20 million questions
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85135)
Shingle Springs, California
February 27, 2013 12:26pm CST
Last night I was filling out some paperwork for Dearra. It's for a naturopathic clinic that I plan on taking her to. They helped me a lot, and they told me it was very likely that they can help her with her arthritis. The idea is, identify any food sensitivities via a blood test, and eliminate those foods from the diet so that the immune system calms down. Thing is, it won't work unless you stick with it 100%. Dearra loves pasta. If the problem is gluten, it will be "interesting" finding a pasta that she likes that is gluten free. I'm guessing it will be milk protein, only because I tested positive for a sensitivity to that. No more processed foods, pretty much, since milk is in EVERYTHING.
Anyway, the paperwork has changed since 2007. It's 8 pages, and the first page is literally essay questions.
Describe the problem for which you are seeking treatment
Explain what you expect our approach will be
etc.
There were about 8 essay questions like that. So I answered the first one, true Dawn style, as briefly as possible, "left elbow pain". I answered the second one, "essay question? I expect you'll be doing a blood test to identify food allergies, and then have her eliminate those items from her diet."
I hope the "essay question?" comment gets a chuckle.
Are doctors getting crazier and crazier with paperwork? All this and then an hour and a half consultation before even starting any tests or treatment. And naturopathy is not covered by insurance.
Fun...
4 people like this
21 responses
@savypat (20216)
• United States
27 Feb 13
I think many of our problems, health wise are because of what we eat and the air we breath. Also all medications have side effects which are hard to find unless you look them up and keep updating your into. I found that eggs were often a cause of pain when you have arthritis. I felt really dumb when I stumbled into this info after reviewing info on the Internet. I had never heard this before, I don't know if it's new info or if I just overlooked it before. But I got off the eggs and things looked and felt better.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
27 Feb 13
I think that may also be an individual thing. . . other foods that are supposed to irritate and promote inflammation are "night shade family" and we should not eat them. . . well that is potato, tomato, bell pepper, and egg plant. I cannot imagine cutting all of those things from my diet. It may be a quantity thing, though. Ginger is very good to reduce inflammation as well as turmeric.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
27 Feb 13
Pump.....pump....that's how they get money out of you...I finally told my doctor that since my insurance isn't that great how about we resolve some of the issues in an office visit instead of three.....if physical therapy isn't working when I do it at home then why send me into physical therapy? Just get to the root of the problem and solve it...and she is doing that. Guess you just have to speak up sometimes....good luck!
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
27 Feb 13
Sometimes I'd rather deal with the problem than jump through all those hoops!
2 people like this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
27 Feb 13
The amount of paperwork that we have to fill out for doctors always drives my boyfriend a tad crazy. Personally, I tend to end up not filling it all out before getting in for the appointment; I hand it to them and tell them that. Really, I expect that they take notes when we're talking--not just have me answer form questions that don't give a true picture of who I am and how I actually live.
2 people like this
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Feb 13
With all this technology to make things easier and more convenient for everyone, can't they do something about this doctor's office "paperwork" business? Sometimes I wonder if anyone even really reads it. Sometimes I think it's a way to buy time so people who are waiting won't get angry about having to wait so long. I hate that kind of paper work - I try to whiz through it too. It's not like we'll be graded on it, right?
I have a few friends who have other kinds of health issues - and I don't know if they went to a naturopath, but they did eliminate a lot of specific things from their diets. It DID make a difference in their lives. One friend has gone gluten free for 10 years now and she has sworn that she feels 3 million times better than she did. Hopefully they can find out what will help Dearra (even if it is gluten or the milk protein)!
I did acupuncture treatments at a time when most insurance companies did not cover it. And I'll tell ya, it's not the needles that hurt!! 
2 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
28 Feb 13
I wonder if it might have something to do with the idea that a patient has a feeling about his/her problem that could give critical clues. Usually we don't say anything to the doctor about what we expect or what we think the problem might be because we don't expect the doctor to listen.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
Ha, I expect the doctor to listen. Seriously, they may have an idea of what a problem is, but the patient can often give them much needed insight. I had tendinitis in my elbow once. About a year later I came in with a different elbow problem. If I hadn't been able to explain to the doctor how this elbow problem was different, she might have reaced an incorrect diagnosis based on the prior one.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
1 Mar 13
They do seem to want to know the ins and outs of everything, to cover all bases, right down to what underwear you are wearing, only joking, but it does seem that way. I got a return to work form in the post and it has 20 pages to fill in, I hate filling in forms, fortunately my therapist is more than happy to go through it with me. Sometimes you do need an extra pair of eyes for these kind of forms. They never seem to get easier with time.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
4 Mar 13
Dang, I forgot to answer the underwear question. 
