UUUUUbeleivable.

[Mememe1962]

I had RLS 15 years ago for few weeks so understand completely the frustration and physical pain side of all you sufferers but what I find totaly extraordinary , unbelievable and to tell the truth is that " some people in the medical profession do not believe inRLS " how can this be , physical pain in so many people cannot be psychosomatic . That's ludicrous and I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooo angry for you peeps .

[Parminter]

You know, Meme. I have thought about this a lot.

I have come to two conclusions.

The first is that names are hugely important. language is important, and we have a disease which is grave and progressive and heart-breaking, but it has a bloody silly name. Bloody silly names do not get much attention or respect, because we work and think with words.

I bet my boots that bloody silly names do not get much attention in medical school.

Which is why I think we ought all to call it Willis-Ekbom Disease and tell it like it is. When someone asks, say you have WED, and that it is a serious and progressive neurological condition arising in the brain, and that there is no cure. Say that to your doctor too, and insist on the name. Drs Willis and Ekbom also deserve our profound respect for their work.

Secondly, I am easily old enough to know that the current medical model is still rather paternalistic and patriarchal in nature. And that the majority of patients with moderate to severe WED are women in their later years.

I knew a number of medical students in my salad days. They were taught that most women past a certain age would present with numerous problems that were 'neurotic' fictions.

Although the bias is much less than it was, in continuing traditions and belief systems things do not change very fast. The women doctors of today were taught by male doctors who were taught by male doctors who were taught by male doctors who chopped out women's organs at the drop of a neurotic hat.

So, the next time we see our doctors, let us call our appalling affliction Willis Ekbom Disease.

[Graham3196 in reply to Parminter]

You can let your self get depressed with the medical profession if your not careful.

I was once critical of mucking around with the name of the disease but now I think you might be right.

I am an engineer and at University I had quite a few friends who were studying medicine. The main topic of interest was how rich you can be after getting a medical degree. I don't know if they even knew they might have to look at disgusting things and listen to whinging patients who could only think about their own pain and obstruct the doctor in achieving 20 patients per hour !!!

Since then (in the last 50 years) I have met a half dozen doctors who seemed to care about patients and they were very good although only one took my RLS seriously. Unfortunately he mysteriously left the practice and I think he might have suicided It seems to be too common among doctors who care.

I'm not sure that Willis-Ekbom Disease sounds all that much better.

Cheers

Graham

[Parminter in reply to Graham3196]

There are great doctors, fair doctors and lazy-minded doctors. There are doctors with big egos and doctors without. They are people with letters after their names. So are you. So am I.

We just have to get over the general worship of the profession. Respect is earned, not entitled, one doctor at a time.

I am lucky enough to have a wonderful GP, who is unafraid of learning from patients.

Half of the specialists I have encountered have had egos as big as the Himalayas, the office was too full to make room for the patient.

The other half were great, you just never know in advance which one you'll get.

And where I am, you have to pay, whether they help or not.

That does not happen in many professions. Can you do nothing and get paid?

I like the old Chinese system, where you pay the doctor to keep you well. If he does not, you don't pay.

I think the new model of functional medicine, which seems to be inhabited but truly great doctors, is going to sweep aside the old model pretty soon. The current one does not work.

[Graham3196 in reply to Parminter]

You are so optimistic. I wish I shared your rosy view of the future but I just keep finding the wrong examples!

I like most Chinese systems but I don't want to get political.

Cheers

Graham