How do we react to an illness?

Health is of paramount importance to us and disease is always perceived as a threat to our well being and to our life
.
Heart attack evokes a scare and fear of death.This fear remains even after successful treatment. Not only the patient but his friends and relatives are also shaken.They may consult a cardiologist and make changes in their lifestyle.

Cancer creates a fear of death.It is a sudden news and signals exit from this world in near future.The whole family is shaken. Fortunately many treatments are available now, due to the advances in medical technology. Coping with the long term suffering needs a support system. It is a major setback for the patient which changes his outlook towards life.

A sudden attack of stroke paralyses the patient in every sense. A mighty hand of destiny strikes a powerful blow to his existence. "why me?" is the question that bothers him. 
It is an ordeal to remain bed ridden and disabled throughout the life. 





Parkinson's disease evokes self pity. Patient feels trapped and helpless. He undergoes a lot of suffering and leads a very restricted life till the end.It is an agony. His family also suffers along with him.  He is haunted with the thoughts "Why me?" "Is it my past karma?"  What have I done? 

Tuberculosis causes a stigma and also the long term suffering due to the adverse effects of the medicines.He would not like others to know about it.

In most of these diseases, people turn to spirituality, perform rituals, visit the family deity. Also they may consult an astrologer, who reassures them and asks to perform some rituals (at a reasonable cost) 


What about diabetes?




Diabetes does not create a panic or a threat to life. The literature mentions that he suffers from depression but soon recovers and become normal.

There is no "why me?" feeling in diabetes because he is not the only one. Many of his friends and relatives have it. It has become so common in society that there is no shock or a surprise or a stigma (It may add to the status)

He reacts in different ways:

"So it has come, I was expecting it",

"No wonder, it is in our family"

"Now I should not eat sweets". 

"I feel nice ,no symptoms"

He does not feel the burden of the problem (which he should be feeling) There are ups and downs in the blood sugar, but he is cool. He knows various complications of diabetes, but is indifferent. His family is also cool. 

I have not seen a 'worried' diabetic yet,. 

Who is afraid of diabetes?

Can you stop medicines for high blood pressure?

A lady patient came for consultation. I saw her file and the list of medicines she is taking. There were in all 11 medicines. Two of them for high blood pressure.

She was taking these anti hypertensives for nearly 20 years,
and regularly visiting the doctor who prescribed them.
At every follow up visit that doctor said only one word "continue"

I took her blood pressure. It was 130/ 70.
I told her to stop these two medicines for some time. She refused. "How can I stop?  it may increase" 

I explained to her that blood pressure will not rise suddenly. It may take at least 3 weeks to rise. You can monitor it at home with the instrument once in a week. If there is a rise within 3 weeks we can restart the treatment.

The arm should be resting on the pillow and cuff should be at the level of the heart 

The lady agreed and discontinued her two medicines. She monitored her blood pressure every week for the next 4 weeks. The blood pressure did not rise.

She felt confident but still was in doubt " what if it increases after 3 moths or 6 months?"  

I said " Please continue to monitor once a week. No need to worry"
. 
Six months have passed and her pressure is still normal

P.S.:

Millions of patients are taking treatment for many years. Doctors are not interested in a review in their busy practice.

Patients are also not keen for a review because they have been told:

"Treatment of high blood pressure is life long"

Not necessarily.