Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mary, I'm running away to join the circus

"Doctor Grumpy, at our last visit you said my wife had Parkinson's disease, and started her on Sinemet for it. And since then her tremor has stopped and her walking is much better. So all her symptoms have gone away on their own. At this point I think you were wrong, and she doesn't really have Parkinson's disease at all."

22 comments:

  1. *headdesk*

    could your practice be any more surreal?! ;-)

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  2. "...on their own?"

    Does this mean she hasn't taken any medication?

    *rolls eyes so hard it hurts*

    >:)

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  3. Did you suggest they stop the Sinemet and see what happens?

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  4. That's what we settled on. I'm sure I'll hear from them tomorrow, if not sooner.

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  5. And I'd bet that these people also reproduced at some point...

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  6. What was your response to a statement like this?

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  7. I'm sad to say that this is, from all I've read, a common problem. People are always stopping their pills because "I clearly don't have that problem anymore!" I understand it's most common with blood pressure pills. Plus don't forget all the idjits who stop taking antibiotics when they're sure they don't have an infection anymore, thereby contributing to the growth of resistant bacteria.

    And in conclusion, I'd just like to say, even non-medical me would like to reach through the intertubes and smack these people on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.

    No film at 11.

    [My captcha word is "expoddli." As in, "Dr. Grumpy's patients make his head go expoddli."]

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  8. All I can do is shake my head. Please let us know when you hear back from them.

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  9. *facepalm* It's people like these that just make me want to bang my head against the wall...

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  10. PRAISE BE TO JEEESUS!!! (my word is "holow")

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  11. I'm sure we all have many '/facepalm' moments on here, but this one deserves a triple serving..

    Sheesh!

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  12. Another fave: While consulting on a medical trainwreck patient in the ER, I always chuckle to myself when I ask "Tell me your medical problems". (Of course, I already know their medical problems and list of 24 medicines).

    Him: "I don't have any medical problems."

    Me: "I see you take 5 medicines for high blood pressure"

    Him: "yeah, so I don't have high blood pressure any more"

    Me: "And I see you take 2 different anti-anginal medicines and 2 different anticoagulants - what are your heart problems?" (has had open heart surgery, 3 different stents, a TIA, chronic Afib and an artificial valve -- these are always the people that come in with a rip-snorting GI bleed)

    Him: None


    Love it

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  13. Well on the positive side, the effects of NOT taking the Sinemet should be apparent relatively quickly. Perhaps they will make the connection?

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  14. Tell the truth. This is the spouse of the guy who said he had no medical problems because he took meds for high blood pressure, right?

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  15. I love it. Just like one of the clerks I work with: "Anne says she can eat anything she wants, because she takes Lipitor for her cholesterol. And once she reaches her goal, she can stop taking it." Doh! Not quite.

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  16. I'm not depressed today, so I'm pretty sure I don't need to take my antidepressants anymore.

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  17. My thyroid tests keep coming back normal too! Wow! Does that mean I'm cured and don't have to take these silly pills anymore?

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  18. You all laugh.

    New doc: Why are you on a dopamine agonist?

    Me: Hyperprolactinemia

    New doc: But your prolactin levels are normal.

    Me: Yes...

    New doc: People with normal prolactin levels don't belong on dopamine agonists - I'm taking you off of it.

    Facepalm.

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  19. And another little piece of me dies...

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  20. And this one made me laugh even harder!!
    But I also feel warm for the old man. He has been observing his wife well.

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So wadda you think?