Doctors and the Catholic church

[AnitaBeer]

I think you have that backwards... Doctors are the experts on drug interactions. They don't consult with pharmasists before writing out a script. :24:

If my doctor ever said, "Hold on, before I write this prescription for you I have to make a quick call to the pharmacy" I would get up and walk out on him.
:24:

No I'm not confused. While doctors typically know a lot about drug interactions, pharmacists are the undisputed experts. Their job is prescriptions where as a doctors is diagnosis, to sum it up.

My point is that since he hasn't wrote a birth control prescription he most likely doesn't have the knowledge of it's interactions with other drugs because he doesn't prescribe it. OF COURSE doctors know the interactions of the drugs they do prescribe because they've been working with them for who knows how long.

 

[GuesSAngel]

It's really not BS though if that's how they chose to run their practice. Private practices don't have to offer all services, especially if they operate on a religious foundation.

I can understand being upset if you didn't know he operates on a religious bases, but we can't make him do anything against his beliefs. It's why I'm glad there are other options out there.

Atleast he was honest with you as to why he can't write the prescription. He's not trying to shove his religion down your throat he's just telling you he can't and as to why he can't.

Yes, at least he was honest with me...that way I can see how true of a wack job he really is and not go back. And it is bullshit. His hardcore beliefs affect me as a patient.

My gyno is a church goer, and very religious...thank goodness he doesn't pass his beliefs into his work.

 

[hart]

Tim I had 3 grand mals because my f*cking doctor prescribed a drug that was contraindicated for those with a history of seizure disorders.

I had that history for over 20 years. By the same token the pharmacy didn't catch it either and I had been going to them for several years.

Sigh, hit a sore point I guess. Whatever, just be your own advocate regarding ur health care..... best advice I got.

 

[Tim]

Tim I had 3 grand mals because my f*cking doctor prescribed a drug that was contraindicated for those with a history of seizure disorders.

I had that history for over 20 years. By the same token the pharmacy didn't catch it either and I had been going to them for several years.

Sigh, hit a sore point I guess. Whatever, just be your own advocate regarding ur health care..... best advice I got.

Then seek a new doctor... I would.

The doctor is the expert, period. The pharmacist is a back-up that can catch mistakes.

 

[sexysadie]

Long story short:

I went to my family doctor today to start myself on Chantix (those of you who don't know what it is, it's a prescription to stop smoking). While we were talking I told him that I would like to start birth control soon and wanted to know if Chantix would affect the birth control in any way.
This was his response and I quote "I don't know...We actually aren't allowed to write out prescriptions for birth control, the Catholic church will not allow us. I mean, if it was a 15 year old girl who wanted to regulate her period, that would be fine. Other then that we don't do it. If you get it from your gynecologist, you can ask them"


I didn't know what to say to that, I was really taken aback with what he said to me.

Tim said that we are going to get a new doctor, which I agree 100%. There's no way that I want the catholic church to influence my family doctor.. What other diagnosis has he possibly given me that was influenced by the Catholic church??

It's fucken bullshit.

If I were you I'd report his ass. I've been going to the same doctor for almost thirty years and I can't imagine her ever saying such a thing to me or anybody else for that matter. Since when does the catholic church have anything to do with your own doctor writing you a prescription? Unbelievable.

 

[Tim]

If I were you I'd report his ass. I've been going to the same doctor for almost thirty years and I can't imagine her ever saying such a thing to me or anybody else for that matter. Since when does the catholic church have anything to do with your own doctor writing you a prescription? Unbelievable.

As others have said, this doctor can practice they way he wants...

My biggest problem with this who thing is the fact that we had NO idea that he followed the teachings of the catholic church OVER sound medical advice.
We were never informed of this fact, nor is the name of the practice advertising such.

That's my problem

 

[hart]

Then seek a new doctor... I would.

The doctor is the expert, period. The pharmacist is a back-up that can catch mistakes.

Oh believe me Tim, never saw that doc again....

