Doctors are regular people, just like the rest of us. They put their pants on one leg at a time, and they go through the same thought processes that we all do. They have good and bad days, and sometimes, they wish they could just open their mouths and let their patients know what they really think about health, lifestyle choices and your incessant whining. Reader’s Digest compiled a comprehensive, telling and hilarious list of quotes from the likes of general practitioners, surgeons, shrinks, pediatricians, and other specialists, and their honesty and bluntness is refreshing. You may see your patient self reflected in some of the following accounts, but don’t feel bad. Now you know what your doctor is probably thinking and you can use what follows as a tool to create a better doctor/patient relationship.

Doctors Say: Impatience is Our Virtue

Although a doctor is supposed to be endlessly patient, listening as we prattle on about our list of suspected ailments, what they are doing inside is mentally tapping their foot and rolling their eyes. Some secrets doctors around the country shared:

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Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a two-part series on the controversy surrounding health insurance for same-sex marriage partners.  You can find part 1 here.

Let’s assume that the Defense of Marriage Act (DMA) eventually gets repealed. States that don’t support gay marriage aren’t allowed to deny that other states do? Would this then open up the forum for the Federal Government to acknowledge same-sex marriages? It seems that for Obama to agree with what this appeals court in California is bringing up, the Defense of Marriage Act would have to be repealed. We’re talking about health benefits for federal employees and their partners — and it seems that same-sex partners of federal employees won’t be seeing health benefits any time soon unless the DMA is axed.

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Birth control is something that all women who are sexually active and aren’t ready for children need to be thinking about. It doesn’t matter if you are already a mom of three and don’t want any more little ones running around, or if you are a young woman getting serious with your first serious boyfriend: learning about birth control options is incredibly important. All effect a woman’s body and work differently than one another, and knowing what you are putting into your body is crucial as any other information you can educate yourself with. If you are unsure about what type of birth control you want to be on and want to know the ins and outs of all your choices, please read on and educate yourself. I am no doctor, and every assertion made here should be thoroughly discussed with your doctor before starting a birth control regimen, but I at least aim to give you a starting off point to help you in making a decision.

The Pill

How exactly does the pill work? Birth control pills work mostly by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg by the ovaries). Most pills are made of two hormones called estrogen and progestin. Estrogen is a female hormone produced by the ovaries and progestin is a synthetic progesterone used as a contraceptive. For the pill to work, you have to take it every day, preferably as close to the same time every day as possible. As with any medication you take, there are risks of side effects. These could include: nausea, headaches, acne, increased blood pressure, breast tenderness, bloating, weight gain and depression. These side effects will definitely not occur in every woman, and nowadays there are varying types of birth control pills and different hormone levels, so talk to your doctor about which one might work best for you. If you are a smoker and want to take the pill, quitting is highly advised, as smoking can interfere with the pill’s effectiveness.

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