Will I be wasting my own and the GP's time?

[ColinJ]

Rule #2.14.1a: Never ask for medical advice on an Internet forum.

That is potentially dangerous advice - if followed, it eliminates a potentially life-saving resource useful when the official medical advice is poor!

An example: a neighbour's suddenly very sick child. Doctor's medical advice was - take child home, he will be ok, paracetamol, phone next day if things don't improve. It seemed to be more serious than that so the parents queried the advice. No, doc knows best, don't question it! They went home, and asked for Internet forum advice - forum members suggested the possibility of septicaemia. Take child to A&E ASAP! They decided to play safe and went to the hospital. On the way the child's skin started to develop dark red blotches, he became delirious and vomited. It turned out to be rapidly-developing septicaemia. The child's life was saved by massive doses of antibiotics. He would probably have died if the parents had taken the doctor's advice and waited 24 hours rather than listening to the wisdom of the crowd.

My pulmonary embolism was misdiagnosed by a GP as being just a nasty chest infection. My sister looked for advice on an Internet forum and found numerous people suggesting that it might actually be a pulmonary embolism. I told her not to be silly - don't ask for medical advice on the Internet, doc knows best - yada yada! I carried on fighting my non-existent chest infection for weeks and almost died. One reason why I bore you all with Internet forum advice on the subject!

I watched a programme on iPlayer last night which included the case of a man who'd had a miserable time for over 20 years with lethargy and sleep problems. A host of doctors had fobbed him off for those 2 decades until the TV doctor finally found out what the problem was and sorted it out. I have just done a search and within 10 minutes found people suggesting the solution online. (He had a genetic problem which meant he needed big doses of vitamin B12 and folic acid. Easily found Internet advice, but in his case almost impossible-to-find advice through his local NHS!) GPs only have a few minutes per appointment so they are going to struggle with problems that would take a lot of medical detective work to get to the root of, but which don't appear serious enough to send patients to specialists about.

I have had medical advice which I know to be wrong, and sometimes dangerously wrong. I have found that doctors generally do not like having their authority questioned. I suppose there is the option to ask for a second opinion but I don't think patients would get much joy from their local health centres if they were to make a habit of doing that and the NHS would come to a standstill even more rapidly than it is apparently doing now

I can see why doctors get annoyed at people turning up with a printout of Google search results but it doesn't hurt to read about a subject and learn what you can about it. I ended up telling my doctors where to find interesting research papers on clotting disorders. Use your intelligence - consult doctors where necessary and don't rely on Internet advice or information, but find out what you can by any means necessary.

 

[Alan O]

That is potentially dangerous advice - if followed, it eliminates a potentially life-saving resource useful when the official medical advice is poor!

An example: a neighbour's suddenly very sick child. Doctor's medical advice was - take child home, he will be ok, paracetamol, phone next day if things don't improve. It seemed to be more serious than that so the parents queried the advice. No, doc knows best, don't question it! They went home, and asked for Internet forum advice - forum members suggested the possibility of septicaemia. Take child to A&E ASAP! They decided to play safe and went to the hospital. On the way the child's skin started to develop dark red blotches, he became delirious and vomited. It turned out to be rapidly-developing septicaemia. The child's life was saved by massive doses of antibiotics. He would probably have died if the parents had taken the doctor's advice and waited 24 hours rather than listening to the wisdom of the crowd.

My pulmonary embolism was misdiagnosed by a GP as being just a nasty chest infection. My sister looked for advice on an Internet forum and found numerous people suggesting that it might actually be a pulmonary embolism. I told her not to be silly - don't ask for medical advice on the Internet, doc knows best - yada yada! I carried on fighting my non-existent chest infection for weeks and almost died. One reason why I bore you all with Internet forum advice on the subject!

I watched a programme on iPlayer last night which included the case of a man who'd had a miserable time for over 20 years with lethargy and sleep problems. A host of doctors had fobbed him off for those 2 decades until the TV doctor finally found out what the problem was and sorted it out. I have just done a search and within 10 minutes found people suggesting the solution online. (He had a genetic problem which meant he needed big doses of vitamin B12 and folic acid. Easily found Internet advice, but in his case almost impossible-to-find advice through his local NHS!) GPs only have a few minutes per appointment so they are going to struggle with problems that would take a lot of medical detective work to get to the root of, but which don't appear serious enough to send patients to specialists about.

I have had medical advice which I know to be wrong, and sometimes dangerously wrong. I have found that doctors generally do not like having their authority questioned. I suppose there is the option to ask for a second opinion but I don't think patients would get much joy from their local health centres if they were to make a habit of doing that and the NHS would come to a standstill even more rapidly than it is apparently doing now

I can see why doctors get annoyed at people turning up with a printout of Google search results but it doesn't hurt to read about a subject and learn what you can about it. I ended up telling my doctors where to find interesting research papers on clotting disorders. Use your intelligence - consult doctors where necessary and don't rely on Internet advice or information, but find out what you can by any means necessary.

You do make some good points there. But at the same time, it's equally possible to rely on forum advice and try to self-medicate and end up dying rather than seeking proper medical help (I actually know someone who did that).

And I really just mean don't use the internet (especially forums) as an alternative to proper medial diagnosis in the first place. Sure, seek alternative ideas and opinions if you're not happy with the medical treatment you're getting, but if it's ever "I think there might be something wrong, shall I go to the doc?" the answer should always just be "Yes".

Perhaps I should rephrase my suggestion as "Never seek medical diagnosis on an Internet forum".

 

[ColinJ]

Perhaps I should rephrase my suggestion as "Never seek medical diagnosis on an Internet forum".

Even I wouldn't argue with that advice!

 

[classic33]

You do make some good points there. But at the same time, it's equally possible to rely on forum advice and try to self-medicate and end up dying rather than seeking proper medical help (I actually know someone who did that).

And I really just mean don't use the internet (especially forums) as an alternative to proper medial diagnosis in the first place. Sure, seek alternative ideas and opinions if you're not happy with the medical treatment you're getting, but if it's ever "I think there might be something wrong, shall I go to the doc?" the answer should always just be "Yes".

Perhaps I should rephrase my suggestion as "Never seek medical diagnosis on an Internet forum".

I broke that the other week, unable to get into a doctors, plus it might be nothing after all. Wasting their time on/over something that could be dealt with at home.

I put "yellow fluid from the nose", it brought up a few similar worded results.

 

[postman]

I know it's a bit late,but i would like to wade in here.My sil went to her GP.She is not one for bothering the Doctor.It seems in 34 years of serving in the RAF she only had five weeks sick.
So she goes with an eye problem.oh it's just hay fever it's this time of year.Not even examined.So she takes the medicine it gets worse,she goes back.A foreign body ie garden leaf or bit of wood,i cannot remember.is found.But the trouble does not stop.Back again,this time Doctor tells her she is over reacting and give it time.So off she goes.Now pain starts, vision affected and not good when you are dealing with aircraft on a computer screen,this is not the RAF but a private company contracted to do work.So now she refuses to see the Doctor who it seems has form for in and out as quickly as possible.She demands but has to wait to see a more senior Doctor at the practice.Soon as she is seen off to the Hospital where an eye Doctor confirms DRY EYE and treatment could take up to six months and full recovery is not guaranteed. So much for the first Doctor.