# Worried well or data hunger gone crazy? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 14, 2026, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671 "2026-01-14T00:36:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/41 "2026-01-16T22:00:32Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I find those discussions frustrating as well, as it often seems like persons simply wish to affirm each other, based more on feelings and sympathy than much else. Yes, that is literally the point of those threads. Sometimes people like to get together and talk about what they are going through and validate each other and that is a normal and healthy impulse. There are also threads for critically examining assumptions, and I have participated in both, but it’s not generally a good idea to mix the two together. When they get mixed up it’s very easy for people to start getting frustrated. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/42 "2026-01-16T22:31:25Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > When they get mixed up it’s very easy for people to start getting frustrated. SO true. I had to learn to read the room and posters intent before commenting. I still make mistakes that way. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/43 "2026-01-16T22:54:33Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I have a functional medicine doctor, supposedly So veering away from the OP now - I note the “supposedly” … What makes that individual a “functional medicine doctor” to you? I defer to the adult docs in the room, but to me it seems like a marketing label/gimmick, and an implicit insult to other primary care providers, painting “conventional primary care doctors” with a broad brush stroke of being interested in treating disease symptoms only … which is definitely not true of most of the PCPs I know, even if their attempts to engage patients in lifestyle changes are of mixed success, and their tools of nutritionist and therapy referrals often limited by the patient’s insurance options. What has been different about going to a functional medicine doctor than to a PCP you’ve seen for years and knows you? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/44 "2026-01-16T23:02:33Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > “Zymolosely?” Why did I always used to read it as “_Xymolosely_?” I know you are not my doctor, but am I having a stroke? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/45 "2026-01-16T23:11:14Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > So veering away from the OP now - I note the “supposedly” … What makes that individual a “functional medicine doctor” to you? Sorry, nevermind, it just says “osteopathic internal medicine” on his website. He is a D.O. I don’t know where I got functional medicine from, but the website talks about a holistic approach to medicine, which is not how I would describe this doctor. I don’t think he’s ever recommended anything to me about my “lifestyle” beyond a referral. He’s been useful for annual physicals, ordering basic blood work, treating acute illness, and providing referrals. Nice guy. I’ve got no complaints. It’s just that someone mentioned functional medicine doctors upthread as frequently offering a ton of supplements, and I had never experienced that myself. I don’t know anything about functional medicine and I don’t know where I got that from my current GP. Sorry. Okay here’s a quote from the definition of DO: “emphasizing preventive care and the body’s ability to heal itself.” I’m just saying this man never did nothing about preventive care or self-healing. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/46 "2026-01-17T02:48:16Z")
Osteopathic school is an alternate path of medical school. There are historic differences in emphasis but in my experIence none in practice. “Functional medicine” is, as I understand it, a different thing: a marketing tool and business model. Plus side is they will spend a good amount of initial time with you - billed directly to you usually. And mostly making their dollars on membership programs, ancillaries (healthcare coaches that they get cuts from), and _most of all_ from labs and supplements sold at major mark ups. Common packages sold are “autoimmune reversal”, and “hormone optimization” products and programs. Many of them have _very_ lucrative businesses. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/47 "2026-01-17T03:17:39Z")
That sounds really scammy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/48 "2026-01-17T05:45:22Z")
It’s holi$tic. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/49 "2026-01-17T06:18:50Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > I spent far too many years of my life engaged in _two_ totally separate, years-long medical odysseys – the first: ophthalmologic, the second: cardiac. > > In both odysseys, I was invalidated, dismissed, and gaslighted\*, often by the top physicians in their field. > > But I persisted, did no end of research, pushed for additional testing, and – through dint of effort that no patient should ever be required to expend – figured out what actually _was_ wrong with my eyes (which was quickly adjudged to be disabling) and my heart (which is terminal). > > How much of a unicorn am I, really? I have no idea. How would we know? > > As medicine evolves, the pressures on providers seem only to increase. The time pressures on them can be enormous, and I was _not_ their only patient. > > But I was definitely _my_ only patient. I had the time. > > I spent countless hours learning foundational stuff about both ophthalmology _and_ cardiology – enough to put test data into context; enough to understand how much weight to _give_ each salient piece of test data that my pleading with physicians eventually elicited. I’ve had similar experiences. I had to research my conditions, and order my own tests because a lot of medical professionals are overworked, overstressed and short on time and cannot do an in depth investigation for the 60,000+ things that can go wrong with the human body. I didn’t order a bucket of 100+ tests just to find something wrong with me (something that may have been asymptomatic), but I selectively ordered tests that helped diagnose conditions I have so I could find the right medical professionals to work with me on the issues. Granted, I am susceptible to quackery. But the tests did validate my concerns (a genetic condition, a couple of hormonal issues, etc) based on my symptoms. I think I read that the average person will have 3 meaningful abnormalities on a full body MRI. I don’t recall where I read that though. Also doing cancer screenings too aggressively costs more lives than it saves. For every 1 life you save, you may kill 2-3 people with unnecessary surgery. I don’t know what the answer is. But a lot of people with rare or esoteric conditions end up having to research their own symptoms and order their own tests, then find a medical professional who will listen and take them seriously rather than gaslight or blame everything on obesity/stress/being a woman/etc ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/50 "2026-01-17T06:45:05Z")
My medical conditions are well documented in my encyclopedia sized chart. Occasionally a new NP will see me before the doc does and cannot scan as fast as they need to to get to some of the important things. As I don’t communicate well, it’s often a trying time. Then there’s the other doctors I go to that may not be filled in as well. I’ve had some close calls a couple times to now someone is always in there with me. God, I’m such a child. Sometimes I wonder why I’m still alive at all. I could’ve slipped away so easily today. Except, my alarm gave me away. And Ivy was with me at Dialysis this evening. There’s less staff here in the evening. Anyone else would’ve died. Was it good luck or bad? I wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/51 "2026-01-17T16:07:50Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > As I don’t communicate well, it’s often a trying time. I’m terrible at communicating with doctors also. Even when I try to prepare I don’t say half the stuff I meant to. I get very anxious at doctor’s appointments, usually have a little elevated blood pressure. Then I don’t want to make waves or be annoying or be too forceful, and well, I hate the whole process. My Aunt is always nagging me to be more assertive. She’s obsessed with educating people about menopause right now, and she does shit that I think is crazy, like treat prescription instructions as a suggestion and does pretty much whatever she thinks is best with her meds, which I personally find horrifying. But she does know how to advocate for herself. Also, you almost _died_? I’m sorry you went through that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/52 "2026-01-17T18:06:18Z")
It was a close thing. But I literally “almost" die several times a week. At this point. Ivy makes a notch everytime she drags me from the brink. Thanks for your concern. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/53 "2026-01-17T18:19:26Z")
Bring a written list of questions. Any good doctor will welcome your organization. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671/54 "2026-01-17T20:19:13Z")
My sister does this, and I’m thinking of starting to do it, too. It seems we always get off on one tangent and never get to one of the issues that’s bothering me the most. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-well-or-data-hunger-gone-crazy/1026671.md?page=2)