Thread: Mctd & sfn
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Old 11-28-2011, 08:44 PM
Karate Mom Karate Mom is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 53
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Karate Mom Karate Mom is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 53
10 yr Member
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Thanks for all the good info, doc! I loved the quote in the link! I understand what you are saying, so I will do some reading on the supplements and see what I can add to what I currently take. I actually was dxed with trigeminal neuropathy by a specialist. He told me that I had a 30% increased risk of developing UCTD b/c of the trigeminal neuropathy dx, but since I didn't fit the symptoms, I thought it was just that...an increased chance of developing it. Then I ended up with a dx of MCTD by a pcp...so confusing! Anyway, I suppose I have some reading to do and perhaps some questions after. Thanks for taking the time to reply and for all the insight! I appreciate it! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!



Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Smith View Post
This is becoming a mantra in the medical community. I don't necessarily disagree with it, BUT (<-- Big "BUT" ) there's a difference between not believing everything you read and not believing anything you read.


Medicine knows a lot, and is learning more every day. But still, with all our technology, there is still more that medicine doesn't know than it does know. And research into what medicine doesn't know is more often driven by economic$ than by altruism; there is more money to be made on treatments and drugs that are patentable than on cures and natural supplements that aren't patentable.

A lot of people on this site are helping themselves with supplements and by sharing the information they glean here and elsewhere. Doctors often aren't aware of it because it is not (yet) taught in medical schools, and they are also taught to dismiss/reject anything that is not taught in medical schools. One of the major tenets of the Hippocratic Oath all doctors take is "Do no harm." I'm not a doctor, but I've taken that tenet one step further in my own journey; "If it can't hurt to try it, then it can't hurt to try it," which presumes that whatever it is I'm going to try can't hurt me to try. Ironically, this usually means discussing it with my doctors (who are more open-minded than many). It's difficult for anyone to say unequivocally that something will help you, but there may be some things that are worth a try. Reading the Sub-Forum and Sticky Threads in the Peripheral Neuropathy forum are good places to get ideas for things that might help; not just supplements, but medications, tests, questions for your doctor(s), and any/all manner of useful tips & information.



It beats me how the new PCP could make such pronouncements and disagree with the neuro, but... http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post718933-5.html
Googling: MCTD peripheral neuropathy suggests that PN (and Trigeminal Neuropathy) can be symptoms of MCTD, so that may answer part of your question. You might google it yourself and see what you think based on your history & symptoms. Another tenet of medicine is, If you can't treat the disease, treat the symptom(s), which is what many of us with "idiopathic" PN are doing. As the disclaimer goes: Individual results may vary.

We're all on our own journeys here; this is a good place to visit and revisit,

Doc
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