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Why Aren't Doctors Up To Speed?

SarahJimMarcy

By SarahJimMarcy
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Sadly I have talked to two people (not a big sample but telling). One of my friends who just started her residency when I asked her what she knew about celiac and she told me that it was a disease you only have to look for in children. The boyfriend of my friend who just finished his residency in GI said that anyone who hasn't had a biopsy and thinks they have celiac should go back on gluten to get the testing as way too many people think they have celiac who really don't have any problem with gluten. Being this is what people are learning in med school right now, I'm not too hopeful about the current generation of doctors knowing much about celiac.

Yes, one must remember the students are being instructed (and therefore their learning reflects that of their instructors).

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Di2011 Enthusiast
Di2011
Posted

There is no economic / financial incentive for the medical industry to diagnose gluten intolerance.

There aren't many in the business who would say at the end of your consultation:

"So go home and google 'gluten free diet'. Get onto this today. Call me once a week to tell me whether your symptoms are improving. If it works for stick to it for life. If it doesn't come and see me again so we can consider other diagnosis."

Patient: "What no prescription?"

DR: "No but we'll get you tested for deficiencies. You should eat lots and a variety of fruit and veg and not too much of the processed products .. just like any good diet"

saintmaybe Collaborator
saintmaybe
Posted

There is no economic / financial incentive for the medical industry to diagnose gluten intolerance.

There aren't many in the business who would say at the end of your consultation:

"So go home and google 'gluten free diet'. Get onto this today. Call me once a week to tell me whether your symptoms are improving. If it works for stick to it for life. If it doesn't come and see me again so we can consider other diagnosis."

Patient: "What no prescription?"

DR: "No but we'll get you tested for deficiencies. You should eat lots and a variety of fruit and veg and not too much of the processed products .. just like any good diet"

I was just telling someone this today, and they were incredulous. DO I think there'san evil cabal out there actively impeding celiac research? No.

But there are other ways for celiac research and teaching not to progress.

That study you conducted? Even though it was well-controlled and exhaustively researched? Don't have to publish it, or if we do,we'll bury it somewhere completely uninteresting where only other experts *might* find it.

That research you want funded? Is this going to result in an awesome new drug that we can capitalize on? No? Well, good luck with that then, don't call us, we'll call you. Don't let the door hit you on the *** on your way out.

Not to mention the agribusiness, which has a STRONG financial incentive to keep their products as "heart healthy!" and wonderful as possible.

It's financial collusion happening on a massive, but not centrally controlled scale.

Di2011 Enthusiast
Di2011
Posted

DO I think there'san evil cabal out there actively impeding celiac research? No.

I agree with you on this point. I'm not much into conspiracy theories B)

Di2011 Enthusiast
Di2011
Posted

But I do think dollars drive decisions more than is healthy for us and the planet

srall Contributor
srall
Posted

Sadly I have talked to two people (not a big sample but telling). One of my friends who just started her residency when I asked her what she knew about celiac and she told me that it was a disease you only have to look for in children. The boyfriend of my friend who just finished his residency in GI said that anyone who hasn't had a biopsy and thinks they have celiac should go back on gluten to get the testing as way too many people think they have celiac who really don't have any problem with gluten. Being this is what people are learning in med school right now, I'm not too hopeful about the current generation of doctors knowing much about celiac.

As someone who tested negative for celiac, I have a hard time with doctors who assume that a negative celiac test means that gluten isn't the problem. My poor younger brother has been suffering for years because of a negative blood test for celiac that his GI did. This poor man felt great on the Adkin's diet but he's convinced that it was the fact that he wasn't eating sugar. His health keeps declining (stomach issues, depression, diabetes) but because celiac is ruled out it must not be gluten. Unless a test confirms something, or unless there's a drug to treat a symptom, then it's all in the patient's head...and it's so frustrating that so many serious symptoms can be alleviated for people just by changing diet but this information just isn't getting out there.

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