General practitioners' perceptions of chronic fatigue syndrome and beliefs about its management, compared with irritable bowel syndrome: qualitative study
Hi Dr. Johnson (and all other MDs)
I am Dr. Lodico.
I understand you better than you may know.
No one could be more shocked than I when I came down with a
disabling,
life destroying illness that I didn't believe existed.
I have since met many people who have lost successful lives
and good incomes to this disorder.
I suffer from the "figment of your [or is it my : ) ] imagination"
known here in America as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and in your neck of the
woods as ME.
I know that science and physicians often need time to catch up with
diseases.
Look at Multiple Sclerosis, a little over 50 years ago it was consider a
neurotic condition. I am not shocked that history insists on repeating
itself, though a bit saddened. I don't think it's any coincidence that
both illnesses primarily affect women. Society (and physicians it seems)
remain consistent in their prejudices.
We are psychiatrists so unlike our medical brethren, the internists
and surgeons, we are used to making diagnoses without definitive
diagnostic tests. We also know how damaging inaccurate biases are to
patient populations suffering from poorly understood and stigmatized
diseases. Because of these advantages I believe (perhaps unfairly) that
the psychiatric community should be held to a higher standard concerning
accurate diagnosis and appropriate referral of patients with Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome.
You say you are a psychiatrist so I am sure you are familiar with
these “misconceptions”: panic disorder due to “rage projected onto the
environment” and “pathologic mothers” “inducing” Schizophrenia. I don’t
expect you to believe me but the science exists for Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome just as it exists for Major Depression or Schizophrenia. Perhaps
you may believe Universities like Harvard and the US Surgeon General
(links: http://cfids.home.att.net/physicians2.html ).
I had robust good health, a full and gratifying personal life and a
professional life
that was fulfilling and finally financially rewarding (I had very high
school loans to pay off).
If wishing would make it so...I'd be taking care of patients...
instead of being one.
Rapid Response:
Re: Medical Correctness
Hi Dr. Johnson (and all other MDs)
I am Dr. Lodico.
I understand you better than you may know.
No one could be more shocked than I when I came down with a
disabling,
life destroying illness that I didn't believe existed.
I have since met many people who have lost successful lives
and good incomes to this disorder.
I suffer from the "figment of your [or is it my : ) ] imagination"
known here in America as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and in your neck of the
woods as ME.
I know that science and physicians often need time to catch up with
diseases.
Look at Multiple Sclerosis, a little over 50 years ago it was consider a
neurotic condition. I am not shocked that history insists on repeating
itself, though a bit saddened. I don't think it's any coincidence that
both illnesses primarily affect women. Society (and physicians it seems)
remain consistent in their prejudices.
We are psychiatrists so unlike our medical brethren, the internists
and surgeons, we are used to making diagnoses without definitive
diagnostic tests. We also know how damaging inaccurate biases are to
patient populations suffering from poorly understood and stigmatized
diseases. Because of these advantages I believe (perhaps unfairly) that
the psychiatric community should be held to a higher standard concerning
accurate diagnosis and appropriate referral of patients with Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome.
You say you are a psychiatrist so I am sure you are familiar with
these “misconceptions”: panic disorder due to “rage projected onto the
environment” and “pathologic mothers” “inducing” Schizophrenia. I don’t
expect you to believe me but the science exists for Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome just as it exists for Major Depression or Schizophrenia. Perhaps
you may believe Universities like Harvard and the US Surgeon General
(links: http://cfids.home.att.net/physicians2.html ).
I had robust good health, a full and gratifying personal life and a
professional life
that was fulfilling and finally financially rewarding (I had very high
school loans to pay off).
If wishing would make it so...I'd be taking care of patients...
instead of being one.
Sincerely,
LS Lodico, MD
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests