Thank you for this. ALSO, as a retired researcher (30+ years), noodling around the internet is NOT research. As I taught my doctoral students, research is disciplined inquiry based on the tenets of the scholarly field and the methodological tradition that you follow. Checking for information on the internet *CAN* be helpful for some people, but it is not research. That said, we do have severe issues of "data voids," which can make individuals prone to exploitation by unscrupulous quacks who trying to fill these voids for their own benefit. Anyway, thank you for all that you do in educating the public.
You, dear Dr Jen, are a superstar. Your commitment to shining a light on the wrong and right give me hope in this insane world where even many of the people (doctors) that we are supposed to be able to trust are are not trustworthy because the dollar, instead of the hipocratic oath, have become their North Star .
Im a fairly astute consumer of online research but your explanation in today’s blog will help so many people. It’s invaluable. Thank you for all that you do.
I agree about spreading awareness about this topic and applaud your work to fight disinformation. However I can tell you with absolute certainty that I would still be in pain years later if I didn’t do my own research. I diagnosed myself with pelvic congestion syndrome, something my gynecologist knew next to nothing about. I had the appropriate treatment and thank god I’m better. I was also told that my B12 levels were “fine” by my primary doctor while actively experiencing neurological symptoms of pernicious anemia. Unfortunately doctors do not always have the answer and sometimes it’s impossible to find the right doctor. I, for one am grateful for the internet. Full disclaimer I am a lawyer and generally good at doing research. I fully agree ppl can be painfully misled.
I understand that lab values exist for a reason, yet they completely dismiss our own lived experience in our body. When we can correlate a certain picture of tested values & begin to understand ourselves (& our individual optimal range), it is THEN that we can (& should) partner with our medical provider to encourage a dialogue.
I too have had subclinical representation for certain markers, take ferritin for example, although my tested value falls within “range”, albeit just a few ticks above the low-end of the perimeter, I can FEEL that for my body I need much more iron than I have available. After all symptoms seem to suggest a nod to such. When our providers do not hear us, and what we would like to achieve, it can become disenfranchising in inviting recourse concerning our own health with our provider(s).
Whenever possible I try to continue to be mindful to construct a cooperative relationship with my providers, one in where what I “feel” is taken into account & not dismissed as being the lamen that I am. Kudos to you for knowing your body & insisting to be heard! I agree it is great to be able to access scholarly, academic and scientific reports, studies & articles. Yet one line of text can be wildly bent when taken out of context.
Being met with providers who feel the superiority of their studies, but have zero context of the individual that presents into their practice, means that we as the individuals must build rapport and give each physician a fair shake. Although not argumentative, I do demand that I am given the opportunity to engage and even debate what is the best practice for me. Even if that means I have to go to the lengths to fire doctors who are not working FOR me.
I hope you have read the book Wellness? I thought of your blog and Dr Love’s blog A LOT because so much of this clever hilarious novel lampoons the wellness industry, the power of placebo, and the human need to find an orthodoxy to embrace in the face of the uncertainty of age and decay. You must read!
I did a “little research on the internets” and found that the “O-shot” (ok,the name should already give anybody the creeps) is PRP for vagina, vulva what-have-you. If anybody has done any research in PRP they will quickly find that it has spooty evidence at best that it works for athletic injuries. I know some people (hah! How is that for a factoid) who were helped for tendon injuries and others who got no benefit. This “O-shot”is yet another way to make money off of women’s desperation. So tiresome! Kepp up the good work, Dr. Gunter!
Thank you for this. ALSO, as a retired researcher (30+ years), noodling around the internet is NOT research. As I taught my doctoral students, research is disciplined inquiry based on the tenets of the scholarly field and the methodological tradition that you follow. Checking for information on the internet *CAN* be helpful for some people, but it is not research. That said, we do have severe issues of "data voids," which can make individuals prone to exploitation by unscrupulous quacks who trying to fill these voids for their own benefit. Anyway, thank you for all that you do in educating the public.
You, dear Dr Jen, are a superstar. Your commitment to shining a light on the wrong and right give me hope in this insane world where even many of the people (doctors) that we are supposed to be able to trust are are not trustworthy because the dollar, instead of the hipocratic oath, have become their North Star .
Im a fairly astute consumer of online research but your explanation in today’s blog will help so many people. It’s invaluable. Thank you for all that you do.
I agree about spreading awareness about this topic and applaud your work to fight disinformation. However I can tell you with absolute certainty that I would still be in pain years later if I didn’t do my own research. I diagnosed myself with pelvic congestion syndrome, something my gynecologist knew next to nothing about. I had the appropriate treatment and thank god I’m better. I was also told that my B12 levels were “fine” by my primary doctor while actively experiencing neurological symptoms of pernicious anemia. Unfortunately doctors do not always have the answer and sometimes it’s impossible to find the right doctor. I, for one am grateful for the internet. Full disclaimer I am a lawyer and generally good at doing research. I fully agree ppl can be painfully misled.
I understand that lab values exist for a reason, yet they completely dismiss our own lived experience in our body. When we can correlate a certain picture of tested values & begin to understand ourselves (& our individual optimal range), it is THEN that we can (& should) partner with our medical provider to encourage a dialogue.
I too have had subclinical representation for certain markers, take ferritin for example, although my tested value falls within “range”, albeit just a few ticks above the low-end of the perimeter, I can FEEL that for my body I need much more iron than I have available. After all symptoms seem to suggest a nod to such. When our providers do not hear us, and what we would like to achieve, it can become disenfranchising in inviting recourse concerning our own health with our provider(s).
Whenever possible I try to continue to be mindful to construct a cooperative relationship with my providers, one in where what I “feel” is taken into account & not dismissed as being the lamen that I am. Kudos to you for knowing your body & insisting to be heard! I agree it is great to be able to access scholarly, academic and scientific reports, studies & articles. Yet one line of text can be wildly bent when taken out of context.
Being met with providers who feel the superiority of their studies, but have zero context of the individual that presents into their practice, means that we as the individuals must build rapport and give each physician a fair shake. Although not argumentative, I do demand that I am given the opportunity to engage and even debate what is the best practice for me. Even if that means I have to go to the lengths to fire doctors who are not working FOR me.
FYI: echo-chamber
Came here for this. Great article that I’d like to share, but “eco-chamber” really threw me!
I hope you have read the book Wellness? I thought of your blog and Dr Love’s blog A LOT because so much of this clever hilarious novel lampoons the wellness industry, the power of placebo, and the human need to find an orthodoxy to embrace in the face of the uncertainty of age and decay. You must read!
I did a “little research on the internets” and found that the “O-shot” (ok,the name should already give anybody the creeps) is PRP for vagina, vulva what-have-you. If anybody has done any research in PRP they will quickly find that it has spooty evidence at best that it works for athletic injuries. I know some people (hah! How is that for a factoid) who were helped for tendon injuries and others who got no benefit. This “O-shot”is yet another way to make money off of women’s desperation. So tiresome! Kepp up the good work, Dr. Gunter!
Not “spooty evidence”, “spotty evidence”… sorry, early morning internetting
Or “kepp” but who’s counting😂