High Chemo Costs with Oncologist Dr. Mark Lewis | Knock Knock, Hi! with the Glaucomfleckens 

As someone who works in phase 1 oncology clinical trials here in Portland, OR, I HIGHLY appreciate this conversation. In phase 1, we work exclusively with patients who are sadly losing the battle to their cancer despite exhausting all other treatment options currently available, and their last option is to try a therapy that hasn't been tested in humans before. Though this is certainly scary and not something to take lightly, our patients frequently share with us that they feel a great sense of pride and peace knowing their decision is ultimately going to advance the field, expand our knowledge, and hopefully lead to a cure for cancer someday. They are truly an amazing, brave, and selfless group of individuals, and it makes me sad when people chalk up this incredibly challenging and noble experience as "testing on guinea pigs". Though it can be sad (and it is definitely is sometimes), it makes it all worth while when a therapy actually works. Where I work, our team has witnessed patients get back 10+ years of their lives when they didn't even have 10 months, and have the opportunity to experience their children's graduation, wedding, birth of their grandchildren, and more-- and that "experimental drug" they tested is now FDA approved and a commonly prescribed cancer treatment. All that said, I appreciate Dr. Lewis keeping it real with exorbitant prices. Just know your doctors and nurses ALSO think the prices are ridiculous and despise the insurance companies lol. Thank you Dr. Lewis for your work trying to change thr stigma behind clinical trials, because these patients are unsung heroes that truly change the world!

Mmmkay, your the first other people to say that you get sick when youre that tired!!!!! That is me too!! Can't tell you why, but you and your daughter are not alone ❤

I hit the like button when I get here, b/c I know it'll be good.

Dr. Lewis is amazing!! I feel lucky to know a doctor like him works in my local hospital

Thank you for talking about the drug costs. My multiple sclerosis patients are often prescribed some -mab drugs that are so helpful to them. I spent about three total hours one week with one patient and husband, who are not poor, on the phone with insurance; my first time navigating the Medicare donut hole. This patient's deductible was $35K, and her med (this med only) cost $2K per month. I muttered "that's more than my monthly take-home pay as an LPN". I felt so demoralized about that for days.

Also, it made my heart happy that you guys highlighted colon cancer awareness month. Our neuro clinic shares office space with GI, so i've been immersed in GI's challenges and patient stories. I also floated to surgery clinic one day, and the medical assistant mentioned that because COVID-times caused there to be a waiting list for screening and surveillance colonoscopies, the surgery clinic has been diagnosing more cancerous lesions during colonoscopies. I went home that day feeling heavy with the weight of the impact to our provision of healthcare. My grandfather died at 70 of colon cancer, and my friend at 25, from a rare form. I appreciate you guys highlighting the importance of screening, going to GI or primary with concerns, and highlighting the new age guidelines. I also appreciated your conversations about your own cancers, and how your patient experience influenced your perspective on delivering care.

Meanwhile Dr G rocking a long sleeve shirt. So much of gravitas 😅 Love the video as always. Keep it up

The morbidly curious part of me wants to know about the worst eye injuries you've personally seen or even heard about. I also want to know about the ENT department (for those who aren't aware, Ear, Nose, and Throat).

We're gonna need Kristen's ostrich pillow review!! They look stupidly comfortable...errr stupid and comfortable. 😅 FR tho, I've got joint hypermobility and value sleep on long plane rides, too. If that means looking like a bird, I'll cluck, squawk, and shake some tail feathers!

Thank you.

Forensic Pathologist PLEASE! I'm bracing myself to start med school in order to become one 🖤

Regarding your trip to Australia: Might I recommend not. only that you have the neck pillows, but also have dramamine in handy. Not only will that help with the nausea, but it also has a sedating effect.

