Dr. Thompson's Blog

The Pain AntiVaxers can Cause

I read a sad story the other day of an older policeman who refused to get the vaccines and resigned from the police force. He left a wife and 3 children without  financial means to support them. What was the man thinking? Was he just afraid? I  have been told by scholars of all different religions that there is nothing in any of the religions that says vaccines are forbidden. Not getting the vaccines as mandated puts not only yourself at risk but your family, friends and anyone you come in contact with.

Yes, your arm can be sore for a few days but I understand  the patients who are in the hospitals and dying are those who have not had vaccines. That is just crazy. I get angry when I  hear that Tucker Carlson goes on and on about not getting vaccines even though he has had 3 vaccines himself. He grew up in the small town where I live and went to the same small school where my children went.  He comes from a very wealthy family, I am told and obviously does not care about the people who listen to him. That is shameful.

The Possible Outcome of the Rittenhouse Verduct

There is an excellent column in todays' New York Times by Charles Blow. He talks about his concern that teenagers and others who want to make a name for themselves or have problems will get hold of a gun and act as "Vigilante Heroes."  I would not be surprised if Kyle Rittenhouse had psychological problems, but sadly he was not referred for a psychiatric or psychological workup. If he had been a black vigilante, he would  have been as Charles Blow says "feared, condemned and constrained by the law." How sad that guns have become so important in this country, particularly with the pandemic. If an individual feels left out or has problems a gun will only make it worse. 

I don't understand why so many Republicans poured money into Kyle's legal defense. A 17 year old who feels left out or has psychiatric or psychological problems needs help, not a gun. My parents were Republicans and I have Republican friends, but now the party's great love seems to be Trump. Their money needs to be put  into education, social workers, and school nurses who can identify kids in trouble and find help for them, not provide money for guns.

 

 

 

Be Aware of Medical Misinformation, Unnecessary Tests, or Medications

Medical misinformation or unnecessary tests can cause a lot of problems and hurt patients.  There are some excellent Internet sites such as the Mayo Clinic, but even medical books can have statements that are incorrect.  Several years ago an article of mine was published about a Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient who had a child. I had sent blood from the patient, his wife, and child to a prominent geneticist at USC Medical Center to ensure the child was the son of the father.  Probably still in medical books today you may read that Duchenne dystrophy males are unable to  have  children. The Internet has several websites that contain erroneous information, so it is always wise to check with a physician you trust if you have a medical question. When you see an M.D., it is also wise to ask why a specific medical procedure, X-ray, MRI or blood tests are needed. My  granddaughter saw an internist for a physical exam at a California medical school. However, the physician did not take a history or do a physical examination but instead ordered a bunch of lab tests, none of which were indicated. The one test she should have ordered was not ordered. She also never called my granddaughter to give the results of the tests.  So bad medicine exists even in medical schools. If a new medicine is prescribed, you want to be sure it does not interact with any other medication you may be taking. Too many physicians do not check about interactions. A good pharmacist can help if you have questions. Some medicines should not be taken on an empty stomach, so that is also wise to check. 

When Patients Take Medical Advice from Celebrities

Celebrities are often paid huge amounts of money to advertise specific products, but there is real danger if they advertise drugs. The FDA has recently made one celebrity cease advertising a drug because it had some side effects that could  be harmful. Unfortunately, the FDA does not have the staff or resources to discover all the misinformation that celebrities promote. In most other major countries such as England and Australia and I think also France, drug advertisements are not allowed on television. Wouldn't that be wonderful if we did not have to see and hear drug advertisements? Sadly, some doctors prescribe drugs that patients request because they  have seen it advertised on TV.  That to me is just laziness. Doctors need to research any drug they prescribe and be sure the drug does not interact with any other drugs a patient is taking or have any bad side effects. 

The other problem that I have seen in health care is when celebrities speak out against immunizations. They have no idea of the harm they are doing.  If you have ever seen a patient die from a disease that could have been prevented by an immunization or end up with a disability, you would want to cry or scream. it always amazes me that an individual can decide to become an instant expert, when they have had no medical training. I'm not sure if they just want to be noticed or if it is just ignorance. Lots of research and if necessary another doctor's opinion may be wise to get the best medical care.  If you see something advertised on TV, I would think long and hard about wanting a doctor to prescribe it.

Medical Errors in Novels, TV Dramas, and Movies

I am always surprised when I read a novel, see a movie, or watch a TV drama about what little research  authors or directors have done when medical characters or information is included. Of particular concern is that some teenagers and college students decide to become doctors because of the "glamour" they see portrayed on the screen or in books. Seeing a glamourous young woman doctor in high heels and wearing designer clothes just isn't the real world. I am sure there are some physicians in fields, such as psychiatry, who can dress like that, but if you are a doctor working in an emergency room, the operating  room or seeing countless patients each day, that isn't the life of a real doctor.  

My other concern about the impression young people can get is that doctors make great amounts of money. Yes, there are plastic surgeons and cardiac surgeons who do make far too much money. Pediatricians and psychiatrists are at the bottom of the money made made unless they accept only cash or bill enormous false amounts to Medicare or Medicaid. I once had a doctor friend, who worked as an investigator for Medi-Cal in California, ask me if a pediatrician could make $100,000 in one year by billing Medi-Cal. That would be impossible, I told him, unless the man was cheating. Unfortunately, that seems to happen a lot these days. I sat next to a teenager at the luncheon for my son when he graduated from medical school and asked the youth what he wanted to be. He quickly answered "I want to be a doctor and make a lot of money." We had a long talk and I understand  he now works on Wall Street. I am so glad he is not another greedy doctor. I recently had a woman skin doctor say she needed  one hundred dollars before she would remove a benign lesion.  Her doctor father would  have been appalled. I did not pay the money, but went elsewhere.

 

Keeping Children Safe from Accidents

Most children are so active that it takes a lot of concern and careful watching to prevent accidents from happening. Accidents outside the home seem to receive the most attention while household accidents can be quite serious. I was concerned about an article in today's New York Times Home section about the parents who took their child to a neighbor's Christmas party and the child sustained a cut when falling against a glass coffee table. This seemed to be an adult party, so I wonder why the child was even there? I have been amazed that many parents these days can't seem to be separated from their children at all. Yes, finding a good baby sitter can be difficult but with some networking, trading child care, or using a reputable agency, a good baby-sitter can be found. Little children do not belong at adult parties, particularly when there is alcohol or smoking. It is too easy for them to slip away and get into real danger or hurt themselves.

An excellent article by Michael Tortorello also in today's New York Times discusses the many causes of accidents in kids that ER doctors have to treat. 14,000 children were seen in ERs last year from injuries when a TV fell on them. Heavy bookcases and dressers can also fall on kids and cause crush injuries or concussions. I do not understand why a gate on a child's room or a playroom is now longer used by most parents. Even a playpen for little children seems a thing of the past. Gates across doors and playpens do not retard a child's development but can often make the difference in a child not ending up in an ER with a serious injury. I have two very successful and creative adult children and couldn't have survived without both a playpen and a gate across the door of the child's playroom when they were little.