What to Do When Your Doctor is Stumped

The AARP magazine addressed this issue recently. They list common illnesses that are missed, partly because lab tests for them are often not definitive: Lupus, Parkinson’s, Celiac disease (gluten intolerance), chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, M.S., and Lyme disease. Another problem is that standard treatments for these problems are often ineffective or have toxic side effects. Alternative medicine can be very effective and safe in treating these diseases. I suggest that the alternative approach should be tried first. The same issue lists four surgeries that should be avoided if possible, and I agree. They include: Stents in patients with stable angina, complex spinal fusion, hysterectomy, and knee arthroscopy without a distinct tear in the cartilage. See AARP, the Magazine, July/August, 2011 issue.