Let's talk supplements you take & how much you spent?

[QuarterMillionMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "system" compensates a percentage to the doctors for certain prescription drugs the doctor prescribes (ie, anti-depressants, lipid lowering drugs, anti-diabetics, etc).

[myrdale]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "system" compensates a percentage to the doctors for certain prescription drugs the doctor prescribes (ie, anti-depressants, lipid lowering drugs, anti-diabetics, etc).

Exactly.

[myrdale]

You're spending too much time in TJ. It's rotting your brain.

It's not his brain I'd be worried about.

[ua_guy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "system" compensates a percentage to the doctors for certain prescription drugs the doctor prescribes (ie, anti-depressants, lipid lowering drugs, anti-diabetics, etc).

I don't recall visiting a doctor in my lifetime when recommendations and advice about diet/exercise and making intentional lifestyle changes haven't come first before prescribing medications, including anti-depressants.

What "system" are you referring to, specifically?

[QuarterMillionMan]

It's not his brain I'd be worried about.

I made an appt w/my Dr for Thursday to get tested. My body count is +300 and 95% protected. It's that 5% that worries me.

[myrdale]

I made an appt w/my Dr for Thursday to get tested. My body count is +300 and 95% protected. It's that 5% that worries me.

That is heck of impressive.

Assuming everything is good and clear, since we're on the topic of supplements, I'd suggest you talk to your doctor about Prep. The chance of transmission from F -> M is far lower than M -> F or M -> M, but it's not 0 for HIV. Definitely worth considering.

[myrdale]

It may also be worth talking to your doctor about the Gardasil vaccine. It is a three shot series over about 6 weeks to prevent HPV.

I'm making the wild assumption you're male in your late 40's or early 50's (or rather, you're specifically not a 15 year old girl) so your doctor is probably going to look at you funny. But assuming they check for HPV and you're currently negative and plan on continued TJ interludes, then it is worth stacking the deck in your favor when it comes to prevention.

For reference I took the series of vaccine at around 30 years old. My doctor thought it was sort of silly because "if you were going to get it, you would already have it" were her words. But I reminded her I wasn't married yet and who knows what my future girl friends or wife may have.

[disneysteve]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "system" compensates a percentage to the doctors for certain prescription drugs the doctor prescribes (ie, anti-depressants, lipid lowering drugs, anti-diabetics, etc).

This is absolutely wrong. Doctors do not get kick backs for prescribing certain medications. That would be illegal. In fact, 90% of prescriptions written in the US are for generic drugs which are the least costly options available.

[disneysteve]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "system" compensates a percentage to the doctors for certain prescription drugs the doctor prescribes (ie, anti-depressants, lipid lowering drugs, anti-diabetics, etc).

While doctors don't get kick backs for prescribing certain drugs, they may get incentives for meeting certain quality of care metrics, if that's what you were getting at. For example, getting a certain percentage of their diabetic patients to an A1c less than 7.0 might bump up their compensation if they work in a setting that is really focused on quality of care and evidence based medicine. But it doesn't matter how they get there. If they can do it with diet and exercise, they earn just as much as if they do it with OTC supplements or Rx medications. It's the results that matter, not the means.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Just recently I saw on TV maybe Dateline or 60 Minutes or one of those shows they said some doctors make an extra $20,000 a year from the big pharma for pushing certain drugs. It seemed unethical to me so maybe they were talking about something else. During COVID, I got the Hep A & Hep B series of 2 or 3 shots over a period of about 6 months (I forget). I'll look into the Gardasil vax. I may look into Prep as well. I remember ua_guy mentioned it in another thread but it didn't resonate with me at the time. It might have been in the Mpox thread which I did get that vax as well after the COVID outbreak. Since I'm on vaxes I also got the shingles vax as well. And come to think of it I never got the flu vax this year and I'm guessing the season is almost over so no use in getting it now.

[QuarterMillionMan]

My bad, I remember now it was on American Greed on CNBC where a doctor was working w/a pharma company to push its drugs and in the end the doctor was convicted and I think the pharma company too.

[myrdale]

It might have been in the Mpox thread which I did get that vax as well after the COVID outbreak.

For the general population, getting vaccinated against Monkey Pox probably doesn't make a lot of sense unless you're in a certain group of people.

For the lifestyle you've described I think I'd consider it. In the last year, I've only seen one person I thought may have had it. A girl working the counter at Chipotle. She had a black sore a good quarter inch in diameter on the outside edge of her upper lip that looked as close to any of the photos of it that I've seen. I kind of cringed but ordered my food anyway. She is also one of those with piercings all over her face, so maybe it was just one of those got infected bad.

It would be interesting to know what sort of testing these workers in TJ do. I've heard in Nevada they are tested on a monthly basis, and similarly for people who work in the film industry.

Do you "work" with the same group of "contractors" on a regular basis or is it different talent every time?

[QuarterMillionMan]

All good points and questions. In TJ (post 2018 for me) as well as Nevada (pre-2018 where I frequented often) , both establishments are regulated and legal so the contractors pay taxes and are tested regularly (I've seen their test results and license to work). On What's App, I have 50 chicas who would drop what they are doing to meet w/me. It can be their day off but would go to work for me. As for different talents or same talents, it depends. When you go to your fav restaurant do you like to order new things or get the same entree that you know will be satisfying or try something different that you could hate or love. Also, once they get to know and trust you they'll go the extra mile for you and get better treatment than meeting a new talent for the 1st time. A handful will give me the full GFE. I've also treated these to dinner at Vittorio's Italian restaurante getting lasagna, pizza, and sangrias or other places getting such as Azul (blue) restaurante or Senda Norte (North path) restaurant & cantina getting fajitas, burritos, cervezas, etc. And I'd pay them for their time away from the club ($75 - $100 extra). Bill Belichik & Robert Kraft both are doing wrong, if you ask me, lol.

[disneysteve]

Just recently I saw on TV maybe Dateline or 60 Minutes or one of those shows they said some doctors make an extra $20,000 a year from the big pharma for pushing certain drugs.

Pharma companies will hire doctors as speakers for their products, having them present at dinners or conferences to promote the products, so docs can earn money that way. I never got big into that but I have done some over the years. It was never tied to my actual prescribing habits, though I'm sure the companies look at prescribing data when deciding who to invite to join their speaker panel. You don't want a spokesperson who never uses your product.

[disneysteve]

My bad, I remember now it was on American Greed on CNBC where a doctor was working w/a pharma company to push its drugs and in the end the doctor was convicted and I think the pharma company too.

Sounds like illegal kickbacks were involved. As I said, that's not allowed.