[Piraeus]

One thing that greatly disturbs me is armchair or internet doctors. This is people who have read lots of information about a certain diagnosis, and have basically diagnosed themselves. Real doctors hate this, because it interferes with treatment. Here is a link I found about a study being done.

Are You An Armchair Doctor? : Shots - Health News : NPR

Why do people do this? Other doctors dislike this. It's like a slap in the face for the mental health care system, or even the medical field as a whole.

[CANDC]

Piraeus, it's good day any day I wake up. I agree that people who respond to advertisements pushing certain symptoms or medications could be duped by promoters to believe they have something that a certain product promoted by a manufacturer can cure.
I find few cures of anything, but medication does help some people cope under difficult circumstances.
On the other hand, I do applaud those who take responsibility for their life and keep up on the latest reliable news like articles regularly published on PC and try to live the best they can to improve their quality of life.

[-jimi-]

The problem is, doctors are not machines, they make mistakes too. When I self diagnosed SJS (the "death rash") from taking Lamictal I stopped it. The emergency nurse whom I called to say I'm quitting it, told me I was imagining it and only the doc can decide if I should stop the med, said to keep taking it and booked me for an appointment two weeks later. Basically told me self diagnosis is total BS.

Then I had to go to ER and I was spiking a fever that almost fried my brain and my blood pressure was so low that they could not even measure it. I was watched carefully so I wouldn't take a turn for the worse. And yea, they did diagnose me with SJS and said I was so bad off that the next pill would have killed me. Said be careful never take this med again because one pill of it will send me into shock.

Thank you Internet!

[Perna]

My husband's and my doctor does not even really examine one anymore, we have blood and urine tests twice a year and other testing done "as needed" but any issue we raise in between, we are given a medication to try and see if it helps. "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning".

The big issue I see with medicine today is the importance of dialog. Yes, raise questions about what one reads on the internet -- I often take in medical/scientific papers to my appointments to have my doctor read them because they explain my view in a way I feel he might understand better. But I, too, like jimi have almost had unnecessary surgery/died because of doctors not able to see the whole picture, like I can do better, because it is my picture. I had to piece together information over 5 months of infection, multiple harmful medicines and hospitalizations and look on the internet to find a list of correct medications to try one of. Even the doctor willing to listen (two would not, one had made the problem worse such that I considered suing), my surgeon, said he'd try it but if it didn't work he was cutting again. It worked

[(JD)]

I don't think this is referring to the mental health system at all, but, to me, it's really needing to go after the Medication Labs and Manufacturers...telling people if they have this symptom to take this med (and disregard that you will get 10 other symptoms for taking it though.)

As for mental health support via the internet...ummm isn't that what we're all doing here at PC???

[Hellion]

The way I see it is If someone is concerned about their mental health, its likely they will wonder what is wrong and maybe even do a little of their own research...perhaps they become concerned they have that condition to the point they think its more than likely...so long as that person is not claiming they have been diagnosed and is willing to talk to a mental health professional about the concern I don't really see the harm. Also doctors aren't infallible either, so sometimes you do have to take their opinion with a grain of salt to, if you really feel a doctor was wrong getting a second opinion isn't an issue.

What I find insulting is the attitude its harmful to do anything other than remain entirely oblivious to the fact you might have a mental health condition, or worse you actually suspect a specific one . I mean people with mental health issues do have brains, we aren't stupid and can read about symptoms and realize if we are concerned about symptoms that match up for a disorder.

Two conditions I have I basically determined I had before getting it diagnosed...I suspected aspergers syndrome and PTSD at different times. Well now I have both diagnoses because doctors/mental health people diagnosed them. When I first tried to talk to a school counseler and get into therapy for my concerns of having PTSD I didn't get taken seriously at all so it got worse, and finally I was able to get it diagnosed.

So yeah I think proclaiming 'i have this disorder without a doubt' without having a diagnoses is a bit much...but I think it is very possible to experience symptoms and gather a pretty good idea of what you might be dealing with....I wouldn't see harm in telling a doctor 'I am concerned I have PTSD' if it turns out they are wrong I am sure that could be discussed but I don't see why a doctor should be insulted because someone got concerned and looked up some information about what they could be dealing with.

Do doctors get all up in arms about this sort of thing when it comes to physical stuff? or is it just us mental people who are supposed to be too stupid to have any comprehension or valid imput about anything?...like if someone has a lump somewhere and are concerned its cancerous so think they 'have cancer' only to find out its not cancerous and they can breathe easy, or they find out it is and have to plan how to treat that and cope with it.

