Decisions - Decisions - Decisions...

More than anything I wanted to talk about informed consent and what that actually means. As Homeopath's we are acutely aware of how we speak to and inform our patients, it's as if we are held to a higher standard than most other medical professions, simply because we are labelled "alternative". Not only do I have all of my patients sign off on a consent form before I begin treating them, I must also, verbally, ensure that they understand what they have consented to.

If a case gets a bit "tricky", like a child running a high fever, I need to ensure that they know that at some point I may send them to the emergency room and that they will need to follow the directions of their primary care physician. I also make sure that they understand that once they have gone to a primary care physician I CANNOT and WILL NOT divert them from the treatment methods they have been prescribed. The sad part is, that while I support the physicians, their diagnosis and treatment plans, while I may not always agree with them, they often do not offer me the same curtesy AND I spend quite a bit of time giving their patients informed consent.

So, what is informed consent?

In a nut shell, it's ALL of the facts, about a procedure, medication or course of action your doctor has suggested or prescribed. The reason I am discussing this now, is that the grey area of informed consent most often rears its ugly head in obstetrics. Having found myself now treating more and more people with symptoms surrounding their ovaries, uterus' and cervix's, I am running more and more into the, "That's not how they explained it" or the "Oh, I didn't know that’s what that was" or the worst of them all "I could have said no or stop?"

Let's start with that last one first!

It's a biggy because you are always, ALWAYS, in charge of your body and what happens to it. If something hurts or makes you feel uncomfortable, even if it's a "necessary" procedure, you can stop at any time! And yes, I do mean any procedure. Where this statement "Informed Consent" comes into play is that you should and MUST be given all the facts about it (the procedure). A couple of good questions to ask before anything is started are;

How necessary is this procedure?

What happens if I don't have this procedure?

Can this procedure wait?

Can I request that someone else performs this procedure?

What are the statistics and efficacy of this procedure? AND the all important statement,

I would like a second opinion! (pay close attention to how your practitioner or physician responds to this)

It may seem like a lot and it will feel like a lot of pressure if you aren't too sure how your physician will react but the BEST of the questions above are about the numbers. If I wait, what are the outcomes and follow up, can you send me the studies that back up this information, especially if you feel as if you are being talked down to or numbers are simply being thrown at you. You can even ask how successful it is at their facility for the reasons you are being told to have it done. AND does the result outweigh the risks involved.

The best example I can give is of a mother, who was in a lot of pain during the labor of her second child, there was a lot of shocking contractions and the timing was random at best. Her nurse walked in, about an hour and a half after her previous cervical check, donned a glove and proceeded to check her cervix which was excruciatingly painful. She didn't know that she could refuse cervical checks and request cervical checks, no one had explained to her that with every check there is an increase in bacteria introduced to the cervix or that it can cause complications where there is trauma associated with the checks. After learning about informed consent, she asked questions with her third child and had a much more enjoyable delivery. (Not to mention I helped her midwife learn how to use Homeopathy in a way that ensured an easy delivery and much quicker recovery).

In conclusion, ask questions, ask all of the questions until you feel comfortable. The act of asking questions is going to be something you have to become comfortable with. Remember that you are your own advocate and if you have children you are their only advocate. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be informed, there is nothing wrong with asking any question because there is nothing wrong with knowing all of the information you need to know in order to make the best decisions for your health. I also want to be clear, most doctors care, most doctors do want what is best for your health, but prioritizing your knowledge about your health is also something that ensures that you know what is going on and know how to handle everything that comes along with it, while still maintaining your autonomy in a very difficult system to navigate.

Now to the notes from the case -

New born

Spitting up after not having eaten anything

Twice in one hour

A little lethargic and hot

Starts having a seizure

Bowel obstruction - small bowel

Spiking fevers and very low blood pressure

Not responding to broad spectrum antibiotics

Throwing up yellow and thick

• with seizures

Fever, throwing up and lethargic

Throwing up after not having eaten anything

Obstruction of the small bowel

Low blood pressure

No response to antibiotics

Rash on skin, light pink - could be baby acne

Kidneys are failing

Antibiotics are causing the kidney failure

LETS TALK INFORMED CONSENT in our next Discord meeting!

Viral infection - affecting the heart?

What were your top 10 rubrics for this case?

And Why?

I know this one is a bit behind schedule but the discord group did take two weeks to discuss our last case, for those of you that enquired about this case upload and future cases, not to worry they will go up regardless of our group discussions.