One of my patients, who's elderly and frail, is being exploited by family and has financial hardship and has had difficulties with young drunk neighbours moving in and has had physical illnesses (fractured hip, heart attack) so, overall, has had a pretty chequered course throught this year.
I was asked to see him ostensibly because his concentration's not great.
I could see reasons why, but assessed cognition anyway. It was normal. Ropy in some areas, but understandably so, he's certainly not having problems that are sufficient to attract a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.
What was of interest to me was the impact his GP had. An inquisitive soul, I always like to ask why the patient thinks they're seeing me, what they and their GP thought I could help with. It's a perk of having an hour with new patients, especially when the mental health is straightforwrd and swiftly addressed, patients can share more peripheral details that are stirring within their thoughts. This lead on to conversation 'bout the GP consultation and how helpful it had been. His GP, on chatting through with the patient what was going on and suggesting I meet up with him, also undertook some opportunistic health promotion. He's had a heart attack this year, isn't it about time to think about the cigarettes he smokes? The GP's words struck home. My patient did indeed stop smoking.
How did he do this?
He went to a private consultation where his pockets were picked. £300, if you're interested. For this, he got the most exceptional treatment I've heard someone be flannelled with for years.
The cigarettes had toxins. These were in his system. These had affected his system, which is why he wanted cigarettes. Thus, these toxins needed removing.
First, the specific packet of cigarettes he usually smokes was taken off him and taken out of the room "to be analysed." Then uninsulated wire was wrapped around each wrist and connected to a machine. Buttons were pressed. "Ooooh, you need an hour and a half on this to cleanse the toxins." Time passed. Then the explanation that, with toxins coming out, he may well smell tobacco when having a shower because, "that's the toxins coming out."
He's not smoked, it's worked for him. But I'll wager good coin it ain't the pseudoscience technobabble and spangly machine with wires and lights and buttons that's done it . . .
5 comments:
Oh dear! I'm glad that the practice of medicine today eschews paternalistic approaches - regardless of how effective utter crap spoken in a tone of authority can be! A small amount of goodness for your patient, perhaps, in a sea of not-goodness.
hmmmm..... It sounds a total load of wibble, but just perhaps it worked BECAUSE it cost so much.
A family friend (retired GP as it happens) has done well following a private admission to a clinic for alcohol problems. Privately he'll admit that at least in part he's motivated to keep off the drink because the treatment cost so much and he'd feel even worse about letting his wife down by going back to the drink after spending all that money.
It never ceases to amaze me some of the lengths these dodgey 'practioners' will go to in order to obtain money from those who are in daft enough to believe in this bunkum.Bring out the snake oil !!!
Oh goodness, that's terrible. Although, I suppose if it got him to stop smoking, even just by making him believe that he could stop...
I dunno, it certainly is a lot of old tosh, but I've seen people spend much much more on quit aids and then still not be able to give it up!
$300 pounds is a lot of money. Though I guess smoking is also pretty expensive. Hmmm.
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