How is it that so many patients seem to fall through the cracks when it comes to Western medicine and Western medical testing? And what does that look like in your practice?

This is a really important point because what we're going to discover and uncover today is why it happens and what we could do about it, hopefully in a unique way that is less combative than what we sometimes envision it would require.

So let's talk about why it happens.

We first have to understand how the medical system, how we train our clinicians, myself included.

I call myself a recovering medical gaslighter.

Because I used to practice the same way.

So there's something that happens, med school, MP school, PA school, where we are taught a few things.

No, I just think that the more information that the patients are empowered by the PCP, then they can do their research or

But how do you initiate? How do you encourage them to follow, you know, like a follow a diet plan or investigate their nutrition? How do you encourage them to be their own medical detective?

You know, that's a really good point.

And you first said in there, like some people do want a pill.

Let's talk about that for a second, because for a while, once I learned what I learned, I really had a hard time practicing primary care because I was like, I felt with every person that I was giving them half a story.

I was like, my dudes, we can fix this.

You don't have to be.

But I do realize that some patients, just the act of getting their medication filled and coming every three months is the max that they're going to do.

And again, you become very credible there.

[laughs]

So medical gaslighting.

So even if you've never heard the term, you know what medical means, you know what gaslighting means.

You kinda sorta can piece it together, and it is purposefully a little bit insightful that I use that because medical gaslighting for many of our listeners, um, evokes anger, uh, evokes a feeling of like, "Yeah, that happened to me.

I got dismissed.

Um, I can't believe this doctor did that." Um, and it's my contention, though, once I get you in here, once I reel you in with my clickbait term of medical gaslighting, it is my contention that v- what you've experienced as gaslighting as a patient is not, generally speaking, is not malicious.

It is, generally speaking, a result of indoctrination among the, the doctors, but also from the patients, which we talk about.

So that's kind of how I differentiate normal versus optimal.

And so I would love to dig into your story first and give you the opportunity to share who you are and how you became the medical disruptor that you are.

Thank you so much.

First, shout out to your podcast.

I love the name of it.

Hello, Upgrade.

I love it.

Also, shout out to Dr. Habib because he was on my podcast a thousand years ago and I came to him for medical advice myself, my wife.

expect my doctor that I go to to have that

What do you think, what does a medical gaslighting scenario look like?

Perimenopause and menopause is a great example of this.

Oh, so good.

Because we have a certain amount of clinicians, very small percentage of clinicians, at least in the States, who truly get it.

Like, you're 45, you're not sleeping, you're, let's go HRT.

And, like, they really understand it and they validate it, and they...

But they are still few and far between even though, at least in the States, the guidelines have recently changed to, to help that along.

Why couldn't you do that with the medical system?

Yeah.

Yeah, let me answer both of those.

Thank you.

Those are great questions.

Let me first answer the part about why it's not intentional, because I think some people are like, what do you mean it's not intentional? Like, I'm telling you, my experience is so bad.

So I want to be really clear that this is not victim blaming.

And the horrible feeling you feel in the exam room is real.

So can you break that down? Because I think that's really, I mean, most of the listeners are stuck right there.