A Doctor's Advice on Treatment

Had no idea doctors were seen as particularly youthful, I suppose that's reference to the way some practice past the usual retirement age/s. Anyway, I enjoyed perusing this article-it confirmed so many of the things I've already thought or come across and I daresay you too.

Witness doctors apparent points of caution at the prospect of being patients themselves;

• Usually, more scientific evidence is available about the benefit of a new treatment than its risks and limitations. 

Positive trials are more likely to be published than negative ones.

• Lab screening or radiological investigations often produce false positive results, suggesting a disease is present when it isn't. 

Which can lead to unnecessary follow-up tests and treatments, each carrying their own risk.

• CT scanning raises the risk of cancer because of radiation. 

And;

• Any medical intervention - a test, operation or drug - will have harmful side-effects for some people, even when carried out by the best doctor in the country. 

Okey dokey, those are sound points to review in coming to a decision about accepting treatment. [Though refusing your doctor's recommendation can offend!]

Then there's an excellent pointer to have in mind at all times-what matter's most to you?
What's bothering you the most? Is the doctor clear about what's bothering you most? Will the treatment not just treat the disease but deal with what is bothering you most? Are you well informed about the probabilities of benefit and harm?

How much more pertinent are these questions for fat people facing attempts to present "weight management" as a non-consensual imposition?

When considering treatment;

Are you really sure you want this treatment- and will you blame yourself if it does go wrong?!!!! And How urgently is the treatment needed?

My personal favourite was;

You need absolute numbers, so here are two questions for your doctor:

    If 100 people have this test or treatment, how many of them will have a good result?
    If 100 people have this test or treatment, how many will suffer some harmful consequence?

I knew it!

Apart from Stunkard/ MacLaren-Hume, I've never been able to locate an answer to this question re-weight loss interventions. They never tell you it in this form, assuming they can a lot of the time.

Imagine if all "overweights and obeses" asked doctors that question about "weight  management interventions"? I think we should consider that our duty.