Have you ever ignored medical advice?

[vickster]

No, was referred to. I had no idea that their methods/thinking were not used in other countries.

Is this the cardiologist? If it’s your heart, I’d not ignore but seek a further opinion

 

[Profpointy]

I had an infected gum near my newly erupting molar tooth in my mid twenties. The advised going to the dental hospital to have the outermost pair pulled out. Anyhow, for some reason or other I had to cancel the appointment, and as they had stopped hurting and the infection had cleared, I held off rebooking. I still have all my molars nearly 40 years later

 

[yello]

Is this the cardiologist? If it’s your heart, I’d not ignore but seek a further opinion

No, not the cardiologist. I'd forgotten about him! I got a 2nd opinion there, and all was good - is good. Though it is a interesting question (thank you) and I do now wonder if that experience lurked in the back of my mind when consider the recent advice (from a dentist btw)

 

[PK99]

That is, from a medical professional? I don't mean listened to and started to implement, only to fall back into old habits (as we are all prone to do) I mean listened to, understood and digested - and thought no, not going to.

I find myself in that postion (details unimportant) and it's a little unsettling tbh. Of course, one is entirely at liberty to make ones own decisions etc but deliberately disregarding the advice of a trained professional is new ground for me. Am I saying i know better than someone who knows infinitely more on the subject? Someone who has spent years training and in pratice.

If you've done it, how did you manage (justify even) your decision?

From this and your subsequent posts, it seems to me you are not talking about ignoring, but instead considering carefully and then a combination of taking a different view and not trusting the competence of the medic.

That's rather different.

 

[yello]

I had an infected gum near my newly erupting molar tooth in my mid twenties. The advised going to the dental hospital to have the outermost pair pulled out. Anyhow, for some reason or other I had to cancel the appointment, and as they had stopped hurting and the infection had cleared, I held off rebooking. I still have all my molars nearly 40 years later

Well, there's a coincidence! My decision was over wisdom teeth removal.

 

[yello]

I'll make a seperate post here because I don't want to attach this to a reply...

I'm happy with my decision. As I said earlier, my post wasn't about me and my situation - the details of which are irrelevant. I was interested in knowing if people have experience of ignoring medical advice and how/why they decided to do that.

 

[classic33]

Aye, posted on here asking about it, but on the day I was seen, I declined to go any further. Telling him he'd wasted my time and his, something he wasn't pleased to hear.

He'd need better answers than what he was willing to give before I'd consider it. Even as a last ditch attempt.

 

[yello]

From this and your subsequent posts, it seems to me you are not talking about ignoring, but instead considering carefully and then a combination of taking a different view and not trusting the competence of the medic.

I see your point. I actually chose the word 'ignore' deliberately because I wanted to cut to the chase, the bottom line as it were. But on reflection, it was perhaps both a little harsh and probably misleading. You are right, it was a considered decision taken after further research and reflection. I have no doubts about their competence, and have received nothing but top notch service so far. I just happen to disagree with the need for the next step that they have advised.

 

[HLaB]

That is, from a medical professional? I don't mean listened to and started to implement, only to fall back into old habits (as we are all prone to do) I mean listened to, understood and digested - and thought no, not going to.

I find myself in that postion (details unimportant) and it's a little unsettling tbh. Of course, one is entirely at liberty to make ones own decisions etc but deliberately disregarding the advice of a trained professional is new ground for me. Am I saying i know better than someone who knows infinitely more on the subject? Someone who has spent years training and in pratice.

If you've done it, how did you manage (justify even) your decision?

I got conflicting medical advice before my chemo; I'm glad I ignored the nurses advice (I think they basically see the outcomes of all chemo on all people and have a general do nothing to risk things) and listened to my oncologist who gave me advice specific to my chemo drugs and me (basically be active/ do something)

 

[yello]

I have no problems with it, sometimes a very occasional sore prostate but fear, fear of having to go through all that again

Feel free to ignore my questions, I don't want to be insensitive or cause further pain, or cross the line.

Do you ever feel the need to revisit your decision? (if indeed you have firmly decided not to undergo another procedure) Obviously, if the conversation with the doc had never happened then you would have continued on in a state of not knowing, but them having planted the notion of the 15 year replacement changed things. Are you completely chilled about it (and after 45 years, I kinda guess you must be!) or do you have occasional 'maybe I ought' thoughts?

 

[presta]

I've been given contradictory advice about my heart by different doctors, then blamed for not following it, does that count? When I objected, I was told that engineers are all neurotics who can't cope with conflicting information.

30 odd years ago I had an operation to remove a growth from my ear caused by swimming, then a year later I was offered another operation to remove more. I was interested to know whether it was residue not removed first time, in which case the sooner I have it removed the sooner I'm rid of it, or had it grown back again, in which case I didn't see the point in having repeat operations more often than necessary (and it wasn't bothering me at that point). The doctor didn't answer my question, so I decided to wait and see, and I'm still waiting.

Am I saying i know better than someone who knows infinitely more on the subject?

No, not necessarily. If there are disadvantages to both options, only you can decide which disadvantage is more important to you.

Many ignore their doctors advice about eating drinking & smoking less, are they arrogant, stupid, or just making a choice they're free to make?

I've got up and walked out of TAU before.

I'd be a lot better off now if I'd done that 3 years ago.

Is this the cardiologist? If it’s your heart, I’d not ignore but seek a further opinion

My experience of asking for second opinions is that they've already been briefed on what opinion's required before you walk in the door, unless it's private, in which case they just tell you to go and ask the NHS.

I had an infected gum near my newly erupting molar tooth in my mid twenties. The advised going to the dental hospital to have the outermost pair pulled out. Anyhow, for some reason or other I had to cancel the appointment, and as they had stopped hurting and the infection had cleared, I held off rebooking. I still have all my molars nearly 40 years later

My father was told he needed false teeth. When he died several decades later all his teeth were still his own.

 

[yello]

Many ignore their doctors advice about eating drinking & smoking less, are they arrogant, stupid, or just making a choice they're free to make?

Come think of it, doctors will ignore their own advice on such topics! Of course, we're all at liberty to make choices - and there'll always be someone that'd consider them arrogant and/or stupid choices. That's the beauty of choice I guess. It's a personal take on something, the freedom to make a 'stupid' decision. So I suppose, to address the question, a decision can be both - both freedom of choice AND stupid (in someone else's eyes)

 

[vickster]

My experience of asking for second opinions is that they've already been briefed on what opinion's required before you walk in the door, unless it's private, in which case they just tell you to go and ask the NHS

In France? Where the OP resides?

 

[CXRAndy]

I was on long term drugs. After repeated annual tests I was told my kidney function was declining and was now worthy of investigation.

I stopped my medication after some research. The follow up tests resulted in normal kidney function.

Gps aren't interested really. They get fees for conducting annual, regular testing, but dont really give a monkey about the patent these days

I pay for my own private testing

 

[yello]

I stopped my medication after some research

That's brave of you, you must have found some pretty convincing studies/research.

Your situation is exactly what I was interested in when I started this thread. I'm interested in the motivation to take matters into your own hands, reasons for any distrust you might have in what you've been told and how you handle the fact that you are going against learned advice.