posted
Then I got mad and wrote this e-mail to the show:
Topic: "Insensitive decision to air segments on chronic illness and hypochondria"
I truly enjoyed Today's segment on Chronic Illness. Meredith's husband Richard and the patients he interviewed are brave to share their experiences.
Even more impressive was the fact that they shared their stories with medical professionals at Harvard to create awareness and sensitivity around the issue of chronic illness.
In the next segment on hypochondria, it seemed cruel to label people who suffer from ``chronic complaints'' as hypochondriacs as many who suffer with undiagnosed MS, CFS, fibromyalgia, lyme disease are often ashamed of their unusual painful symptoms.
Many of these patients are humiliated by physicians and friends because there are no ``objective'' findings for illness.
Patients who suffer from demyelinating diseases like lyme disease, MS, ALS or other autoimmune diseases can have pain that mimics any illness--but medical tests turn out negative. For example, inflammation of cardiac nerve tissue can cause chest pain that feels like a heart attack--but tests will show the heart is fine. Blood tests for lyme disease have less than a 50% accuracy rate.
Millions suffer excruciating pain and are passed from doctor to doctor until they can accumulate enough clues to diagnose the disease--if ever.
I would like to see you address this issue. Maybe if Gail Saltz had a family member suffering with an undiagnosed chronic illness she may be more apt to encourage them to ``lay down on the couch'' instead of judging the validity of their suffering.
Regards,
Kim
-------------------- We are spiritual beings on a human journey...
posted
Of course I've taken the anxiety medicine, which for me only caused me to 'not care' that I was sick and had vertigo. I would suggest anyone to try this first, because it is a possible diagnosis.
She is right that anxiety and depression can lead to feeling worse, and sometimes unable to function. It is true.
BUT... I don't agree with her on how it should diagnosed. She seems to think that if the doctors can't figure it out, it's in your head(it does not exist).
There are many things in science and the human body that people can't figure out... doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
And we already know about mistakes in the medical field throughout centuries... are people really that ignorant to think that we now today have everything 100% figured out?
There wouldn't be shows like Mystery diagnosis and specialists if this was the case.
-------------------- Never walk through a cornfield backwards.
posted
I was also on a anti-depressant for a short time.
My Cardiologist, who has been very good with me said, "so how did you feel when you were in atri-fib" I didn't care. LOL - He acknowleges that this is a problem. Both the lyme and the anti-depressant.
Posts: 582 | From milwaukee wi | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
Greatcod
Unregistered
posted
Anytime there is an illness of unknown cause the shrinks jump right in with their nonsense about hypochondria. Agent Orange, Gulf War, CFS, at one time MS, and I am sure the list is longer. Makes them feel important intelllectually, when in reality most of them have been reduced to psycho-pharmacologists, pushers for the big drug companies. Among other considerations, keep in mind that they are not qualified to make the differntial diagnosis. Our country has been overrun by a plague of even lesser credentialed mental health "experts". They simply don't know what they don't know, and inflict unnecessary suffering on already sick people.
IP: Logged |
posted
I"ve heard several people here say that they were sent to a shrink and he said "There's nothing wrong with your mental state!!! Find another dr!!"
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
The amazing thing was that the producers would put this back to back with a segment on the stigma of living with chronic illness...is it just me or is this insane??
I think Meredith should get mad, too.
-------------------- We are spiritual beings on a human journey...
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
quote: The amazing thing was that the producers would put this back to back with a segment on the stigma of living with chronic illness...is it just me or is this insane??
No, it just shows that they have a lack of understanding and/or sensitivity about the issues.
You did a very good thing by writing such a great letter. Hopefully that will give them some understanding. Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
This was a DISGRACE! They should be ashamed for this insensitivity & poor sequence of segments.
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Excellent letter, Kim! Thank you for speaking up on behalf of us all!
Posts: 119 | From Southwest Florida | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
I caught that last segment and had the same thoughts! I wanted to jump through the TV to yell at them! It's a good thing my dogs held me back!
Thanks for writing to them. I'm in the middle of a move and had a long overdue LLMD appointment this morning.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
That was a great letter Kim! Thanks for writing it for all of us who suffer with diseases.
It is so very frustrating, we can have so many tests that turn out negative. Just an example, I recently went to my family doc because of chest pain and blood on my tongue waking up. And of course nothing shows up on the X-ray, but inflamation doesn't show up.
Atleast my family doc is an okay guy, but I have been humiliated so many times through-out my life, I do not want to even bother going to the doc for anything.
God help me if I went to a doc for anxiety which I had big time with Babesia. I already had one ER doc who wanted to lock me up.
Something has to change.
Thanks again for the letter. Posts: 6638 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
bettyg
Unregistered
posted
kim, you rock! way to go lady! i'm so PROUD OF YOU KIM!
you saw a good show, then another taking pot shots at the first; got mad, and did something POSITIVE. you wrote that outstanding letter above.
i hope they REPLY to your email! wouldn't hurt to follow up also with 1st woman whose name i can't remember on 1st part!! thanks for posting this.
IP: Logged |
I wish you all could have been with me when I had a neurologist tell me I had a touching phobia that probably resulted somewhere from my childhood.
I wanted to tell him to pound sand but I was too sick to stick up for myself.
What a jerk off he was. When your whole body is in extreme pain of course you are going to flinch when someone tries to touch you. I believe I had Lyme meningitis at the time because I had so much pressure in my head, and could hardly hold it up, also not to mention that my legs would buckle when I walked.
I told him to please not touch my neck because it was so sore, so instead he pressed on my forehead which stessed my neck all out, and then I almost passed out and I had a seizure.
Sure I was faking it, because we all really know I don't get enough attention at home. I only wish that my llmd or my hubby would have video taped me at my worst. People would never believe what this disease can do.
I thank God everyday that I have found this site. Your good advice, and compassion have helped sustain me over the years. I have battled this disease for 5 years now, and I don't need to tell all of you how difficult it is.
Sorry I was rattling on but I lose my Lyme brain mind when people start saying it's all in our head.
Again way to go Kim. Can't wait to here if they respond to you. If they do and are sympathetic towards your response, maybe they could prove it and do a segment on Lyme Disease.
KC Hammer Don't touch this!!!
Posts: 175 | From Pa | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
The warrior is BACK!!
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[cussing]](graemlins/cussing.gif)
It's a good thing my dogs held me back! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic