Washington Post: Robin Warren, pathologist who rewrote the science on ulcers, dies at 87

I wish we had more people like these two in medical research who are prepared to think for themselves and not except the path of least resistance to medical dogma. The World of medicine needs to move on from eminence based belief systems to a real understanding for quality controlled research.

 

I wish we had more doctors who wouldn't ascribe so many symptoms to stress. It's one of the many easy dustbin diagnoses that far too many of them use to get the patient out the door. And it is largely patient blaming too since stress is so often assumed to be caused by a patient having a weak personality.

 

There is a subtle difference between a patient who experiences a delayed diagnosis and one whose symptoms are dismissed. Delay can happen for many reasons. The difference may be as simple as having a doctor who asks you to return if your symptoms change or become worse.

Dismissed patients share a more nuanced tale-they are not believed. They’re accused of exaggerating their symptoms- they are 'stressed'.

I was treated for h.pylori 22 years ago and I might have developed gastric cancer in 15 years if it wasn't for my persistence. It took me over 5 years to get tested and treatment!