response 35 of 76:

Mar 16 21:15 UTC 2006

Indiscriminate use of antibiotics is leading to the development of resistant
strains of bacteria.  People take the pills for a few days, feel better, stop
taking them, and only the resistant strains survive this.  If they took the
full 7-10 days it would kill the bacteria.  Antibiotics also kill off
commensal bacteria, the 'good guys' that help us fight off infections, causing
more problems than the cure.

response 37 of 76:

Mar 16 21:30 UTC 2006

Some of the doctors who tend to prescribe a lot of antibiotics say it's 
because a viral infection is debilitating and leaves a patient open to a 
secondary, bacterial infection.  They're willing to start treatment "just 
in case".  But the advice they get from infection control specialists is 
that pre-infection antibiotics are not only unnecessary, but prophylactic 
antibiotic treatment makes it very difficult to then diagnose the specific 
bacteria involved in the event a resistant bacterial infection sets up 
house.  Too, unnecessary antibiotic use is tending to make the bugs 
stronger and more resistant.  We now routinely see infections that are 
only senstive to one or two of the most powerful and complication-prone 
antibiotics.

response 39 of 76:

Mar 16 21:33 UTC 2006

I'm not a medicineman, and I'm not very familiar with antibiotics, but I
believe that, to preserve the effectiveness of the few potent antibiotics we
have, we ought to enact laws making it some sort of violation to prescribe
them frivolously.

response 41 of 76:

Mar 16 21:36 UTC 2006

resp:34 I simply asked a question. If the doctor was actually worried 
about my viral infection leading to a bacterial infection, that was her 
opportunity to explain it to me. Unlike a lot of people, I dont think 
that doctors never make mistakes nor do I expect them to know 
everything. Also, I figure that since I am paying them, I am the person 
in the relationship with the power and not them. They are there because 
they have more training in health than I have and they are, imho, hired 
in a consultant capacity. They get to suggest treatment options and I 
get to choose if they are right for me. If they think a particular 
treatment is right for me, they should be prepared to explain why it 
is. As it happens, I know my body pretty well and I have good reasons 
not to want to take anti-biotics unless they are necessary. This doctor 
didnt give me any reasons why they might be necessary so I ultimately 
went with a different treatment option (which, btw, worked quite well). 

response 43 of 76:

Mar 17 16:05 UTC 2006

I wonder how much of her improvement is psychological?  He said "you are no
longer in pain" and psychologically she believed it, like a command.

response 45 of 76:

Mar 17 16:33 UTC 2006

How would I know whether the cure was psychological?  It is a fact that 
for a year, she had constant pain, and for half a week, she has not had 
pain.  I don't care why this improvement came about.  I will do 
everything in my power to make sure that it continues.

My stepdaughter thinks God helped her.  If anyone were to convince her 
that's not possible, and as a result she started hurting again, I would 
exhibit violent behavior toward that person.  Ya know?  I am grateful 
that she is feeling better.  The rest is details.

response 47 of 76:

Mar 17 17:10 UTC 2006

Twenex: I am nearly 45 years old.  I weigh 240 pounds and there ain't 
*none* of it that's muscle.  Just how threatening could I be?  I could 
wipe my Cheetos crumbs onto their coat or something, I suppose.

No person here knows either the first or last name of my stepdaughter.  
Oh, I don't doubt that at least half a dozen people here could find 
out, but I probably know who all of those people are.  None of them has 
any ill will toward my stepdaughter.

If you were chilled by my remark, I'm surprised.

response 49 of 76:

Mar 17 17:33 UTC 2006

Me.  I know it.  I've become far more ruthless as I've gotten older.

response 51 of 76:

Mar 17 18:38 UTC 2006

 re #48:  "Non-violent" is an interesting and potentially misleading way to
 refer to actions which would restore someone to a condition of potentially
 lifelong crippling pain, even if you would be doing so without physically
 striking them.  

response 53 of 76:

Mar 17 20:21 UTC 2006

a prediction:  the pain comes back gradually
               over the next couple of weeks
               and you guys take her back to
               get some chiro...the pain goes
               away but then comes back gradually
               so you take her back to the chiro
               the pain goes away at first but 
               then gradually comes back so you
               take her to the chiro and the pain
               goes away but then gradually...

response 55 of 76:

Mar 17 20:31 UTC 2006

This is a kid, happy.  With issues.  Why not cut her some slack.

response 57 of 76:

Mar 17 20:36 UTC 2006

the odds of it working again if it is indeed psychological will diminsh
quickly if it does indeed return with each subsequent visit.  Unless the
Doctor can come up with some viable reason for it returning and needing
continuous tune-ups.

response 59 of 76:

Mar 17 21:08 UTC 2006

 It's not like jep's stepdaughter is receiving any relief from the MDs they've
 taken her to.