 

[sexysadie]

I just did a quick little search and I guess it`s true...your family doctor can legally refuse to perform any service (i.e. prescribing BC) if they feel that it conflicts with their moral beliefs.


hmmmm I didn`t know this. Interesting.

 

[hart]

Well actually I'd rather he or she declined that felt pressured and did a half assed job due to it. I want my doctor motivated!

 

[Maulds]

My wife used Chantix to quit smoking. It worked great. She was less than a week in when she smoked her last cigarette. We were told it was a 3 month plan but she never bought the second month...said she didn't need it and seeing how I paid like $130 for the first scrip I was fine with her skipping it.

Good luck with quitting :thumbup

 

[brieze]

Well at least you know to ask if the practice is influenced by religion before you spend money.

 

[cam elle toe]

I have to say, I agree with Nita about Pharmacists and Docs...a Chemist isnt influenced by "brand names' and what benefits they get from drug companies by prescribing more of that particular drug....and they will often know which brand works better, and what has more side effects.

Half of what the doctors HERE prescribe are recommended by the reps from the drug companies, and the more they prescribe....the more "benefits" they get.

 

[Maulds]

My doc and his partner are osteopaths. They took a no free lunch pledge. They accept no visits from pharmaceutical reps and they don't give out samples.

 

[cam elle toe]

My doc and his partner are osteopaths. They took a no free lunch pledge. They accept no visits from pharmaceutical reps and they don't give out samples.

:thumbup Good for them

my doc is also a homoeopath which is an extra bonus, took me a while to find him though.

 

[Willow]

I went to my family doctor today to start myself on Chantix (those of you who don't know what it is, it's a prescription to stop smoking). While we were talking I told him that I would like to start birth control soon and wanted to know if Chantix would affect the birth control in any way.
This was his response and I quote "I don't know...We actually aren't allowed to write out prescriptions for birth control, the Catholic church will not allow us. I mean, if it was a 15 year old girl who wanted to regulate her period, that would be fine. Other then that we don't do it. If you get it from your gynecologist, you can ask them"

I didn't know what to say to that, I was really taken aback with what he said to me.

Tim said that we are going to get a new doctor, which I agree 100%. There's no way that I want the catholic church to influence my family doctor.. What other diagnosis has he possibly given me that was influenced by the Catholic church??

It's fucken bullshit.

I don't see anything wrong with it. I knew the hospital I was going to have my boys at is Catholic and knew there were some things they won't do because of their religious affiliation.

You don't see anything wrong with a doctor telling you that, he doesn't have any idea if the medicine he is prescribing to you and your birth control have any contradictions?

... If he doesn't regularly prescribe birth control he's not really going to know if the other med will have reactions to it. Doctors aren't pharmacists. This is why doctors always want to know what current meds a patient is on they usually consult a pharmacist to see how a new med will react to it. They don't always know how each med will react with each different meds out there...

So to answer your question no I don't see anything wrong with it because he was honest about the fact he doesn't know how they would react together. He would have to know what birth control she would be starting and then consult, typically a pharmacist, someone to see if they have any reactions to each other.

.... .... :eek .... ....:mad ....:willy_nilly:....
Hold on to your seats, because I have the feeling this is going to be one of my epic... massively long posts!!..
I think that reading this whole thread has made my blood pressure go up and I feel like screaming!!..

I will first like to say:

GA and Tim... get a new doctor ASAP!!!... ♥

*Anita... hun... please get your facts straight if you are not 100% sure, before saying something that will only confuse and might anger others...

.......** Now I'm taking a very deep breath **........

*- GA.. I congratulate you on your decision to start Chantix... I just would like to caution you not to start on birth control without consulting with a new doctor, or your Gynecologist-Obstetrician about Chantix first...

I haven't read anything about mixing both of them.. I am not a physician and I don't know you, so I can't tell you what to do... but I can tell you I have read some things about Chantix, and it seems to be a powerful drug with some unexpected side effects.. that's why I am cautioning you..

Also, I would ask a doctor about side effects and length of time to wait after stopping medications, before actually getting pregnant...
Some medications take a while to leave your body after you finish them -some can take six to eight weeks to do that-, and you wouldn't want to get pregnant while it is still in your system, as it could be dangerous to a newly developing fetus...

