Re: What is conversation? (was Re: Does your reading corrupt your writing?)

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:27:28 -0500, "Pat Bowne" <pbowne@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


"David Friedman" <ddfr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

I disagree. The readers of the hypothetical book have much more
information about their particular situation than the author. So if he
does an honest job of explaining the relevant ideas and why he thinks
certain things are desirable, they can decide for themselves what the
implication is for them.


We may have to agree to disagree here. The example I would choose as most
relevant would be Marilee's story about the doctor who prescribed her a
medicine that was contraindicated for people with renal problems. The doctor
might argue that she knew more about her other ailments than he did and
should have worked it out herself, but I think all of us would have more
respect for a physician who was punctilious in outlining the risks
associated with a suggested medication.

I should note that the new med was Vytorin, which is Zocor and Zetia
and I've had Zocor without problems before. I should have checked the
Zetia, where I would have found the renal caution. I'm not really
worried about not taking the Vytorin, the Zetia is supposed to help
with genetic cholesterol problems and I'm the only one in my family
with high cholesterol and that's just because of the kidneys. (I'm
still the oldest person in my family who hasn't had skin cancer, but I
have a few pre-cancerous lesions now -- not uncommon in people my
age.)

I didn't actually talk to the doctor when she ordered the Vytorin. She
has her assistant call me for things like that (she got the labs and
decided to change the meds -- I didn't *see* the labs until I saw the
rheumatologist who always turns the screen toward me and goes through
all the labs, and if I had, I would have argued that I didn't need to
change meds), and there's no use asking her. So I probably should
really take more responsibility there.
--
Marilee J. Layman
http://mjlayman.livejournal.com/
.

Relevant Pages

  • Merck, Schering-Plough Defend Efforts for Vytorin, Zetia
    ... Efforts for Vytorin, Zetia ... Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. defended their actions Friday ... effectiveness of cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zetia. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: Zetia, Vytorin sales
    ... statin or using Vytorin instead of a statin alone provides ANY benefit ... but other than that there's no evidence of real incremental benefit. ... Generic simvastatin retails at about $1/day, while Zetia ... and Vytorin retail at $3-$3.50/day. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: LDL too low...?
    ... >>> I had my yearly physical with my new doctor. ... >>> too low and suggested discontinuing the Zetia and halving the Pravachol ... It would be more palatable to have a therapeutic range of drug level in the ... Right now the surrogate test is the cholesterol level. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: My Zetia Experience
    ... > Obviously my doctor and I agreed, I would stop taking a Statin. ... This year I started to suffer a general feel of loss of muscle ... Then I stopped taking Zetia. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: I went to the doctor today
    ... option to change her diet or go on Lipitor. ... I'm definitely not calling my doctor and asking for Zetia. ...
    (rec.sport.football.college)