What to say to guys who don't believe in doctors?

Posted by bluegill @bluegill, 2 days ago

Lately I've become a reluctant evangelist for getting PSA checked. If I know a guy between 40 and 60 I ask if he's had it done, and most say yes. (I was negligent in getting mine checked regularly, so now I'm most likely on Lupron for life)

So I meet this guy, he's 59, we have some stuff in common, we're chatting in a coffee shop and so I tell him I have PCa and ask if he's had his PSA checked.

"No. I don't go to doctors. I drink an herbal tea so I don't have to pee so often at night."

Pause.

I changed the subject.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

The first law of life, you don't get old by being stupid. There are any number of things which get found by accident and sometimes it's to late to prevent damage.

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Profile picture for surftohealth88 @surftohealth88

Yes, just change a subject .
There is no way to convey some facts to people that are set in their ways. I often criticize doctors but many days I wonder if I would be able to do that job and deal with all kind of nonsense. As @jayhall said - many, many people do not wish "to find something", as if it is not already there. *eye-roll But again, they must have very high level of anxiety and just can not deal with it until it is absolutely necessary and when it is usually really late. : (

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@surftohealth88
My immediate family members went to the doctor whenever something was wrong. Unfortunately, my extended family (my father's brother) did the opposite. My uncle died of prostate cancer because he ignored symptoms until it was way too late. His son ignored eye problems & went blind.

A thread similar to this would be discussing vaccines, but that's off-topic here 🙂

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Profile picture for bajjerfan @bajjerfan

The first law of life, you don't get old by being stupid. There are any number of things which get found by accident and sometimes it's to late to prevent damage.

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@bajjerfan
Perfect!

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Profile picture for surftohealth88 @surftohealth88

Yes, just change a subject .
There is no way to convey some facts to people that are set in their ways. I often criticize doctors but many days I wonder if I would be able to do that job and deal with all kind of nonsense. As @jayhall said - many, many people do not wish "to find something", as if it is not already there. *eye-roll But again, they must have very high level of anxiety and just can not deal with it until it is absolutely necessary and when it is usually really late. : (

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@surftohealth88 Individual doctors are human: most are highly skilled, most are overworked, some are better than others, and none is infallible. That's why we want to have healthcare teams, not just lone "genius" doctors, and ask for second (or third opinions) when needed.

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Profile picture for northoftheborder @northoftheborder

@surftohealth88 Individual doctors are human: most are highly skilled, most are overworked, some are better than others, and none is infallible. That's why we want to have healthcare teams, not just lone "genius" doctors, and ask for second (or third opinions) when needed.

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@northoftheborder

What do you call the peson who graduated last in their medical school class?

Doctor.

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Profile picture for bajjerfan @bajjerfan

@northoftheborder

What do you call the peson who graduated last in their medical school class?

Doctor.

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@bajjerfan What's the difference between a doctor and God?

God knows he's not a doctor.

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I'm re-thinking my evangelistic zeal for sharing the Good News about PSA testing. Is it that I really want to save lives, or is it that I want to feel less guilty for being so stupid (for not having had mine checked regularly)?

Maybe I just need to finish my morning coffee.

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How about requiring an annual physical exam to renew a drivers license? Hitting someone with a car if purposeful is use of a deadly weapon. They require it for pilots and commercial 'over the road' truckers [?]. Some states require annual car inspections. The driver's hardware and software as important for travelers who
may be injured by poor 'equipment' There would be a benefit to public safety at large and helping individuals too afraid to doctor up. Maybe cut off ages such as
50 and forward may be useful. Just speculating I know the pendulum is in an opposite direction at the present time.

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Doctors don’t have crystal balls, but make the best recommendations they can based on science and experience. Many put their patients welfare ahead of their own and most are overburdened by regulations that expand their workload far beyond time spent face-to-face with patients. They know they are not G-d, but thank G-d everyday for giving them the skills to help counsel and treat their patients to maintain and restore good health.

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Profile picture for thmssllvn @thmssllvn

How about requiring an annual physical exam to renew a drivers license? Hitting someone with a car if purposeful is use of a deadly weapon. They require it for pilots and commercial 'over the road' truckers [?]. Some states require annual car inspections. The driver's hardware and software as important for travelers who
may be injured by poor 'equipment' There would be a benefit to public safety at large and helping individuals too afraid to doctor up. Maybe cut off ages such as
50 and forward may be useful. Just speculating I know the pendulum is in an opposite direction at the present time.

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@thmssllvn There was a congressman on TV the other day saying that very thing; why should people who get regular checkups and take care of whatever health problems may arise PAY the same premiums as those obese smokers with uncontrolled diabetes?
Even car insurance is reduced by ‘good driver’ points or by attending driver safety courses, right?
Unfortunately, people only feel the need to do something when they are either forced by circumstance or hit hard in the pocketbook!
Phil

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