Go see a Doctor - Just a thought

_Zardoz_
_Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
If you have what could be a medical problem how about going to see the appropriate medical professional. Would you ask a random stranger in the street for medical advice? So why do people ask that of people on the Internet? Doctors spend a lot of time training so let them use all those years of training. Just a thought

Replies

  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    Agree. I have it all figured out though. As with many questions on MFP forums, people ask their question, anticipating a certain answer and getting violently upset when people disagree with them.

    Examples:

    "My hands and feet used to go to sleep when I ran too. It's nothing."

    "I lost 200 pounds in 12m months and nothing bad happened to me."

    "I do a cleanse every month and it always works for me!"

    You see? Why ask a doctor, when people on an internet forum will tell you not to worry. Then, just stick your head back in the sand and all is well.

    :laugh: sarcasm font disengaged :wink:
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    I feel the exact same way. People on the internet don't know other peoples' medical histories and can't properly advise one way or another. If the primary doctor can't help then he or she should be able to give referrals to more qualified personnel. I know some people have issues with doctors but I sure as hell wouldn't retain my doctor if she wasn't helping me.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
    If you didn't want to look at that lump on my *kitten*, all you had to do was say so.
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    What? Professional medical advice? From a professional who actually studied medicine for several years instead of a wikipedia-learned neckbeard living in his mama's basement? Why would I want that? The doctor costs money, but advice on the internet is FREE!

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-21751-1377620562-25.gif

    (tongue planted firmly in cheek)
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Agreed. It puzzles me why these people aren't calling a doctor, but rather are posting online looking for help. If they live in the USA, any hospital emergency room must see them, regardless of their inability to pay, and can not discriminate against race, religion, economical statuses and so on.
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
    If you live in the UK it's all free!! Although we have bodyguards (receptionist's) guarding the appointment book. :)
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    This is chronic on another forum I read. People pose some alarming question on the forum ("My ears are bleeding, any tips?" "I'm seeing double and can't feel my hands--has this ever happened to you?") rather than doing the sensible thing and getting professional help. I actually get even madder at people who post urgent problems with their pets. For god's sake, get off the internet and take your pet to the vet.
  • pandabear_
    pandabear_ Posts: 487 Member
    If it's not so serious, maybe they just want some quick reassurance that it's a normal thing that every one gets.
    If you live in the UK it's all free!! Although we have bodyguards (receptionist's) guarding the appointment book. :)

    Exactly!
  • Cryptonomnomicon
    Cryptonomnomicon Posts: 848 Member
    If you didn't want to look at that lump on my *kitten*, all you had to do was say so.
    0QNNPTt.gif
  • nelinelineli
    nelinelineli Posts: 330 Member
    Tell that to people that have insurance. Doctors = money I don't have.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    If you live in the UK it's all free!! Although we have bodyguards (receptionist's) guarding the appointment book. :)

    You forgot that the bodyguards are fully medically trained so they are the perfect people to tell you whether you actually need to see the doctor faster than sometime in the next 3 months.......not lol
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
    If you live in the UK it's all free!! Although we have bodyguards (receptionist's) guarding the appointment book. :)

    You forgot that the bodyguards are fully medically trained so they are the perfect people to tell you whether you actually need to see the doctor faster than sometime in the next 3 months.......not lol

    I rang up to get a home appointment for my Gran who was dying of cancer after asking the receptionist she ask if it was an emergency and couldn't we bring my gran to the sugery next week.
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    This is chronic on another forum I read. People pose some alarming question on the forum ("My ears are bleeding, any tips?" "I'm seeing double and can't feel my hands--has this ever happened to you?") rather than doing the sensible thing and getting professional help. I actually get even madder at people who post urgent problems with their pets. For god's sake, get off the internet and take your pet to the vet.

    "I broke a mirror and my dog ate some of the shards of glass--will he be ok?"

    (ETA: How does that even happen?)

    Legitimate question I saw on the internet once. I wanted to jump through my wifi and smack that person silly, then bring their poor animal to the vet for them. :noway:
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    The issue is, the ER doesn't always diagnose what's wrong. If I had gone to the ER (because they "can't turn me away") for my ankle pain, they would have stabilized it, probably given me some crutches, and told me to make an appointment with an orthopedic. Then what should I do? What if I can't afford that orthopedic trip? The x-rays, the MRIs, etc. That stuff adds up in a hurry. Heck, we had to pay almost $500 out of pocket for me to get a cortisone shot in my knee. And you know what I did before getting that shot? I talked to other runners here, described the pain, and they said "sound like IT band syndrome. Foam roll, ice, rest." You know what the doctor said when I finally went? It's IT band syndrome, keep resting, foam rolling, and icing, and here's a cortisone shot to help it along.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    If you didn't want to look at that lump on my *kitten*, all you had to do was say so.
    0QNNPTt.gif

    Lies.
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    This is chronic on another forum I read. People pose some alarming question on the forum ("My ears are bleeding, any tips?" "I'm seeing double and can't feel my hands--has this ever happened to you?") rather than doing the sensible thing and getting professional help. I actually get even madder at people who post urgent problems with their pets. For god's sake, get off the internet and take your pet to the vet.

    "I broke a mirror and my dog ate some of the shards of glass--will he be ok?"

