]

I'm sorry to hear about your frustrating experience
To me, there's not much more disappointing in seeking someone's help with a problem you're having, only to have them not listen to you and what you feel truly is working for you, instead berating you for your choices and blindly suggesting what you 'need' to do to help yourself, rather than discussing a solution that works for all. It's especially ridiculous when this person is supposed to be a 'professional'.
I have an appointment this coming Monday with a specialist to discuss a few issues I'm having and am wary for exactly the reasons you just mentioned here. I'm really going to try to go into it with an open, positive mind and am hoping I have the opportunity to share my suspicions and have them really heard and considered by the specialist.
I wish you luck in finding someone who can offer helpful suggestions to try to get your energy back!

[Cryptocode]

I've carefully followed medical advice for 15 years now and have progressive more problems and gotten sicker and sicker. I've now learned to say "NO" to some of their advice (it is advice isn't it?). But they do great, fantastic surgeries.

[vtphoenix]

Sorry to hear about that. I've had friends pull out the China Study on me, to which I've directed them to the debunking.

I was lucky enough to have a doctor for my check up that was simply "You're numbers are great, you look like you're taking care of yourself. We have no issues."

[magnolia1973]

A lot of holistic/integrative medicine practitioners are vegetarian or have that "background".

However, if your energy is not good, maybe there is a better way for you to eat. I'm doing Whole 30 and my energy is nuts. But all that I am doing is following strict Paleo. Have you considered just TRYING being a vegetarian or vegan for say, a month? See what happens? What if it worked and you felt better?

I did not want to start eating meat. I was sold when I felt better. And frustrated- vegeterianism was not working for me. Maybe paleo is not working for you. And hey, if you ditch meat for 30 days and feel like crap, then at least you know.

[Neckhammer]

You really need to listen to them. Its obviously all the B vitamins in the liver you eat that are causing you to have less energy. Here have a heaping mound of indigestible fiber instead.

Sorry you ended up with a integrative doctor like that. From here on out you may need to screen your doctors or find them on a primal/paleo doctor list like this:

http://paleophysiciansnetwork.com/

[Tom B-D]

Thanks for that link, Neckhammer, I just found a paleo-physician in my neighborhood!

[Neckhammer]

^NP and thats great!

[cantare]

How frustrating that must have been! I wish doctors were required to publish a synopsis of their nutritional "religion" so patients could put together a coherent approach (esp if seeing multiple doctors) and avoid being hectored about a successful approach. At least you are well-informed and not at the mercy of all the conflicting messages...wish I could say the same for some of my relatives struggling thru the minefield of statins and whole grains.

[quikky]

I think a lot of the modern medical dietary advice is just as bad as the weight lifting equivalent. From my experience, most doctors, physical therapists, and personal trainers, give terrible weight training advice.

For example, my friend had intermittent pain in her knee the past few months. She lifts weights regularly, and does full depth barbell squats as part of her routine. When she saw a sports medicine doctor, the doctor told her she needs to strengthen her quads. The doctor then gave her a booklet full of exercises to strengthen her quads, which included things like bodyweight half-squats, weightless leg extensions (yes, sitting in a chair and just bending your leg), and leg curls while standing. When my friend explained to the doctor that she does barbell squats, and that: a. it is highly unlikely quads are the problem and b. doing half-squats and leg extensions will not strengthen anything in her case (I mean really, is she an immobile 90 year old?), the doctor proceeded to tell her that physical therapy exercises work differently than weight lifting when you're "trying to bulk up".

This is coming from a specialized professional too...