Had a simple realization last night....let me start it out this way....

I'm a 62 year old male...I can be aggressive, hard,...I've been around the world a few times and there is not much I have not done or seen good and bad (won't go any further) I've done 2 tours in Vietnam!

When I walk into my Dr.'s office, I am looked at and treated/handled differently that the the next person....my Dr. will talk to me about things, and give me instructions/advice...treatment plans...different than anyone else....there are things he will tell me to do, not do, that he would not even consider for any of his other patients, because he is treating the individual....the person....

AND THE OPPOSITE IS JUST AS TRUE...

YOUR Dr. treats YOU as a person, and he/she instructs..gives advice, direction, that he/she would not even consider telling me...EVERY PERSON is handled, treated a little differently than the next person....

I would not expect the same advice given to a 34 year old mother of 2....nor would that person expect the same advice given to me...because we are all unique in a certain way, and a good Dr. will approach it that way as opposed to a assembly line of nameless faces...

Now throw in the factors of how many different patients one Dr sees...then throw in the factor how ay Dr.'s there are out there performing WLS....is it any wonder, when a topic comes up here, say carbonation for example,...that there are so many different viewpoints???

What my Dr. tells me...would be ludicrous advice for you...and what your Dr. tells you would be just as Ludicrous advice for me...because we are not the same, nor are our Dr.'s....

I am a Cardiac patient having had one heart attack, and consequent cardiac surgery...I was given a certain medication that I was told I would need to take for the rest of my life....other people I spoke with in the same boat as me were on the same medication, but for only a year..2 at most...does that mean I should stop taking that med? And what, risk another heart attack? I'm not those other people, they are not me...one even has the same cardiologist...what I will do is bring it up for discussion next time I see him....

People come here, and ask specific questions...how can I or anyone else answer that? I don't know you...I don't know you background, your medical history, and yes even you cognitive ability....

Granted...as people come here, by the 1000's, and share their experiences, good and bad...certain commonalities begin to emerge...BUT I would not take those "Commonalities" and make then hard and fast rules for EVERYBODY.....

I see patients all day long...many first time evaluations...and even though the same basic questions are asked, information sought for, and even though all the Diagnosis are similar, related in that field, each patient is approached differently than the next...what one patient and family is told is between us and them...and not the next...

Yes there are commonalities, and when asked a question on a certain issue, I can give GENERAL answers, but not specific to any certain patient!!

It is a over simplification, and has been said here so many times it has almost become cliche...but it really come down to YOU and YOUR Dr...NOT what my Dr tells me, or the next person...because we are all different and we all respond to treatment plans differently...treatment that only YOUR Dr. has the ability to give...

Ok, sorry...it's 4:30am and I tend to run on so early...off to the gym, remember it's Friday!

Oh, one more thing...If any of my Dr.'s do not get to know me, and are personable...then I have no use for them...I'll not be treated like a side of beef....

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by B-52

A very good reminder for all of us. Whether you're seeking advice or giving it, we're all individuals and there are countless variables. Can those just starting their journey benefit from the suggestions of those that have been there, done that? Without a doubt. But your post reminds all of us that there is a line that should not be crossed. Some folks face medical challenges that must be addressed by medical professionals. Most members do a good job of knowing where the line is and not stepping over it. On those occasions when someone does step over the line, we all share the responsibility of jumping in with "Call your doctor."

There are certain initial "rules" my doctor has backed off on since I started out. One of them being, the amount of Protein I need to eat daily. I was expressing to him that I can barely eat any vegetables after taking in protein. He said that he's fine with me eating 40 grams of protein, and getting in those veggies. He also told me that the reason they push hard on protein, is because they need to break most patients from heavy carb habit/addiction. I would venture to say that most all of us didn't get to the point of WLS, from eating too much protein. Now.....I'm sure many here will balk at that recommendation, because it goes against the list of band rules. But as B-52 says, as you move through banded life, some of the rules are no longer a "one size fits all". Sure, some of the basics remain....like small bites chewed well. Stop eating at the first signal of satiety, make healthy choices, etc. But as my doctor gets to know me, my body and my progress, he adjusts/allows as he sees fit.

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by mrsto

Very well said B-52 and thank you for your service to our country.

Interesting concept but true.

Very insightful. I am a 34 yr old mother of 2 and my PCP was awful. But, I didn't know it until a few of my friends were discussing their doctors. I'm sitting there like "my doctor does none of that." She barely even interacted with her patients. Not just with me, a 34 yr old woman but with my stepdad, a 67 yr old man. She up & quit earlier this month before I could finish my supervised diet then switch. So, you're absolutely right about not all doctors or patients are the same. But, they all should care in my opinion.