What I find annoying about doctors and being over 60

[ellenrr]

anything they don't have an answer for -
there is a stock reply:
"You're over 60 (or 65 or whatever)"

I think in Medical School they must give them some pill that destroys curiosity.

Whereas I would think curiosity would be a great attribute for an MD.

I asked the dr. why would my 66 year old knee, which has served me well, never had a complaint from it - I walk for miles, I kneel in the garden, and so on.

why would it suddenly become agony for me to take a single step.
If he doesn't know, just say, "I don't know."
instead of ascribing it to age.
there are millions of people over the age of 60,70, 80,90- who do not have knee problems.
so clearly there is a series of events which led up to me being this way.

and clearly this dr is not at all interested in being a medical detective and figuring out the series of events.

only if I know what led here, can I try to ensure it doesn't happen again.

but graduates of our medical schools are not taught that way. They are not taught to inquire into what led to the condition.
Because if people know what led to the condition we could take some control over our health.

[enough]

1. There are also millions of people over 60 who do have knee problems and find ways to deal with it

and stay very active.

You're right, that doctor's attitude is infuriating and unacceptable. Not all doctors have that attitude. You need to find somebody else, quick. Going from no problem to sudden agony is not something to fool with, and there are doctors out there who won't brush it off. I actually think younger doctors might be more pro-active about it because they're used to thinking of fitness and exercise as a basic part of health. They know that a "bad knee" is a serious thing.

Good luck to you!

[ellenrr]

2. thanks. I didn't mean to imply this is true for ALL doctors.

I'm sure there are exceptions, but this attitude is common.
I remember my aunt telling me this, but when she was my age, I was a kid, so it didn't register.
and my friend who was 85 when she died, used to say the same thing.

what I need is a medical detective. But our health system, being based on how few minutes can the practitioner spend, doesn't encourage this.

at least I hope this gives me some relief from the worst pain, so I can do some research.

[Thor_MN]

7. Treat 'em and Street 'em.

The main goal of American health care is profit, not health. Until the for profit is removed from health, the health detective you describe is going to remain the exceptional professional.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. Just like everything else, shit wears out.

There is a reason anthropologists can tell from the bones, who built the pyramids and who drew the plans.

[ellenrr]

4. pertinent, relevant and useful attitude..

One reason so-called "health-care" SUCKS in this country is bec. of people who are willing to say, 'things wear out'.
Yeah, so let's replace this knee, that elbow..
cuz there isn't any $ in replacement surgery is there?

Bec people will not hold the mis-named "health industry" to keeping us well, active and with our original parts well into our 80's, 90's and beyond.
People live this way in other societies, where they do not turn care over to technicians who only know how to cut or prescribe drugs.

Yes, in some cases knee or other replacement may be necessary and appropriate and I am grateful that I live where that is available.
(altho my insurance company will determine whether or not I can afford it.)

Yes, there are some conditions which after investigation, it will turn out - "damn, I just don't know."
but in the vast majority of cases there is a reason(s) people develop illness.

And my post was (among other things) about a so-called medical profession who has no interest in "why".

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. Having spent 43 years in the building trades,

strapping on 50# of tools around my waist, throwing a 50# piece of pipe on my shoulder and climbing up and down ladders for 8 hours a day, I don't have to ask why my body is worn out.

[ellenrr]

6. and this is a reply to my post - how?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

8. Oh good grief. Having a bad morning are we?

[ellenrr]

10. my morning is fine thank you. I feel better than in a long time. I'm on my way to garden...

it's a beautiful day.
I guess you took my question to you as being smary, and I can see how you would.

I don't really care either way, but I get curious about why people post what they do. In your case it seemed to have to connection, but so wut?
no matter
sorry for any upset. Can we leave it here.

[elleng]

9. Sorry your doc is like that, ellenrr.

I don't think mine is, he seems to be a fairly curious gp, and not enamored of himself, but may test him when I next visit, in July. May have to come up with a test-malady! (HAPPY I can't think of one now.)

[ellenrr]

11. :) I'm glad you have no malady to present!

[elleng]

12. Mine's an 'internist' technically, I think.

Isn't 'curiosity' a necessary component of that specialty?

[ellenrr]

13. I would think curiosity should be a necessary component of being in the medical field...

The body is such a marvel, and of course can be a source of suffering when something is off.

I'm very curious. When people have ailments, I'm happy to hear about them (if they feel like it, sometimes people don't want to talk) - cuz I'll learn something.

and we actually learn - in our educational system - very little about our bodies. Which I guess is why many people are happy to turn their bodies over to the MD and don't care about knowing anything.

that's fine, but for me - I like to know what is going on.

speaking of "talking about it", I'm a little leary of tonite going to an event, where a lot of people will ask what is going on. I appreciate people express concern, but I've been talking so much this morning to my father and my SIL, that I actually don't feel like talking about it.

[SheilaT]

14. Body parts, alas, do wear out.

Just as any tool of any kind will, over time and with lots of use.

I have no idea about other parts of the country, but when we lived in Phoenix I was aware that there were lots of Geriatricians. I probably have the name wrong, but doctors who specialized in geriatrics, meaning old people. There's probably a need for lots more of them everywhere.

Despite your age and the years of wear on your body, if taking a single step has suddenly become agony, that's not completely normal. Push your doctor to do whatever scanning, screening, diagnosis that would be done on a twenty-year old. If necessary, find a new doctor.

I have a 66 year old friend who is going to need knee replacement down the road. In his case, years of happily playing racquet ball has destroyed the cartilage in the knees.

[sinkingfeeling]

15. I agree with you and even reported one ageist.

[ellenrr]

16. who did you report them to?

I am going to report this Pain Management clinic. 1st visit they aspirated my knee, and gave me a cortisone shot, neither of which helped the pain.
(acupuncture is helping)
so after one week I returned to the clinic to ask why my knee still hurts at the point where they aspirated.
The dr said it would hurt for 3-4 weeks.
that bit of wisdom cost me $50.00! My co-pay. I am refusing to pay - because at the time they did the aspiration they should have said, "This may hurt for 3-4 weeks."
I'm not going to pay $50.00 for that.

someone told me that there is a place for Medicare patients to report unreasonable charges.