Do you TRUST doctors, or are they just "educated guessers"?

Question

Do you think that intelligent, rational people can self-diagnose?
Have you ever done it?

I feel like doctors all bring their own baggage to the table (especially therapists and psychologists) and that sometimes this gets in the way of correctly diagnosing a condition.

Ever have any experience like this???

Answer 1

I think 90% doctors aren't really listening to their patients. They assume they know what the problem is and you know what they say about assuming. They tend to get too self-assured and think they are impervious to mistakes.

I have Multiple Sclerosis and it took 2 Neurosurgeons and 2 Neurologists 3 years to diagnose me. The Neurosurgeons wanted to chalk my symptoms up to my 3 herniated disks and 1 one of the Neurologists wants to tell me it was “all in my head”. My confidence in doctors has been completely shaken. Especially when 10 years later I fell victim to another medical problem and it took 2 Gastroenterologists and a year to diagnose me. The first one removed my appendix and then said I might have Crohns Disease. The 2nd diagnosed me with severe IBS and put me on the necessary prescriptions and I’ve made great progress.

Sometimes you can do your own research on the internet and find out if your doctor is leading you in the wrong direction and get a 2nd opinion. Doctors aren't always right, they can and do make mistakes all the time!

Answer 2

Yes. I agree that the field of psychiatry especially is plauged by this problem and even though some doctors care about their patients and try to use medications effectively and only when needed, there is a large proportion who are doping people to the gills because they have their own agendas, lack the time to properly assess patients and are happy to get the rewards the pharmaceutical rep is offering to them for prescribing a new drug. I also think doctors tend to give better care and less serious diagnosis to clients they agree with on political, religous or social issues and who have better economic standing.

Much of psychiatry and the definition of mental illness itself is subjective to social norms and the doctors own opinions and there is no objective record (like a voice recording) of what is actually said between the one on one session of a patient and therapist. If the therapist misunderstands, doesnt like a client, just isn't paying attention, or confuses them with another case, they still record their perceptions in a patients medical history. The next physican uses this information to assesss the patient and can be misled if it's not very accurate. There really isn't any check on this system except for the patient themselves and if they are a mental health client, they may have a harder time being taken seriously or getting appropriate treatment if they have been misdiagnosed.

Answer 3

It is authorized in the event that they permit men and women to get that as a specialised plate, but when it turns into the ordinary plate for every body who sign in a car, then 'the state' is enforcing faith at the men and women and it might be a contravention of the Establishment Clause within the 1st Amendment. I do not consider this certain hassle has been raised, however it is good based that the state can not impose any faith at the men and women; by means of forcing "In God We Trust" at the state-issued license, the state is doing simply that. If the state govt passes this type of legislation, it could actually and most often will likely be contested and the state will likely be sued in Federal Court for that very violation; there is no such thing as a gift US Supreme Court opinion I can discover at the topic. The US Constitution is the legislation of the land and at any time when there's a state legislation that conflicts with it, the Constitution supersedes the state legislation.

Answer 4

I think Western medicine is too narrow, they seem to focus on only treating a disease, but miss all the other connection from body and mind relationship and how emotional things can cause physical symptoms that Eastern medicine recognizes. Western also driven by the AMA (a group that was only set up as doctor’s agent and no dictate policy and procedure) and the pharmaceutical companies, unlike Eastern Medicine which realized the value of herbs, some even ancient herbs and other proven types of procedures.

Answer 5

I think to a certain extent, you HAVE to trust doctors. Especially when you're really ill, you don't have a choice.

I had an incident a few years ago when I was misdiagnosed by 4 different doctors. I was in pain, couldn't walk, was hallucinating and passing blood and they diagnosed me with an acute urinary tract infection. Turned out I had a burst appendix and that it had been burst for about a week before they operated. I was lucky not to have blood poisoning. My symptoms weren't' typical that's why they got it wrong.

So although I think you have to trust doctors, they are human and do make mistakes.

Answer 6

What do you mean by "trust"? Trust their intentions or trust their ability? If I didn't trust a particular doctor's intentions (they want to keep me as healthy as possible) I would choose another doctor. Their ability? Nobody's right all the time. No doctor is omniscient. Everybody's an educated guesser. But some people's guesses are better than other people's. I'd trust a doctor's guess about a medical condition before I'd trust my landscaper's, even if my landscaper had the best of intentions.

Answer 7

So true, they are educated or professional paid guesser. Especially those ones tell you without further blood testing.

Many doctors do that because they go by statistic. Like if many people have the similar sypmtom, they won't bother to dig deep to find out whether you have problems. There are lots of malpractice.

Sad, but true.

Answer 8

I've treated myself through research moreso than any doctor ever have.

My friend described the medical field as a "practice". They "practice" medicine. Yes, they are educated and so on and so forth, but I truly believe if you do enough research yourself, you will more likely than not find out your medical "practitioner" overlooked something that you may have discovered.

This has happened to me plenty of times. But there are a few that I have come across in my own experience that do know their branch of study like the back of their hand. But the far majority tell me things that I read about online searching through google.

Answer 9

Yes, but you have to keep in mind that doctors, therapists, bakers, drivers and teachers are all people. And people have things on their minds, and some times forget to check their personal issues at the door when they get to work. It's unprofessional, but what can you do. Find another doctor and keep looking until you find one that you are comfortable with. A certificate doesn't make someone good at their chosen profession, results and the approval of those that utilize their services are the proof.

Answer 10

I would take their opinions and research them.
I diagnosed my own appendicitis correctly, much to the surprise of the surgeon.