Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

A R C H I V E S

medical treatment

Madina Archives


Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

medical treatment
al-ajnabia
04/09/04 at 22:50:38
[slm]
I was wondering, but if its too personal just ignoor this, but has anyone here had trouble getting medical treatment because of race or religion or economic background.  Or more spacifically do any of us have stories of not being able to get the right treatment because a doctor refused to even examine you and acused you of lying?
I dont know what it is but I have a legitimate fear of doctors because they never listen to me.  And waht is worse is they will listen to others even to the point if I say "dont listen to them because they did this to me" they wont even look to see what "this" is.  I have trouble collecting my thoughts into something quickly expressible sometimes, but I still dont think that excuses a doctor from being unwilling to even hear me out.
But because ofthis I am terrified of getting somuch as a cold, because if it lingered and I needed treatment for it, who knows what the doctor would decide to do to me?
And I am even more afraid if I had children.  I want a baby very badly, but the thought of being in a hospital to have one scares me to death, they might even just keep the baby with my luck.  If I got maried and then pregnant I'm not sure I could stand it here in America with everything tha has happened to me. And especially if my children were pretty I would always be afraid that the child "welfare" people would steal them.  It is almost so that I donthink I ever want to get legally maried so that I can let my muslim husband have full legal custody of the children. I am less afraid a muslim man would take away my children than I am of the state doing it.  And every week on the news I hear of how a child was killed in a foster home. Maybe even if a man would be so mean he would have mercy on the children and treat them well, but the state proves every day they are not fit guardians.
Sometimes I am astounded by my complexion. I am so pale, just like some Iraqis and syrians, but despite my color, and the census, i've never really been "white" in this country, and when I have to deal with health care it rearlly reminds me of this, I dont find it all that healing.
Re: medical treatment
Arabian_Princess
04/11/04 at 02:06:52
[slm]
Sorry sis but I don't understand. Are you saying that all doctors you've been to are intent on making you ill? And don't listen to your illnesses? Cause I've never had that problem here in the UK. I find that all doctors are really nice, and the reason they are doctors is cause they want to help other people. And that is regardless of colour, religion etc. I'm sure what you have experienced is not experienced by the majority of Muslims in the US, or there would be an uproar against this kind of treatment.

Wassalam
Citrus
Re: medical treatment
al-ajnabia
04/11/04 at 10:47:00
[slm]
so in other words this kind of treatment is ok if they only treat me this way?
The UK is different thatn American because here the healthchare system is entirely capitalist and based on making a profit.
Other minorities experience the same crappy level of care that I do here in the good old us, and doctors do their best to ACT like they give everybody the treatment they deserve and I'm sure in thier minds this is what they are doing.
Re: medical treatment
Mona
04/11/04 at 11:44:07
[slm]

to answer the question, i consider myself fortunate that all the doctors i have met have been helpful in some way.

but i guess not all doctors are nice.  

when i used to watch tv more frequently, i remember an episode of seinfeld (sp?) where elaine offended a doctor in some way (i think she called him a jerk) and went on to see another doctor instead because the first one was bad, only to find out that the first doctor had somehow managed to influence the other doctor's opinion and prejudged her as a problematic patient.

it was all in jest but they were somehow referring to the network that doctor's have and how they can be judgemental at times.

so, my guess pepple is that your health records indicate something that happenned early on that leads the doctors to have a knee-jerk reaction and prejudge you.  

why don't you talk to the doctor frankly and ask him/her what causes them to think that you are lying about the symptoms?  try to have a calm conversation with them and try to avoid becoming emotional.  mention that you are concerned that the doctor-patient trust seems to be lacking in your situation.  ask them about your alternatives, if they are not going to prescribe the medication - do they have any other strategies for pain management?

also, maybe it would prove useful to investigate other methods of treatment, like herbal medicine, massage therapy, prophetic medicine.  many of the drugs on the market today have many side effects and we really don't know if they are really fixing the problem.  

anyways, i honestly hope that you find a solution to this problem.  may Allah help you sis.