One of my daughters just had to have a first trimester pregnancy medically terminated, because of complications from a prescribed medication that was still in her system when she got pregnant and damaged the fetus.. in fact, the growing baby was killed by this medicine..

*- I have no idea what kind of a doctor yours is, but I think he or she is absolutely clueless when it comes to mixing a medical practice with religion, and I don't think they are following the correct rules about that..

*- The first and most important rule a physician has to follow is "FIRST DO NO HARM"...

There are many things a doctor can an cannot do in his practice, and mixing religion and medicine without informing his or her patients in advance is a huge NO-NO!!...

There should be notices posted where all patients can see them, informing everyone of the practitioner personal believes if they intend to follow their religion while practicing medicine..

It doesn't matter what religion they practice... the patient has the right to know beforehand if they will be denied any treatment based on the practitioner's religion..

Also, all patients should be informed of this before or during their first or initial visit, so they can make a decision about continuing with that physician or look for a new one..

I don't know in which state you live, or who is your medical insurer, but in most parts of the US, if a physician participates as a provider of at least two that I know: Blue Cross-Blue Shield and AmeriHealth, and wants to continue with them, they have to attend periodic classes and seminars.. and also they are required to attend classes to update their knowledge of medicine..

The time of the doctor graduating from medical school, hanging a shingle at the office door and practice medicine without continuing their education are looooong gone!!.. We would all be suffering from many undiagnosed illnesses if that were the case..

*- You should check with your insurer to see what rules they have concerning their practitioners, and how they handle something like what you experienced..
I'm almost sure that you can make a formal complain to your insurer about this, and have them investigate it..
Look at the back of your insurance card for a telephone number and call them!..

The crock of shit he gave you about not being allowed to prescribe something is not right... and most likely not allowed on the provider's rules..

If it is allowed, they most likely have some rule about informing the patients about it, and your doctor is most certainly breaking it..
After investigation, his medical license can be revoked..

If he is denying you a prescription for birth control... Is he also denying treatment to a cancer patient because he doesn't agree with the chemicals used to make the drug?.. What about treatment for a nail fungus, simply because....???

Does he have the right to exclude treatments just because he is catholic???

Did he really take the Oath of "FIRST DO NOT HARM"... or is he a quack???

I am not a young person...and although I am not a practicing catholic as far as going to church, I still consider myself catholic.. I was raised in a very strict catholic family, went to catholic schools, was married in a catholic church... and have many members of my family who are physicians and catholic... and have never heard such bullshit in my entire long life!!..


** This next thought is for everyone, but mostly for anyone believing that doctors know less than a pharmacist when it comes to prescribing medications to their patients **

In each and every Physician's office, you will find the latest issue of a huge book called PDR, or "Physician's Desk Reference".. which is constantly updated on their web site and by sending the hard copies to every doctor's offices..
The price of the PDR was about $150 US dollars last year, not including the cost of the membership to be able to read the new information on the web site..

Many times you will find that physicians are the proud owners of many older editions and continue to use them alongside the new one.. as some older drugs don't appear on new editions anymore..

On the PDR, there are literally thousands of drugs and medicines, their Latin names, their generic names and the market names, including those in another countries...
Each and every drug has the uses, dosages, compatibilities, incompatibilities, references, side effects, reactions, and any imaginable information, written in medical terminology, that the physician will need in order to make an informed decision and prescribe the correct medicine for the specific patient..

*- Medical students go through many, very rigorous years of studying and training... so they can learn absolutely everything they need to know to be able to open a practice... practice medicine so they can help their patients... AND PRESCRIBE medications that will interact with each other in a beneficial way, and won't interfere with each other... or cancel each other's benefits... or worse, get cumulative strength and harm the patient...

DOCTORS DO NOT CONSULT PHARMACISTS WHEN THEY HAVE TO PRESCRIBE A DRUG TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS!!!.. :mad

We would just need to go the corner drug store, nearest CVS or Walmart and have the pharmacist fill up a bottle with any drug he or she would think would work if that were the case!!!..

