What Doctors Never Tell You?

What your doctor never tells you -

This small girl who had had her third convulsion in last three days was now looking frail. Her mother, extremely anxious, asked me what can be done to “immediately stop” her convulsions. This hyper-mother had stopped all the epilepsy medicines of this kid few days ago. Patiently, I asked why.

“because I read on an article describing ‘what your doctor hides from you’, in which the author had recommended a particular diet of natural ingredients “, she replied, adding “the article said that all allopathic doctors give you medicines that will keep you sick for longer, so that they can earn more. It also said operations like joint replacements or procedures like angioplasty should never be done.”

Needless to say, this lady was buying the “purest natural guilt free” products from that website, at a price that was way costlier than all of her allopathic medicine combined.

I told her that it was a mistake to stop the kid’s medicines, and issued her a new prescription. 

“what do you do, mam?” I asked her.

“we run a bakery, I sell exotic cakes, muffins etc.” she replied.

“do you lie to your customers? do you sell them products that will harm or kill them?” I asked.

“no, never! how will my business run then? we have to obtain licenses for food quality.” she retorted.

“it is the same about us doctors, mam. All the medicines, stents and joints that your article has slammed, are approved by government, and additionally, they are scientific products, not just claims. The government also earns tax on each medicine, stent or joint sold in india”.

I was offended somewhere, and so continued:

“we come from similar families as yours, mam. Even our parents teach us culture, compassion and good habits just as yours do. We doctors learn in the same schools as you, and common school teachers have taught us the importance of good. We too have parents, spouses and family, kids whom we teach good values by practice. Why will such doctors hide the truth from you and suggest you something that will harm you, who have come to us in good faith? do you presume that all of the thousands of brilliant patriotic doctors will hide a cure from patients, and continue to let people suffer? just because some bakery is selling rotten cakes, how would you like someone badmouthing your bakery, your integrity? ”

“not you doctor, but not all doctors are like you” she said.

“thank you for your faith mam, but I know that most doctors are like myself, who have struggled hard to achieve their degrees, to be able to save lives and bring an end to the suffering of millions. It is not an easy task, there are many easier ways to earn money with lesser hard work and sacrifice. You will rarely find the children of stars, sportsmen, industrialists and other ultra rich becoming doctors, no one wants so much hard work for such less money.” 

“we cannot advertise, while most of the alternative medicine companies, gurus and babas keep on blatantly claiming cures for incurable diseases, spreading rumors about allopathy and some other recognised pathies, cleverly selling their own products to desperate patients who hope for relief, and spend far more in the wrong direction. Look at who all is earning crores while claiming that allopathic doctors are cheating people”.

She said she agreed, and won’t interfere with the right treatment of her child now onwards.

This is a complication of a deliberate and sick propaganda which has been orchestrated to tarnish the image of especially allopathic doctors, to be able to sell innocent patients one’s own unscientific products. It is sad that the very people who complain about the consultation charges of qualified doctors go and buy extremely costly “magic remedies” like some unproven, unscientific laser instruments, vibrators, garments, herbals, extracts etc.

The fact that vegetables and fruits are costlier than many medicines, that weekly vegetable expenses or family dinners in india are far more pricey than a specialist’s consultation which can be obtained urgently, speak a lot about where we stand. In the developed western world, there are year-long waiting lists to see most specialists. The fact that indian doctors are the best and hardest working is appreciated all over the world, but so many indian gurus, babas and fraudulent quacks run campaigns against our own doctors, in our own country! 

Want to really know what the doctor doesn’t tell you.

A doctor never tells you to go to herbal babas when you come to the emergency and need immediate attention. A doctor never asks you to take your lot to the websites that slam medical profession, when you need help. A doctor never abandons even a faithless and arrogant ignoramus, does not ask them to go search internet for blogs and natural remedies when someone is dying of a heart attack or a stroke or accident. While many recent fulminant ads claim that all doctors are greedy and deceptive, there are thousands of doctors in the hospitals all over world, who are not eating, sleeping or being with their family right now: not because they want more money, but because many will die if we don’t work hard. It is so sad that this had to be explained in india! 

What a doctor really doesn’t tell you is: how difficult it is to treat and to save lives of the very people who have no faith in the one trying to do them good!