I was recently diagnosed with a Long Q Rhythm. I'm wondering if there is anyone else out there with this problem.
My Dr. recommends Beta Blocker and no more racing. He also commented that I've had this condition all my life so I'll probably be ok.
I would like to PM with anyone out there who is swimming with a similar situation. I am feeling very conflicted and would like to talk to someone in the same boat.
I read the paragraph about the sisters who swam in Nationals with a Long Q diagnosis, in fact that article motivated me to go to the electrophysicist (sp) and get this checked out by a specialist.
I think this may be part of the problem. Doctors are there to be knowledgeable, skilled, impartial observers and advisors who can give reasoned opinions that are not colored by the unfairness of the facts.
That being said, I do wonder sometimes if a doctor would be more inclined to discuss options with Michael Phelps than he would with me. I would guess that the same opinion would be given, but there would be a more elaborate explanation of the risk so that Michael could weigh the risk/reward factors – given the fact that his livelihood is tied to his swimming.
I think most of our exposure to “cut-and-dried easy answers” from doctors is related to not so serious matters. When your shoulder hurts when you swim and the doctor tells you “well, then, don’t swim” it can be frustrating. But, in the end, I think we all want our doctors to be able to give us their impartial, reasoned opinions so that we can make our own informed decisions regarding our health.
You are probably right, because Michael might have a personal sports medicine physician who gets paid megabucks to spend hours at a time with him.
Ponder this for a moment. How many of you have been displeased that a doctor did not give you enough of his/her time during a visit? Now how many of you have gotten upset waiting past your appointment time to be seen?
One may ask, then, why not give longer appointment times. The answer to that is twofold. One, economics. If you give half hour appointments for everyone you will go out of business quickly. That 15 minutes of education and reassurance is usually not reimbursed. Two, so you don't have to wait weeks to get an appointment. I'm sure many of you have had that "WTF" moment when you were told the dermatologist can see your changing mole in 4 weeks.
Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse as reimbursement rates lower and lower. Picture a family practitioner making $115K a year and seeing 30 patients a day. Do they take a pay cut or try to stuff in more patients? Who the hell would want to go to medical school and accumulate debt only to do that?
Never doubt that your doctor cares, because the overwhelming majority do. They do the best job they can within the framework set by the lawyers in government and the medical liability lawyers who suck the life out of them:)
I think this may be part of the problem. Doctors are there to be knowledgeable, skilled, impartial observers and advisors who can give reasoned opinions that are not colored by the unfairness of the facts.
That being said, I do wonder sometimes if a doctor would be more inclined to discuss options with Michael Phelps than he would with me. I would guess that the same opinion would be given, but there would be a more elaborate explanation of the risk so that Michael could weigh the risk/reward factors – given the fact that his livelihood is tied to his swimming.
I think most of our exposure to “cut-and-dried easy answers” from doctors is related to not so serious matters. When your shoulder hurts when you swim and the doctor tells you “well, then, don’t swim” it can be frustrating. But, in the end, I think we all want our doctors to be able to give us their impartial, reasoned opinions so that we can make our own informed decisions regarding our health.
You are probably right, because Michael might have a personal sports medicine physician who gets paid megabucks to spend hours at a time with him.
Ponder this for a moment. How many of you have been displeased that a doctor did not give you enough of his/her time during a visit? Now how many of you have gotten upset waiting past your appointment time to be seen?
One may ask, then, why not give longer appointment times. The answer to that is twofold. One, economics. If you give half hour appointments for everyone you will go out of business quickly. That 15 minutes of education and reassurance is usually not reimbursed. Two, so you don't have to wait weeks to get an appointment. I'm sure many of you have had that "WTF" moment when you were told the dermatologist can see your changing mole in 4 weeks.
Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse as reimbursement rates lower and lower. Picture a family practitioner making $115K a year and seeing 30 patients a day. Do they take a pay cut or try to stuff in more patients? Who the hell would want to go to medical school and accumulate debt only to do that?
Never doubt that your doctor cares, because the overwhelming majority do. They do the best job they can within the framework set by the lawyers in government and the medical liability lawyers who suck the life out of them:)