take care
wassalam
04/11/04 at 11:47:47
Mona
Re: medical treatment
al-ajnabia
04/11/04 at 12:19:22
[slm]
yea, my abuser in childhood was a nurse,(I had munchousens by proxy) so she had access to say whatever she wanted to the doctors in a language I couldnt understand. She also worked for my pediatirican and was able to remove the diagnosis of munchosens by proxy when we moved to another town so that no one would know that she had been caught hurting me in the past.
I'm pert nigh an herbal doctor at this point and I do everything possible toavoid getting sick, but I need a minor surgical proceedure that I cant do for myself.
I have had many very rational conversations with my doctors only to have them disregard all that I said to them afterwards.
NOw to be fair when I have had a lot of money to spend Ihave been able to get good care, but $180 per hour is more than I can aford to keep spending for very long, and now that nearly ten years have passed I am sure such services cost much more.  There is subsidized healthcare, but it is not provided by doctors who can usually get a better job elsewhere.
There have been numerous incidences of doctors prescribing unneeded medication because stock was down for drug companies, I've checked against the prescriptions I was given in the past and have found this to be coincidentally or not the same medications I was pushed to take, all which made me very agitated and caused physical harm to me in the form of twitches and mild paralyis of the face and slurred speech and that made me look crazy.
I have told my doctors over and over about my real situation, Ive told them both calmly and emotionally and I have given them ditails and Ihave even tried no tgiving details because Ithought maybe they thought the fact I would tell them so much is odd, but the fact remains that it is too easy to put peopleint thhospital when you are tired of them or need them to sign their afairs over to you or they cought you inthe act of something, and eachtime it gets easier.
People use hopitializion as a means of spanking adult relatives who wont behave or shut up about how they hurt them in the past. And each time things just get worse.
You know the first time I honestly beleived that they would quickly see that I was sane and boy wouldnt the people who did this be in trouble,
but as a muslim, I am automatically insane.
Re: medical treatment
Caraj
04/12/04 at 02:40:23
I have been (in not so many words) been called a liar by a doctor.
While my husband was out to sea I was having some infertility tests.
One test had to be done within 10 days of a womans cycle, due to the risk of pregnacy. It was to push dye through the tubes to check for blockage.
Well that 10 days for 4 months in a row did not correspond with the doctors schedual.
I kept telling the doctor there was not way I could be pregnet,  >:( that my husband was out to sea. There was NO WAY. The doctor kept saying things like,  things happen and they could not take a chance.
I was so angry and the doctor would say some woman and men make mistakes (cheat) and do not tell their doctor. I told him that was their problme not mine.

The last appt with this jerk I said in a loud voice.
LOOK ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYES (and the doc did) and then I said
I HAVE NOT HAD RELATIONS since (date 4 or 5 months back), since the ship left and I HAVE NOT CHEATTED, so DO THE D*** test. I am tired of waiting. AND I CANNOT AND WILL NOT be responsable for the actions of others.

The Doc, I think was so shocked and said to go sign a waiver and they would do the test.

Sister, remember this, which I MYSELF told a Naval (Captain) Doctor to his face in anger. (with my much lower ranked husband sitting right there :o )
You doctors ARE NOT GOD
you are mere educated men and woman.
No different than the trash man or the burger flipper at McD's.
Some of you do your job well and take pride in your work
while others SUCK and do barely enough to get by.

He was like   :(
And told me, people like me are intimidating to doctors and I asked why???
And told him, why cause I check into what I am told? Cause I am responsable for my own body???
Don't you realize that in the end I am responsable for my choices and if I follow something that messes up,  I AM the one who has to live with the consequenses? You will not be there to suffer with me if you make a mistake.

So Sister, treat a doctor as you would a babysitter or maid or any other employee, and interview them and check to see what others say. (if in your country you can do this)
Be it cash out of your pocket or insurance, either way you are in some paying for the services. (be it taxes or cash or work) Don't be afraid just be an informed consumer. Doctors are mere educated men and women and are not perfect and are not exempt from mistakes. You are responsable for your own health and body in the end and you are the one who has to live with the results.

And just cause a doctor says take this pill or have this surgery or take this test doesn't mean you have to, you should research all things and for major things get a second opinion. I even check internet and a book called a PDR before I take any meds I am not totally familar with.

As to economics, yes, when I was a single mom with no medical insurance I was denied medical attention till it got so bad I would need to go to the emergancy room. I made to much for public assistance (and wouldn't take it if I had) and not enough to pay for it.
04/12/04 at 03:12:04
Caraj
Re: medical treatment
al-ajnabia
04/12/04 at 11:33:31
[slm]
I just found out that my senile old drug adict grandma has been calling the scholl I go to telling them I am off my meds, but she swears them to confidntiality and was previously an employee at the medical admissions office so even thougth here position there was quesionalble they take her word over mine.
I cant go to any campus doctor or any comunity clinic doctor because she has called them.
I also cant complain about harassment because the university tells me I'm not competent to be taken seriusly except as somone with a serious problem.
I have tried every aproach with doctors.
I'm beginning to feel like these are the days of J. Edgar Hoover and I am on some sort of list.
How does one deal with a hatefull old woman who had deep problems of her own?
Id try to get gramps to take away her telephone but she would just use one at a friends house.
Any way I either need to leave the country and move somewhere where she doesnt speak the language or wati for her to die before I can get any medical treatment.  I know that sounds harsh, but to this day I am still troubled by the shoulder she dislocated when I was three.
I cant get so much as a sleeping pill whithout being forced to take powerful psychotropics.
I'm sure her reward is waiting for her as is mine.


Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
A R C H I V E S

Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.
The rest © Jannah.Org