Bad medicine

There are a lot of good doctors out there. Had it not been for the expertise and compassion of doctors, I wouldn't be sitting here now relaying my sentiments. I have a deep respect for the medical field, so much so that I usually end up falling ass backwards into some health industry-related job. I think they do good work, and having worked side by side with them a few times in the past, I know the level of caring they're capable of.

On the other hand, there are doctors who are in it just for the money. Unfortunately, these are the ones that get the most press, because the result of their attitude is usually devastating and deadly. I've had run-ins with them too, and my memories are chilling.

I remember one friend who had a history of ectopic pregnancy, a very dangerous and life-threatening condition. She had even had emergency surgery to terminate the pregnancy and remove a fallopian tube. Suspecting she was pregnant again, she made an appointment with her ob/gyn. This was no HMO, mind you.

Even armed with her history and chart, the ob/gyn's office tried to space out her visits so they could milk charging her for every separate appointment. They had scheduled her ultrasound for the next day. I was pissed. Thankfully, I knew just how to talk to her offices, and got her test scheduled for that same afternoon. She was rushed to emergency surgery that very same day when the results got back. What would have happened if she had acquiesced and waited a whole day? She could have died.

This morning, my boyfriend's elderly grandmother had to be rushed to the hospital after she collapsed with severe stomach pain. She had been to her doctor two days ago, who instead of giving her an analgesic and following up on her progress, just wrote her a prescription and sent her on her way. WTF?

I'm no doctor, but if an ELDERLY person who presents with complications from a chronic and recurring condition, a fever, and major pain goes to see you for help, isn't a follow up kind of...vital?

Also, there are many, many ways to advise on preventative health measures. I bet they didn't even ask her questions about her diet. For what she has, there are quite a few kinds of foods she needs to avoid until she gets better.

I am dedicating the next couple of posts to stuff I've learned (and have been using for a long time) that is ALL NATURAL and SAFE, that will repair, alleviate, and prevent certain afflictions.

My first invaluable gold nugget: taking calcium supplements will erase cramps, pretty much FOREVER.

Since the age of nineteen, I've been taking GNC's calcium complete, two a day, EVERY day. Before I did this, I used to suffer from debilitating cramps that had me popping Motrin like candy. I got to the point where my body got so used to the pain killers, I could literally swallow a fistful and nothing would happen. This, by the way, is what happens to the body. The more you take pain killers, the less effective they become (like what happens with heroin addicts).

I don't want to hear crap about GNC not being good and what have you, I tell you this WORKS. An acquaintance in college saw me curled up in a ball and told me about the calcium (thank you Susan, wherever you are). Besides, women have a predisposition for osteoporosis when after menopause. Guess what prevents that? Taking calcium supplements!

Not one effing ob/gyn has ever said this to me. I wonder if they even know about it. I figured hell, it certainly can't hurt and started taking them. For me, it took a daily dosage of 1200 mg for five months (five months is the average time the level of calcium takes to build up in the body to the point where you notice a difference).

The trick is a supplement that contains these three ingredients: calcium, magnesium and vitamin C. Notice also that all these supplements are available over the counter. If they were unsafe in any way (like iron, which can poison you if you take too much of it), you wouldn't be able to walk right now into any store and pick this stuff up in bulk, if you wanted to.

I confirmed my personal experience with a nurse (who was on staff at my old job for a short time). She said it was a known fact magnesium works for pain relief. Don't believe me? Check out the British Journal of Anaesthesia's article.

Vitamin C acts as a catalyst to better distribute both magnesium and calcium in your body. Here's an article about calcium being an effective pain killer, as well.

I'm living proof this is effective for the CESSATION, not RELIEF of menstrual pain. Why the hell isn't this information made available to girls around the time of puberty? Because it wouldn't be in the best interest of the pharmaceutical companies, that's why.

I'll close my tirade (for now) with this: every woman, and I mean EVERY one, should have a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves, which by the way, is written by doctors in layperson's terminology. I had a copy at one point, and the wealth of information you will find will stagger you. Stupid, simple things like what I just divulged, which if it were more public information, would greatly improve the lives of millions of women.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor, or a med student, or a nurse or anything of that sort. This post is in no way intended to supplant professional medical advice. This post is for information purposes only, ok? Got it?