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
28 Feb 13
I do think that when you go to specialists, especially something that has to do with the brain, they ask everything. They don't want to find things out later. I hope all works out.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
I'm sure that the more information they have, the better they can diagnose and treat...
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Feb 13
I feel just the opposite about paperwork. I feel that the more paperwork the more they will know and the more they know the more they can help the patient. I don't like filling it out either but if it helps its worth it. Especially with this type of treatment not being paid by insurance. I would want them to know all they can to be assured they will be more apt to help the arthritis.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Mar 13
Beyond the paperwork when I have to change counselors I hate it. I have a long drawn out history to tell and usually takes afew sessions to get the counselor up to speed. It gets old repeating it but I feel it is important. How can they help me if they don't know the whole story?
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
You probably have osteo arthritis, which has to do with degeneration of the cartilege in the joints due to age and use. Young people get other forms of arthritis that have other causes. Dearra is 16.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
1 Mar 13
Hey, I know that if I was the one that was reading over the answers to the questions that you had filled out, it would definitely be something that I would get a pretty good laugh out of. In fact, it might well be something that I would continue to get a chuckle out of for some time to come after I had read the answer.
That really stinks that naturopathy is not something that is covered by insurance because I honestly believe that it is something that can be a significant help when dealing with some medical issues.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
4 Mar 13
yeah, I wish it were covered. Maybe one of these days...
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
27 Feb 13
Well, I'm not being a doctor, I do not know at all what can be the cause of a du arthritis.
However even in 2008 I did a test feed, but for another purpose, which is to lose weight.
Known, however, that in the case of your daughter, they present very well with the questionnaires to be filled, so as to give it a supply plane, better targeted.
I did not know, however, that your daughter was already on a diet.
2 people like this
@tiffnkeat (1673)
• Singapore
28 Feb 13
I guess the longer they keep you at the clinic, the bigger the bill becomes. Who benefits? That should be on the questionnaire. 
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
Maybe if they have patients fill out 8 pages worth of questions, they can keep them at the clinic LESS time.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
She does have a lot of tomatoes in the sauces in her pastaa. but I"m going to bet it's milk, only because that's what turned up on my test.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Feb 13
hi dawn I just do not trust most naturopaths at all as I had bad
luck with one. I do trust my doctor so if I have any problems myself I just go to him and he always helps me so much.
If I had a lot of allergies I would go to an allergy specialist I cannot go to anyone who is not covered by my HMO insurance. I come
from a medical family and was raises to believe in real m dicine not herbs at all. some are really toxic too/ real medicine not herbs that may make m
e sick.
e sick.1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
27 Feb 13
See, I'm just the opposite. I believe that most medicines have too many unintended side effects, and that they're part of what's making this society so sick. A good naturopath tries to determine the cause of the illness and treat that rather than the symptoms.
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
28 Feb 13
That sucks that insurnace will not cover this! It should! If gluten is the problem there are gluten free and some are dairy free pastas aour there. I should know there are different pastas because we have some kids at the college,I work at, who are on gluten free diets. You have to read up on it and do some research. It is not so hard once you get started,if this might be something Dearra has to change.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
I can find gluten free products if necessary, but we're putting the cart before the horse. First she has to be tested to see what her body's reacting to.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
27 Feb 13
Naturopathy is the latest fad even here in India. They have set ups where people need to stay for a week or more and you are expected to take part in everything including a mud bath and what have you. Just a suggestion here. You could just surf for info on what causes arthritis and the reasons are several. Then may be you could avoid whatever that applies to Dearra.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
A blood test will tell us exactly what foods she is sensitive to.
@natliegleb (5175)
• India
28 Feb 13
it is kind of irritating and frustrating for sure and with so many pages just like that eating gluten is kind of funny too for sure and i have heard about it
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
gluten does seem to be a problem for a lot of people...
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
28 Feb 13
It seems that you filled a great survey. You shared your opinions related to the questions. I think you remember about your school and college exams while answering the questions.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Feb 13
No, this was health related, for a doctor prior to my daughter's appointment.