*- Pharmacists go to college, then study another two or three years so they can read and dispense the prescriptions written by doctors, without making mistakes when filling a bottle with a drug having a similar name...
Who would want to take Xanax, a drug to calm the central nervous system, when they really need Zantac, a drug for acid reflux??.. :eek ..That is it!!..

 

[Mystic]

Long story short:

I went to my family doctor today to start myself on Chantix (those of you who don't know what it is, it's a prescription to stop smoking). While we were talking I told him that I would like to start birth control soon and wanted to know if Chantix would affect the birth control in any way.
This was his response and I quote "I don't know...We actually aren't allowed to write out prescriptions for birth control, the Catholic church will not allow us. I mean, if it was a 15 year old girl who wanted to regulate her period, that would be fine. Other then that we don't do it. If you get it from your gynecologist, you can ask them"


I didn't know what to say to that, I was really taken aback with what he said to me.

Tim said that we are going to get a new doctor, which I agree 100%. There's no way that I want the catholic church to influence my family doctor.. What other diagnosis has he possibly given me that was influenced by the Catholic church??

It's fucken bullshit.

eek OMG!!! are you SERIOUS!!!? I would have bitten his head off i think for forcing his religion on me as his patient. and YA get a new doctor. That's just terrible! Bloody Catholics.:thumbdown

 

[Tangerine]

they are not funded by the church. Family practice, 2 doctors.



wow. yeah the more I think about it the more mad I get. I'm going to find another doctor and when I get my records transferred I'm going to tell them why I'm going to another doctor. Don't want anyones religion shoved down my throat when it comes to my health.

Why is he a doctor any way with that strong beliefs??? He should just sit at home and pray for his patients.

I would file a report with your State Medical Board. It's highly unethical.

 

[Abcinthia]

I think any doctor, nurse, health care professional etc, shouldn't let their Religious views impact on their job.

My doctor is a very strict Muslim but he was able to give me unbiased advice on both late term abortion and birth control (he's prescribed me 2 different types of birth control pill and talked to me about the coil). I could see on his face he was really uncomfortable with the late term abortion discussion but he still gave advice on it.

 

[Niamh]

I heard about a similar case in England actually not so long ago, it was a pharmacist (Muslim I think) who refused to give the morning after pill to someone on religious grounds. I don't know where the law stands on it tbh but imo a Doctor/pharmacist shouldn't be practising if they refuse to give certain medications. If it were me, I'd be at the very least, changing my doctor.

 

[AnitaBeer]

.... .... :eek .... ....:mad ....:willy_nilly:....
Hold on to your seats, because I have the feeling this is going to be one of my epic... massively long posts!!..
I think that reading this whole thread has made my blood pressure go up and I feel like screaming!!..

I will first like to say:

GA and Tim... get a new doctor ASAP!!!... ♥

*Anita... hun... please get your facts straight if you are not 100% sure, before saying something that will only confuse and might anger others...

I did not even read your post. Please search the internet about the doctor vs pharmacist issue or just ask around. It's been ongoing for years and yet it's still said the pharmacist knows more when it comes right down to it ABOUT DRUGS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH EACHOTHER. And seriously, Willow, you didn't pay attention to what I said. The doctor is the one who diagnoses the patient and most have had experience with medications so they know a lot still. But when a doctor doesn't prescribe certain meds it's not unusual for them to not know what the issues will be between it and other meds a person is on.

OH and Do NOT tell someone to get their facts straight when you clearly don't have yours straight.
A)This doesn't sound like a doctors office that receives funds from the federal government so they can run their business based on their beliefs if they chose.
B)Even if it did receive federal funds they still have the right to deny services they just can not judge based on the persons sexuality.
C) I am not sure about you, but I find out information on my doctor before I even start going to them or I atleast meet with them first to find out about them so something like this shouldn't have came as a surprise.

Nice try tho. Not sure if you were trying to go for a know it all kinda thing, but next time take a chill pill and actually read because just telling someone to get their facts straight isn't going to help your case at all.