Comments on The WEGO Health Blog: How do you respond to health advice?

This is copied from the blog that was posted in th...

2009-04-16T00:22:00.000-04:00

This is copied from the blog that was posted in the community. Wanted to keep the discussion going !

Ellen took some words right out of my mouth: "a cure is a claim that the problem will vanish" and that scares me, too. I live with chronic pain and honestly don't believe that there is a *cure* for it. I do believe there are treatments that will relieve me fully of the pain, but if I don't continue those treatments, I go back to being in pain continually. It's clearly not cured!

I, like Ellen, read the stuff people write even when it's unsolicited, as it might hold a piece of information I didn't know before, or give me an idea on a new treatment idea. I don't, however, take it without a grain of salt.

I absolutely connected with Sara's point when she wrote "when someone informs me that the ‘real’ problem behind my RA is my stressful lifestyle, instead of finding myself inspired or comforted or hopeful, I find myself wanting to puke." I have received that response from talking about my pain condition, too; "it's just stress, calm down and you'll feel better." More often than not, those people don't know that there is a clear chemical connection to what is going on inside my body and that while stress my contribute to the pain, it isn't the CAUSE of the pain.

Since I'm also very active in my church, I continually hear that my pain "is because of sin," or am always being told "pray and Jesus will heal you," and I have people who look down on me for taking medication to ease my pain. Let me tell you, I've been praying for pain relief since it started. Prayer isn't a cure-all. I've been anointed with oil by the elders at my church twice and while my heart pain eases, my physical pain does not. It's *not* just spiritually related and I get frustrated explaining that to people at church, so I oftentimes just don't even mention it anymore. That's not quite how I know I should be experiencing my fellow church members, but it happens with some of them. (Others, however, are incredibly supportive of all the methods I use to treat my condition!)

I think Sara really gets it when she says "Sharing experiences is important, but respecting other people’s experiences and subsequent choices is also important."

Hi Marie, Thanks for following up on my article, B...

2009-04-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

Hi Marie,
Thanks for following up on my article, Bugged! You raise really great points about this on a broader scale. It's difficult to walk the line between wanting to be open and receptive to other people trying to be helpful, and putting your own needs best. I hope others will share their comments and thoughts on this! I don't think it is talked about enough.
Sara

At this point, I ignore all advice by non medical ...

2009-04-15T07:18:00.000-04:00

At this point, I ignore all advice by non medical staff - or anyone who is not actually treating me. I have learned all patients and medical cases are different. Its one thing when someone is getting a cold and someone says try some vitamin C or cold remedy. Its a completely different story with cancer or other chronic/severe issues. I have a friend who constantly tells me to do what she did for her back or her mother did for breast cancer 15 years ago. I was told to stay away from chiropractors for my back and medicine has progressed a great deal since her mother's diagnosis - and our course of treatments are different. She means well but is off the mark. I just smile and say thanks but no thanks.