    (ETA: How does that even happen?)

    Legitimate question I saw on the internet once. I wanted to jump through my wifi and smack that person silly, then bring their poor animal to the vet for them. :noway:

    ??!!? I just can't with that level of idiocy. I would call Puppy Protective Services!
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Who needs a doctor when you have 22-year old practitioners on the internet?
  • aarnwine2013
    aarnwine2013 Posts: 317 Member
    The issue is, the ER doesn't always diagnose what's wrong. If I had gone to the ER (because they "can't turn me away") for my ankle pain, they would have stabilized it, probably given me some crutches, and told me to make an appointment with an orthopedic. Then what should I do? What if I can't afford that orthopedic trip? The x-rays, the MRIs, etc. That stuff adds up in a hurry. Heck, we had to pay almost $500 out of pocket for me to get a cortisone shot in my knee. And you know what I did before getting that shot? I talked to other runners here, described the pain, and they said "sound like IT band syndrome. Foam roll, ice, rest." You know what the doctor said when I finally went? It's IT band syndrome, keep resting, foam rolling, and icing, and here's a cortisone shot to help it along.

    I got answers from here when I had heel pain. Now I'm pain free. I do agree that with serious issues you should see a dr.

    I didn't ask about my shortness of breath, chest pain and swelling on here because clearly I needed to see the doctor. Which I did. He couldn't really tell me for certain what it was either. All my test were fine. He decided I had pushed myself too hard.

    Doctors don't always know and yes, I do recommend anyone having medical problems to go to the doctor, but sometimes people here have pretty good advice.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    Tell that to people that have insurance. Doctors = money I don't have.

    I understand that and I've been there. However, if you're truly having a medical problem it's worth it to go to a doctor. It could be something very serious that will only get worse (and more expensive in the end) without treatment.
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    The issue is, the ER doesn't always diagnose what's wrong. If I had gone to the ER (because they "can't turn me away") for my ankle pain, they would have stabilized it, probably given me some crutches, and told me to make an appointment with an orthopedic. Then what should I do? What if I can't afford that orthopedic trip? The x-rays, the MRIs, etc. That stuff adds up in a hurry. Heck, we had to pay almost $500 out of pocket for me to get a cortisone shot in my knee. And you know what I did before getting that shot? I talked to other runners here, described the pain, and they said "sound like IT band syndrome. Foam roll, ice, rest." You know what the doctor said when I finally went? It's IT band syndrome, keep resting, foam rolling, and icing, and here's a cortisone shot to help it along.

    For me, my bewilderment with those who come online to get medical advice has mostly to do with obvious emergency situations. But I think that not going to the doctor can make things worse in some cases, and people end up spending more money and have more downtime. It's not to say, either, that internet advice is always wrong. As you describe, that's not so. I didn't have health insurance for years, and it was supremely difficult. But there are certain situations where putting off professional care because someone on the internet gives you possibly wrong advice is not a great idea.
  • fayetinii
    fayetinii Posts: 17 Member
    If I went to the Dr as many times as I google any health problems I might have, he would have me locked me up! lol Google issue> Accept I'm about to die> Get better within a couple of day > Repeat cycle next time I have sometime random like a tingly toe
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Oh I agree on emergencies. I'm just talking about joint pain, muscle pain, etc. A lot of time other athletes (notice "athletes"...in other words pay attention to who you get advice from on here) will have experienced the same thing. I think that's especially true for runners, where the general treatment is stretch, rest, and ice. If I fall down the stairs and have a bone sticking out of my leg, of course I'm going to the doctor.
  • Derp_Diggler
    Derp_Diggler Posts: 1,456 Member
    My criteria is simple - Do I value the body part in question more than the money it would cost to have it diagnosed by a medical professional?

    I still have seven toes, and an Xbox360. Win/win.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    If you have what could be a medical problem how about going to see the appropriate medical professional. Would you ask a random stranger in the street for medical advice? So why do people ask that of people on the Internet? Doctors spend a lot of time training so let them use all those years of training. Just a thought

    Because people need reassurance.
    Nothing wrong with that :wink:
    A basic human need to reach out to someone, something when there might be something worrisome going on.
    It's a thing :laugh:
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
    Because our health care system is completely messed up and going to the doctor costs a lot of money even if you have health insurance. And you go to the doctor and they are going to order x-rays, lab tests all kinds of other tests that can think of "as a precaution" only to find out nothing is wrong. Then they will push some kind of meds that you don't need or physical therapy that won't do a thing either.

    So if I can come here and explain what's going on with me in the hopes that someone else has gone through it too and find out it's minor and save myself a trip to the doc, I will. But I will only come here after I have consulted Dr. Google first.
  • THECaptainObvious
    THECaptainObvious Posts: 399 Member
    I've said it before I'll say it again... I'm not a urologist/gynecologist but I'm willing to take a look... I SERIOUSLY want that shirt!! LOL
    If your doctor is hot you don't want him to know your medical issues... JUST IN CASE he decides his wife isn't the woman for him..........
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
    My criteria is simple - Do I value the body part in question more than the money it would cost to have it diagnosed by a medical professional?

    I still have seven toes, and an Xbox360. Win/win.

    Solid words to live by. Will you be my medical professional?

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