I've been following Dr Lewis for some time now. He is one of my favorites. Terrific show. If anyone is facing a colonoscopy, consider doing it without anesthesia. I was in and out in an hour, and that included 20 min in the waiting room. I could drive myself home. It was absolutely fascinating. There was only one moment that was uncomfortable, but not really painful. I got to see my appendix! I was even complimented on my thorough cleansing. 😊

Oh almost forgot: 😴🚫 ➡ 🤢 Kirsten, about nausea and exhaustion!!! I happened to have learned from my general practitioner doctor about this thing, when I turned out to have had stomch ulcer!!!! Some of us people (an Mama Dr. Jones can surely tell you how our hormones can play into heartburn and nausea) have this thing, where lack of sleep or stress can lead to muscle tension and also to our stomach getting rather upset. It's a nervous stomach. And now my doctor taught me, that my stressed stomach (and whichever muscles and whatnot are involved) puts pressure on my spine and it made me dizzy and gave me nausea. I'm also prone to heartburn, so that doesn't help in staying out of that stress related cycle! I also have an AD(H)D brain and lack of sleep just seems to wreck my system in a particularly bad way if certain conditions apply, too. I get brain fog and my brain feels like it's stuck in deep sleep while stupid me tries to kickstart it nevertheless!! And when that happens, my musces tense up and I'm stressed, I get an upset stomach an again, that whole combination leads to nausea and can also easily escalate into migraine. It's then also expenentially worse and goes down faster if the "no or lacking sleep" happened to be in the days when the PMS kicked in. (I also have/had Endometriosis and inflammations and pains are really not helping to keep those back muscles relaxed. It's gotten a wold better now that I got my surgery for that) So, you're onto something. There are several connections. Since I'm not a doctor, I fear I'm not good at explaning them medically accurately. But the two of you together can probably figure out, whom of your friends and collegues to consult for details X'D

Wish I knew you were coming! I live in Adelaide now!

The medical system over there is so unbeliavably broken. Here in Finland our public health care is currently having a lot of problems with underfunding and understaffing (mainly in primary health care) but atleast here if you get cancer you don't have to think about the costs or insurance since 95-100% of the treatment is paid by tax money. I am afraid that our politicians might try to fix these problems by shifting some of the treatment to private sector which would likely increase costs to tax payers and patients.

I have EDS and would love to know Lady Glaucomflecken’s pillow reviews!

I so hope Kristen has been evaluated by a knowledgeable geneticist for a connective tissue disorder! I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and well understand hypermobility, pain, and support.

Awesome episode! This isn't a doctor's area of medical care, but if you get a chance, you should talk about respiratory therapists! Most people don't know what they do!

You should visit medical schools when you’re in Sydney! Got quite a fan base here!

51:39 That was just nuts.

I always get nauseous when I am low on sleep! Thought it was just me.

CAR -T has got to be up there with most expensive at about 1 million dollars for leukaemia

This the reason Breaking Bad happened, we are so lucky in the UK with the NHS , price doesn’t even come into it for us ❤

I get seriously nauseated when I’m sleep-deprived.

The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia offers a mega colon neck pillow. Just saying

Admit it. Dr Kristen secretly has several necks.

I like the new intro

Sorry, I couldn’t find the term for it but it is a real thing

I'm still waiting for the doc to tell us about his ICD and how it impacts his life. Then again, did he ever even bother to get one?

Hey, I need advice on where to buy scrubs, especially for a good deal. I’m recently started interning under a physical therapist. Thanks!

Lucky guy

Keytruda was 26 per Iv treatment for my aunt - 52k just for the drug. This is not sustainable

the conversation on costs is so insular, look at insulin prices in the US vs cost price-and look at Europe and Australia which ensure costs are fair and even. In the UK all prescriptions cost the same price, and are free for kids and elderly, as well as those with waivers

It is true that you are humanizing doctors. But you're also a way to learn about some stuff. I watch Knock Knock Hi because I want to know what kind of people become doctors, what they go through, how hard they have it, what they don't know, how they feel in the economic system that destroys healthcare. But I am also aware that I only see the kind of doctors who are interested to participate in your show so they're obviously less likely to be the kind of voluntarily negligent and cynical ones or the racist/sexist/homo/transphobic ones either. Interview Dr. Syl and Dr. Elliot.

I get really really sick when I'm hot

Who makes prosthetic testicles - and are they made to measure?

Kimmtrak = tebentafusp-tebn

Loving your podcasts. One criticism though for Kristen... This IS medical information and people listen because they want medical information. Not helpful if you try to shut down where the convo is going by saying... "that's enough". If you are that squeemish, maybe should have different co-host. I've seen you do that on other ones as well. Come on - toughen up.