Have you "Asked you doctor" as the TV ads .....

I am getting really tired of the Pharm ads that "Ask your doctor"
I makes me use the F'ing Mute button.
It seems that the 6:00 news has become 35 minutes of ads and 25 minutes of "talking morons", I'd turn it off but "she" insists on listening.....GRRRRRR>>>
My father was a doctor, well, many years ago, I can only imagine if a patient asked him about a medication that was peddled on TV....I'm sure he would have hung up on them.

 

I would be embarrassed to bring up an advertised medicine with my physician.

 

I've done it. With Intermezzo, the short-acting Ambien that was advertised on TV. It didn't work for me because of terrifying dreams but the hubs loves it. I also asked him about the other sleep options... Lunesta, Zzzquil, etc.
I also screened for a study that I saw on the interwebs that was advertised just like the meds do. I'm moving before the 12mo the required and you can't transfer centers so I couldn't do it.

Having worked for a group that ran clinical trials for meds, I'm not shy about asking about things I've seen advertised. How else do people hear about them? From the doctor? Not unless he knows about it first. In the past, I've had docs tell me they hadn't heard of something that I asked about, did their own research, and prescribed or didn't, based on the info.

 

One other "thing" what is this @DAKA? what does that signify?

 

It used to be, long before my time, on some previous version of this system, if you preceded a user name with the at-sign, it would cause all kinds of wonderful things to happen. The user whose name was invoked would receive a lovely engraved invitation to visit the place where they were so honored. The mention itself would become a gateway to a personal shrine, where a curious visitor could learn all about the mentioned one.

Alas, none of that functionality exists any more, but perhaps out of nostalgia, or as an anachronistic gesture of affection and respect, some of the longtime members here still habitually prepend the circled-little-a to others' names.

 

Don't have a doctor to ask in the first place, but I have yet to see anything advertised that I would actually ask about.

 

I've never had the need to, but wouldn't hesitate to ask a doctor if the med sounded as though it was useful/might work.

 

I don't think I've ever asked about medication. At my heaviest (I was like...250?), I made an appointment because I'd started doing aerobics and cutting calories, and everything I saw/read said something to the effect of "check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program." The doc took my vitals, went over my plan with me, and was like, "you know what you're doing, why are you here?" I kinda stammered the "check with your doctor" thing, and he smiled and said that I had my shit together (er...more professionally worded, though.)

Made me feel a little silly, but also a little proud. He did give me a referral to a nutritionist, which was awesome, but I ended up not using it (it was when I lived on the island, and we left a couple weeks after the appointment.)

 

I'm a hippie and try to avoid medications if I can. (I don't even like taking over the counter drugs.) A lot of my "ailments" can be treated by lifestyle choice and diet. My MS however, is too severe and needs a little help. My doctor takes a look at my brain scans and says I should feel much worse than I do. My attitude helps, but knowing my limitations and triggers have helped immensely. I had gall stones and did not want surgery for fear of causing an MS relapse. I just changed my diet and haven't had an attack in over five years.

MS medications aren't often advertised on TV, but I have seen advertisements in the support magazines of which I am a subscriber. I've never asked a doctor about them though. I think it's because I forget. There aren't as many MS treatments as say high blood pressure or depression, so I think it would be easier for my Neuro to stay on top of things.