Dec 14, 2011

Trust him, he's a "doctor"

My wife hasn't been feeling well since labor. Due to a painful experience of the anesthesiologist taking up to an hour to apply the epidural, and sitting in a hunched over position while waiting for it, she started having back spasms and the like. Headaches have ensued while she's also suffered various aches in her neck and back.
Frustrated that time hasn't alleviated her symptoms, we got desperate and made an appointment for a chiropractor. Now I'm no fan of the practice. I understand some people swear by it; however my experience with them have been less than positive. Granted the adjustments feel good, but I found that I could just replicate the results by constantly stretching and exercising.
We went largely to see if we could rule out the possibility of the epidural causing the pain or if it was the result of her back being in a largely unnatural state for a prolonged period. I was skeptical if chiropractic care was the answer, but was again a bit desperate to learn more about my wife's illness.
We go into the clinic and instantly there was a red flag. I saw a brochure about a weight loss program the Dr endorses, and in huge letters it talks about the homeopathic weight loss medication called HCG, which has just been ordered under a massive recall by the FDA for...wait for it...having no proven effectiveness. Plus it's homeopathy, which is bullshit of the highest order, but I kept my mouth shut hoping that we would learn something.
The doctor introduced himself and the wife explained her symptoms. The doctor then went on a rant about epidurals and how women should just be taught to 'tough it out'. I wanted to punch the fucktard in the fact, not only for being a hawker of snake oil, but for being an insensitive prick. Luckily he caught himself by telling the wife he wasn't suggesting she wasn't tough, but that it is his opinion that women should do things natural, and that's why his last two children were all home birthed. I didn't feel like debating the fact that most of nature would like to kill you, as there's no changing the mind of a respected physician, but it crossed my mind.
Anyways he gave the wife an adjustment, which didn't help at all, and asked her to follow up with him later, which we'll never do. Hiring a witch doctor would've had the same effectiveness, and would've at least been entertaining.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

She needs to contact her doctor. Epidurals do have side effects-- bad ones. As for chiropractors, they are not "snake oil" pushers. Minor adjustments can prevent future surgeries.

Also, the HCG shots are effective. The diet that goes along with the shot allows the consumer to eat only 500 calories a day. This diet is not a new fad, it's been around since about 1957. The hormone tricks your body into believing its pregnant, thus burning everything it can (stored fat included). It works, but its dangerous. I imagine that's why it was recalled. Women in the late 70's and early 80's were dropping like flies from kidney failure because of the diet. I know you disagree with homeopathic remedies, but the definition of what that actually means has changed.

I hope Kelly gets better soon. Feeling ill and having a newborn is terrible. I got sick when mine was new and I was all alone. Be kind to her.

Wiwille said...

I think you're confusing the homeopathic HCG, which has just been recalled, for the hormone that was used previously as an injection for weight loss. The homeopathic version was made as a result of the side effects of the HCG drug, which as a result, wait for it, has no active ingredient as it's dilluted to all hell. This is why the FDA recalled it, not because it's dangerous, but it can't work as it's just a sugar pill.

"There is no evidence the oral over-the-counter products are effective for weight loss, says Elizabeth Miller, FDA's leader for the Internet and health fraud team. While they may not be dangerous, they're at least "economic fraud," she says."

http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/weight-loss-challenge/2011-01-24-hcgdiet24_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

I've seen no peer reviewed evidence that chiropractors are effective at preventing surgeries, or any other kind of illness. I hope you're right in this case.

Miss Ash said...

I do enjoy going to my chiropractor but only go when I really need some assistance! I hadn't been all year and found myself barely able to move in November. She worked her magic and voila I'm back to normal! I like her because it's not just about the cracking, she uses those electrode pads and traction table and Active Release Techniques.

Your wife's chiro sounds like a douche! Who says that to a patient?!?

Richmond Hill Chiropractor said...

As a third generation chiropractor who only adjusts misplaced vertebra that are causing nervous system interference, I find that too many chiropractors get sidetracked with things other that the adjustment specific. As per the epidural, I had one patient that had a sensitive inter-spinous area 14 years after the epidural. With every procedure in the healthcare system, there can be adverse reactions.