[lenjan]

Interesting article from a doctor's point of view -- something to keep in mind before you see your next one!
bad information on the Net

[Perna]

All I got by putting too much trust in my doctor (I'd "never" been sick until my appendix burst at age 53 so had to trust the doctors as I didn't know anything) was nearly getting killed 2-3 times. I was the one who finally had to Google in self-defense and figure out how to fix what was wrong after being hospitalized for a week (which still didn't fix the problem!) and sick for 5 months. A $5,000 problem cost over $40,000 and instead of taking 3-5 days until I was better, took 5 months.

I'm wiser now than I was then. Too bad the various doctors don't appear to be/understand "why" we're Googling.

[lenjan]

I've had idiot doctors who almost killed me too, but I also know the danger of assuming the worst based on limited, and possibly incorrect, information. It would be nice if everything on the Internet were fact-checked and 100% true, but it isn't. If you are at all anxiety-prone (like me), you can work yourself into a tizzy over what turns out to be something minor.

[Perna]

So true. I don't do any looking until I at least have a clue what I have :-) I'm not thrilled with my current doctor because he's into throwing pharmaceutical-published brochures at me for chronic stuff I've had for a couple years, the simple-minded, instructional stuff (on asthma, blood pressure, thyroid, etc.) and seems to want to just prescribe meds, not look at alternate lifestyle, etc. I hate being pressured into meds when the medical establishment doesn't really know much about what causes the stuff I have (asthma, high blood pressure, low thyroid) and the medicines are all so "strong". I don't want to be like a lot of older people I've known who have medicines to help with the side effects of other medicines, etc. so they're taking 10-15 different pills several times a day.

[heyjoe]

I have gotten much more information on my neurological disease from the internet and searching medical sources on the internet than i ever got from any doctor. They dont bother to explain anything. I have searched for what tests i needed for my type of damage, as well as searching for a cause and searching for possible treatments, and things like vitamins that could help.

What i get from this article is a doctor who is embittered because with the revolution of information access is no longer treated like God.

I don't trust my doctors anymore.. I trust my own research.. more than the docs...... my dr.. allowing year after year of infections.. led to some serious problems... had to take matters into my own hands.. to find out what.. and still do not have the right treatment plan... grrrr...

[lenjan]

Yes, but you already knew what you had. My point (which no one seems to be getting) is that if you are prone to catastrophizing and you have yet to see a doctor, but have a few discrete symptoms (look it up, I spelled it right for my usage) that could be symptomatic of a number of things, you will drive yourself over the edge looking for stuff on the Internet.

Geeze. Sorry I brought it up.

sorry sweetie,,, I did misunderstand... my bad....

(((hugs))))