Dr. Mercola December 16 2008 122,800 views
When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, I asked her to get her D levels checked. She is "allergic" to sunlight, any exposure at all, even through windows causes immediate hives on her skin that last 2-3 days, so the doctor has told her to stay away from sunlight. Her level was 10 ng/ml and the doctor immediately put her on a prescribed D regimen. He asked her what made her think to check her D level and she said "My daughter reads Dr. Mercola's newsletter." The doctor said, "Just for THAT I should tear up this prescription right now. Don't ever come to me with recommendations based on what that guy says, ever again."
But, her level was seriously low, and we were right to check! Sometimes, those who face the loudest persecution are closest to the truth, don't you find?
Breaking paradigms or going against the conventional accepted wisdoms is usually going to cause resistance in those who have gained expertise in the earlier disciplines.
I admit, I feel a tad sorry for the practitioner who has invested up to 10 years of their life obtaining professional qualifications, only to be told by a patient with no medical training that their information is not current.
There have to be a lot of affronted professionals out there!
Professional arrogance is a real phenomena. Clearly this physician was motivated by factors other than seeking to help patients. Your mom was DANGEROUSLY low and clearly going to die prematurely because of his ignorant recommendations to your mom. He was killing her and not even aware of it.
Interestingly one of my initial motivations for the newsletter was to be AHEAD of the patients who were coming to see me a physician and telling me new medical insights I had not yet learned but they found out by reading or watching TV.
But rather than hurling threats and insults at that I used that as motivation to get smarter and learn the breakthroughs before they did and that resulted in this newsletter.
Interesting how people can respond so differently to the same circumstance.
Seems like it would be in your mom's best interest to find a physician who was truly interested in her well being rather than his ego.
Guys and gals...after reading what Dr. Mercola wrote in response to Mamachibi's post, it is obvious, to me, that he does not share the arrogance of so many medical professionals practicing currently. I find arrogance extremely common these days and his reasons for beginning this newsletter, in my opinion, is very sincere and quite the opposite of arrogance. If I physician truly makes his patient(s) health a priority, it wouldn't matter how they came to that conclusion. I believe that many doctors (medical practitioners)today need to do more reading and listening to their patients, and spend less time listening to drug pushers.
Wow! that was extreme!
It reminds me of what happened to Robert Fishbein, M.D., who was a brain tumor victim with a life expectancy of about 2 months at the time.* Even though he went to Harvard and Yale, his own doctor REFUSED to give Fishbein his medical records because he was going to see Dr. Emanuel Revici.
He told both Robert and his wife separately that he felt like he "was talking to a dead man!" Fishein outlived the doctor. In fact, he's been free of cancer for 45 years.
*According to the biopsy, done by the famous neuropathologist, Harry Zimmerman, M.D., Fishbein had a highly undifferentiated tumor, a diagnosis that has a universally poor outcome.
On sun sensitivity, check if she eats buck wheat and remove that from her diet. Wait enough days and then try some sun exposure.
And his prescription was probably for D2!
WOW! What a difference! I have RA, have had terrible pain and swelling for 8 years. I started taking 4800 IUs a day and in just 2 weeks the pain has deminished by at least 65% and the swollen joints look better. My energy level has shot up too. I've tried so many things over the past 8 yrs, and spent untold amounts of money, this is so simple. I have had no sun exposure for quite some time, so I will get my level checked soon, and start spending much more time out doors once we get through winter. Thanks Dr Mercola!!!
Dr. Mercola, I just want to say that I purchased your sunsplash 8. I came down with a horrible medical condition last year, with unexplained dizziness which I have had 24/7 since it started last January. After much testing, it turns out to be a bad migraine condition. My vitamin 25(OH)D test came in at an unbelievable 6 with an optimal reference range of 50-65 as you suggested. This test was given to me within 1 week of my big crash, although I made no correlation with the condition until I read your site. I improved somewhat on topamax, but the real improvements came after ordering your sunsplash unit in November 2008. Using is for only 6 minutes every other day, my last test showed my level completely normalized at 48.9. I'm sure my next test will have me in the optimal range. I am feeling much better, and I just want to tell you how incredible this bed is. I would highly recommend it. I feel like if I had kept myself in better check, I wouldn't have crashed the way I did. I still have some residual dizziness, but I believe this will all go away in time.
I have one follow-up question. It took the full 6 minutes every other day religiously to get my level to that point for 1 1/2 straight months. I have a golden bronze color now whereas I am usually pasty white. Is this a "safe" level or am I pushing it too much? Or should I just be going for some slight "color"? You mentioned that everyone is different. What if I have to go to this golden bronze to achieve my vitamin D level? Will I increase my chances of skin cancer and premature aging? I'm 33, male, and I have hungarian/Irish ancestry. Thanks Dr. Mercola. Keep up the great work. I've been using your metabolic typing suggestions as well. And I am a fast oxidizer (protein type), and I feel much better eating this way. You are awesome!
Rich
Thank you Dr. Mercola! This new Video (FREE) information on Vitamin D is so very helpful. I appreciate your willingness to share this knowledge. You seem to be such a wholesome guy.....as well as humble. I know this info will be extremely helpful to many.
Thanks again! - Bird Lover
Envy you 'Bird' being able to assess Dr. M. on this video. Suffer severe 'tin-ear', (Legally deaf and I know fellow suffers hate the expression 'tin-ear- trying to 'cop-out for 'T'. The reason the choir leader told them to 'lip-sync is because they have no idea how own their voice sounds---which is, I must assume, terrible. They rarely appear anywhere but their own sites, Most self-destruct, so they rarely appear, period) M. appears to be a fine fellow, but must assess on different criteria, Take care,