Take Care of Yourself

Our usual learning has been: if you're not well, go see your doctor. -> this is our usual practice. However, if you want to pay less and get results, you need to take a proactive role. Share with you the following:

1. If it is simple sicknesses such as cold/flu or indigestion that you are not too worry. Otherwise check online for causes and solutions. -> so that you have a better idea what is going on and get less worrying.

2. Diagnose yourself and at least find out what's not well -> see if you can write down your symptom on paper/smart phone rather than just I don't feel somewhere well.

3. If your case is not a simple one, then your 1st visit may not be effective especially for traditional Chinese medication. The important thing is whether or not you feel improvement/worsen. If it is not worsen, allow a 2nd visit. Ask the doctor about your situation such as which part is not well 肝,腎, 脉象 etc.。

4. Join a med discussion group online and share your case and the feedbacks from doctors with groups and seek their opinions. Of course, you need to filter their responses yourself. But don’t waste time with groups in certain regions.

5. Have a summary about your illness, then go to the doctor of your choice (trusted or economical). Once you have correct information, your doctor can prescribe right to the point rather than just trial and error. This is particular important if your case is chronicle as the cost is not for a short period.

6. Certain professionals owe their customers fiduciary duty. However, it is still yourself to be trusted most. Therefore, spend time on your health. Dr. Ma Chung Yee 馬仲儀醫生 now works in the UK （曾任香港公共醫療醫生協會會長）. In her recent interview 14/2/2022 with Simon Shen 沈旭暉 said: one very obvious difference between the patients in HK and UK is: UK patients usually have very good knowledge about their sickness, the type/name of medicine used. One can see an experienced HK doctor only visualized this when she works overseas. Westerners often discuss with their doctors about their sickness and exchange ideas rather than just taking prescription.

I have hard time with both western and TC doctor as they either don’t want to spend time to share or they feel being challenged unless it is very troublesome such as cancers, organ ulcers, obvious physical problems etc. I believe that’s one way of protectionism. I have a few small fights with medical people especially old gumbled traditional Chinese doctors and young western doctors.