As a doctor (and a yogi), I embrace both western and eastern medical philosophies!

That being said, I don’t often do EVERY thing I should probably do to take better care of myself; I do what I need to do to keep me mobile so I can help YOU.

The list of chronic conditions and diseases I’m “working” with (on myself) is too long for this post.

Let’s talk about the reason I’m writing THIS one now: LOW BACK PAIN & ADVOCACY.

One of the things I manage is a longstanding history of low back pain due to spinal stenosis and disc herniation at L5-S1.

Now, that in and of itself is not significant because the majority of the people WILL have disc deterioration and/or low back pain by the time they hit middle age. That doesn’t mean it will be symptomatic; it’s as natural to the aging process as wrinkles.

Yep…Sorry!

And if your doctor, or the X-ray, or the MRI or the shaman…tells you have ___________ issue and you don’t have any significant symptoms??? YOU’RE OKAY. (And DM me and I’ll help you manage it so you can continue to be okay. Medical technology and aging is a topic for another post…I digress…)

Mine is not so asymptomatic.

However, I’ve been able to reasonably manage it while I concentrate on other things.

In full disclosure, there are things that I have NOT been doing of recent: drinking enough water, getting help instead of taking care of my back while lifting copious amounts of hardscaping materials for the house, managing stress, continuing my yoga practice…

I am in SEVERE pain. I’m having one of the worst flareups I’ve ever had.

Here’s something not in the list that I urge you to do: BE YOUR OWN MUTHAFCKING ADVOCATE AND DON’T STOP.

It’s frustrating.

I can’t even imagine what you might go through if you have similar issues.

I HAVE the clinical knowledge and “insider information” if you will, but what I’ve gone through this week to get medical attention is ridiculous.

I experience both sides as a practitioner and a patient and that, I think, makes me a better practitioner AND patient.

True, I don’t like it when people come to me (the doctor) after consulting “Dr Google” and tell me what they’ve determined the diagnosis to be. That might cause a doctor to shut you down from the get-go. Let’s not do that.

On the other hand, if the doctor asks key and direct questions, she/he can pretty much almost diagnose someone just from what you tell them- research confirms this.  If you’re MY patient, tell me what you’ve DONE so far and how you specifically feel. [Quite different from telling me what you think your condition is and what you want to try that you’ve “heard about from internet/neighbor/cousin Sally….”]

And then let’s put together an action plan that we both consent to. Agree?

As a patient, I hate when I’m “talked down to” by the doctor. When the practitioner just wants to offer “rest and pain meds” (as I was offered today). When they tell me to “wait it out” or try to compete and tell me about THEIR spinal issues and…almost patient-shame me. And when they’re behind in the current research and standards of care. And…I can sense they’re afraid of liability plus they have another patient waiting. That’s not an “action plan” but more of a “passive plan”.

I had to FIGHT for an MRI recommendation, which we’re not certain is going to be authorized. (I already know what’s been wrong with my back but this is UNUSUAL and I want to make sure there’s nothing ELSE happening. The lesson here: Never ignore unusual symptoms.)

I cannot (physically) move but because I am not an immediate surgical candidate, I was being “back burnered”.

He suggested a list of non-invasive things I should try at home for relief. I had done everything. And then some.

He even contraindicated the CURRENT MEDICAL LITERATURE regarding inflammation and things like fish oil and CBD. Oh the nerve! (No pun intended)

Here I am, experiencing one of the worst pain episodes I’ve had (which, if you know me, with several chronic conditions and a SUPER high pain threshold) and I’m wasting my time, money and emotion with a professional that didn’t want to listen to what I had to say or partner with me. Trust me, had he listened and we had a better dialogue, the visit could’ve been EVEN shorter with a better result. Win win.

But…I knew my body. I knew the practice standards. This was going to be a fight to get good care.

Now I’m super frustrated AND in pain.

I can’t FATHOM what you all go through.

There has to be a better way. For me. For you.

This isn’t to throw the doctor who saw me tonight under the bus for being incompetent or even worse; I know he’s under the gun. However, if you didn’t have the medical knowledge and experience, what would YOU have done?

Here’s a picture of me “self medicating” by way of my TENS [electrical stimulation] unit. I’ve set it up in a “criss cross”, “X” or interferential pattern. It tricks your brain into feeling the tingling sensation and not your pain. Except when one of the older pads falls off (ya need to make sure the circuit is intact…) and you get ZINGED! (Hey…the demographic of people and animals I work with is a little different than…well, ME)

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Love you!