Comments on: New Pap Smear Guidelines & Why The Holistic Health of Women is in Jeopardy

By: Billy Shears

Billy Shears — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:22:51 +0000

If one man can help you, I stand with you over the issues of mammograms and pap smears. If it makes you feel any better, though, the Journal of the AMA has in fact questioned the need for annual prostate screenings for men. New guidelines for practitioners may be closer than you think.

By: Lissa Rankin

Lissa Rankin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:09:15 +0000

Yes, honey. Amen to that. (Disclaimer, Pinkies! Matt Klein is my husband so, uh, he’s heard me rant a few times. Plus he’s wathced me try to survive- and ultimately leave- a very busy managed care practice that no longer served my patients or me the way I felt called to practice medicine. Let’s just say I agree with everything Matt said!)

Pamela Whible is a rock star! Kudos to her! I’m tempted to hop on a plane, fly to Oregon, and give her a gigantic hug.

And Matt- lovely to hear your voice here.
I LOVE YOU!
xoxo
Lissa

By: Matt Klein

Matt Klein — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:40:10 +0000

It seems to me like for-profit insurance, out of control healthcare technology costs (if you don’t use the latest and greatest technology you’ll get sued for malpractice), and lawyers have all inserted themselves into what was once an interpersonal relationship between patients and doctors.

Doctors have been forced into a position where they are mechanics for the body, isolating sickness and attempting to cure those sicknesses. But most doctors didn’t go into the field because they wanted to follow instruction manuals to fix parts, they went into it because they wanted to heal people. And patients aren’t satisfied being poked, proded, and prescribed meds in the impersonal production line atmosphere of most medical offices seeking to cover costs with lower and lower insurance reimbursements, higher malpractice costs, and the need to buy the latest and greatest new gadgets.

The healthcare system isn’t going to be fixed until some effort it made to reestablish the sacred contract between doctor and patient, where doctors focus on healing the patient, not merely curing their current ailment, and where the patient feels that the doctor has had the time to see them as a whole person.

Unfortunately, deep pocketed health insurance companies, healthcare technology companies, and legal lobbies are dominating the debate. These are not people looking to restore that sacred contract. They are seeking instead to validate their middleman status and continue to divert healthcare dollars away from healing and into their own pockets.

Fortunately, there are people out there who see this need, and who are finding their own unique ways to restore this sacred contract. Here is a great article about a doctor in Oregon who has set up a wonderful office where she is successfully doing this http://bit.ly/40ilUj.

Thank you Lissa, for sharing your thoughts on the subject. We need more doctors out there like you and Dr. Wible who want to see sanity restored to the system.

By: Lissa Rankin

Lissa Rankin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:51:10 +0000

I agree, Erin.
I’m all for universal health care coverage, but what I see if that certain health care will be considered a right (treatment for a heart attack) while other things (like Paps and mammograms) may be considered a privilege that you must pay for out of pocket. Seems a little ass backwards to me.

There’s gotta be a better way. What does that look like?

By: Erin

Erin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:39:23 +0000

The sad thing is that we all see where this is heading: insurance denials of coverage. They are taking away our choice to have these tests, unless we pay put of pocket.

We should have the choice to have or not have the screenings.

By: Lissa Rankin

Lissa Rankin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:46:51 +0000

I too have had a LEEP after years of abnormal pap smears. And yes, it’s from HPV- an STD I got from my husband. This is not some disease of hoochies and ‘ho’s. They estimate 80% of women will get HPV in their lifetime, so while I hear you Anne, we just don’t know when we might be exposed unless we’re celibate. And there are cases of adenocarcinoma of the cervix that are completely unrelated to HPV, so skipping Paps- even if you’re celibate- is taking a big risk I would never want to take.

But that’s just me. When it comes right down to it, every woman should have the right to assess the data, talk to her doctor and make a choice that resonates with her.

By: Amber George

Amber George — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:35:59 +0000

Anne,

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I am glad that the tests, no matter how “medieval” they may appear to be, do exist and that women visit their doctor for them. Those tests saved both of my grandmothers, one of them twice, my step mother, myself and several friends. As every woman does, you can chose not to have the exams, but I think that they value can’t be underestimated.

By: Beth Wilson

Beth Wilson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

OMG i am soooo PISSED right along with you Lissa.. this is going soo back to the 50’s when it was well ur the little woman and property almost! OMG!
As someone who has had suspicious paps a few times and had an endometrial ablation 13 yrs ago..and yes one of the 10% who has NEVER ever had another period..This yearly exam is a must for women, its i’m sorry a plot to undervalue women yet more. Mens testing is paid for.. because MEN RUN THESE COMPANIES.. If we are going to cut health care costs.. stop scamming insurance companies/medicare for stuff that is never done but billed by some docs for money.
Women of this country need to start protesting again and loudly, we got the vote, we’ve still not got equal pay as men or our voices heard.. its time to unite as woman and storm this countries leaders with OHH HELL NO
WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT..NO WE AIN’T GONNNA TAKE IT, WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE….
The music lover/dj couldn’t resist that line….

By: Christa

Christa — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:18:04 +0000

A pap smear saved my life. Without a LEEP those nasty little cells would have continued to grow and who knows, I might have gotten cancer.

As I said earlier, this nonsense is a precursor to the kinds of rationing every American will see should this health care garbage pass (and I pray it does not). Everyone will see an increase in cost and a decrease in service.

Conspiracy? Who knows but this just adds one more item to my “It’s Sucks to be a Girl” list.

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:07:10 +0000

I am SO delighted that the medieval-style practices of clamping and radiating delicate breast tissue, and inserting metal tongs into the vagina are unraveling. I would like to see statistics of women who had regular clamping tests and the proportion of those women that developed breast cancer. It seems the countries that are doing this test are the ones where breast cancer is rampant.
Since HPV is sexually transmitted then let those concerned about their activities get tested as with other sexually transmitted diseases. Why subject the whole female population to this desperate medical/medieval practice?
Women really need to do their homework on medical practices and note who is doing and funding the “research”.