Also I notice in the article it talks about diagnosing yourself and going and getting a medication/treatment that doesn't work. Wouldn't it be incompetency on the part of the doctor to just give someone a medication because they say 'I have (insert condition)' without any diagnoses....isn't it the doctors job to 'diagnose' before giving someone a medication or treatment plan? Also though, it is possible even if you have a condition that specific med is supposed to help...everyone is different so it still might not work even if it is the right diagnoses.

[-jimi-]

Self diagnosis is a spectrum (oh how I start hating the word... please provide me with another...).

If you have never self diagnosed that something at all is wrong, you don't even end up at the docs. Unless someone locks you up or similar.

That is the first step. While you wait for your appointment, it is just normal curiosity to try to see what it could be. Oftentimes it is quite important since many people with "just" anxiety fear they will be locked up because they heard stories...

Also...having an Internet community supporting you can be important, even before you get a DX, because you know you are not alone. Even if you didn't get the self DX 100 % right, you could meet people and see that... this exists... it has a name. It can be the push you need to dare going to a doc.

[Wysteria]

On the one hand, like others have pointed out, it is ultimately up to your doc to do the tests, listen to what is going on, give the exams and make recommendations and make diagnoses. It is also up to them to explain what the diagnosis means, how it can be treated and possible treatment options, medication options and possible interactions or side effects.

Internet gurus and pop psych bloggers and poor sources can not possibly go into all the variables that have to be considered. I have seen many very poorly written articles and so called experts referenced (even here) and the hurt and damage their words can do to people who are already suffering.
Just labeling someone is dangerous and hurtful. It has to be put into perspective which is what the therapists and doctors can do.

I was recommended to TMS treatment a while back. Tried it and although the doctor talked to me and made the call...the actual "treatments" were done by the "office mgr" or "receptionist" that had been "trained" by the equipment manufacturer. They had no medical training and when things went wrong, and they definitely did, I was the one that got hurt. Sounds ridiculous right? why would a doctor let the receptionist put electro/magnetic waves in someone's head??
His time was invaluable and the equip manufacturers knew they could not sell that to the docs.
Guess who answered all the research questions about the efficacy of the equipment?
Why the doctors who had shelled out the big bucks for these "wonder" machines that would treat depression. The patients who had been told what magnificent results they would get.... Everyone makes big money off this treatment and the results are all coming from those who benefit monetarily...just like the big drug companies.

Ok..off the soapbox. Sorry. Just sooo much room for so much harm. But also when used with a lot of skepticism, good sources and in conjunction with sound medical advice, common sense...well, the benefits of being informed is invaluable.

Just some things to consider in the discussion...

Wysteria

[Ripose]

I am an intelligent person with the ability to figure out what may or may not be wrong with me both mentally and physically. Part of intelligence is not diagnosing myself to the point that I think I know what medication I will use. Not only is the Internet full of quacks selling crap meds but there are no safety checks when getting your own meds.

Let a shrink prescribe your original meds but don't be afraid to speak up about both your diagnosis and treatment. I was prescribed meds that have major interactions with both my COPD and my other medications. Some of the side effects of combining the wrong things are disability & death. Yet none of my doctors even mentioned it. Why? Because they either did not know or did not even bother to check.

Actually the pharmacist never caught them either - 3 out of 3 times.

Don't blindly trust doctors, therapists, pharmacists or support staff. They are just people and like most people they are often wrong! Do your own research, taking into account both reliable websites and anecdotal evidence.

It is your life.

[-jimi-]

I can see where things go wrong both ways. I have an old time Internet friend who doesn't self DX but has some kind of nutty drug pusher as a doc. Friend can walk in and ask for anything and I mean anything and get it. Currently on 21 different meds (at the same time).

I had a doc that was quite the opposite, getting a med change was like sucking blood from a rock. The only meds she wanted to give me were new "cool" ones to try n me. It took me years for me to put my foot down and ask and actually get a med that had good reviews for my issue and should been tried long before offlabel stuffs. She was just the type that knew it all and the patient can't know anything. I finally got the med I wanted and got so much better! She was simply unwilling to help I have realized.

After her I had a med mastermind, he could almost just look at you and understand your issues and get you the right med! But those are so rare.

[ifst5]

As with most things in life it's about being skeptical - of both your own proposals and those of others. How would things progress otherwise? It's when someone's heartfelt honesty is tossed aside that i get particularly wound up. Professionals can be intimidating. It can take a lot of guts to involve yourself with one full stop. So i don't appreciate an arrogant or a conversely blasé attitude. I'm not a condition in a book, i'm a a living being. My fear, anxiety, confusion etc. CAN'T be ignored. Guess i just like Doctors who like being Doctors.

In terms of online research/prep - go for the peer reviewed articles, saves time. But yeah, be level headed. Medicine is ever changing.

[Fuzzybear]