Why would anyone seek out medical advice on yahoo answers?

Question

I know this question is going to get some really pissy answers, but why would anyone ask a question about bleeding during pregnancy or some strange symptoms in their children, etc?This is primarily aimed at the pregnancy and parenting forms. I am an RN and I get blown away by all the misinformation out there. Sometimes I wonder if the questions are jokes. Someone asked if their water had "broke" the other day. Instead of calling her OB, she was asking total strangers that aren't physicians for advice. It just kind of makes me wonder what people are thinking. I can understand looking for answers from people who have been there. But, not on legitimate medical questions that are better addressed by your doctor. None of us can tell if you are in labor by reading your question. Go to the hospital and get your cervix checked there. Does anyone else want to grab these people and shake them ? Some of the answers are horribly inaccurate and unsafe. Let me have it.

Answer 1

I wonder the same thing, but I also know that sometimes when you call your doctor you get treated like you are stupid.

Some of the nurses in my OB-GYN office acted like all of the first time mothers were idiots, well how are we supposed to know what are bodies are doing? We aren't the ones that went to school and learned about the different changes. Even though I read books the whole nine months I was pregnant that didn't fully prepare me for what all was going on.

I wish I could have asked some things on Yahoo! Answers back then. I would rather seem like a fool to strangers on Yahoo! then get made to feel like an idiot by a nurse I will be seeing at every office visit and at the time of delivery.

Answer 2

But some of the answers are correct. Look at yourself , you are an RN.. I am a Certifeid Medical Assistant with several year experience in multiple fields, and there must be many more on here. Not to mention, some people get exhausted with going to their physician without ever finding out what is really wrong with them. You know how it is, the doctor can't figure out the true problem so they give a generalized diagnosis like "fibromyagia", "dermatitis", "chronic pain disorder", and send them out of their office with pain pills or cream, that help symptoms, but not the root cause. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but it does happen a lot. On here they could find someone who has gone through the same thing and finaly reached an answer. In your profession, you must've come by many people who have no idea when it comes to medicine? I know I have. A lot of the answers are very incorrect, however, people like you and I can give accurate information as well tell the person to seek medical attention RIGHT AWAY. It seems ridiculous to you that someone would ask such questions here, but you must know from experience, not everyone is as medically knowledgeable as yourself, and they simply don't know better. I would just be glad that I am able to help them if I were you.

Answer 3

I agree with you!! Questions that seem like no brainers to you and me are real, sincere questions from other people. Sometimes people don't know if something is serious enough to call a doctor, maybe they don't want to bother a Dr, maybe their Dr won't take calls (like mine), or maybe they really just don't have money/health insurance and are wondering if asking on here, they can get some sort of solution. If you are an RN (I am an EMT), you must deal with the same amount of stupidity out there that I do. Think about that. How many people DO go to the Dr for every single little thing or go to the ED for a stubbed toe? Try to be a little understanding when people ask questions and just try to give your best, most knowledgeable opinion. I know it's frustrating but maybe there's more to the story than what we see from a single question.

Answer 4

Yes, some people are not very bright to seek answers ONLY on Yahoo Answers, but sometimes, people just want some reassurance. Also, just because someone posts a question on say, spotting during pregnancy, this does not mean that that person did not in fact contact their caregiver already and was told to wait it out. That was what happened to me. I start spotting, called my doc, got intercepted by the nurse and was told that "there was nothing they could do since the spotting stopped" and to be on bedrest. Okay. So I started spotting again the next week, and finally had to insist on seeing the doctor. It turned out that I had polyps by my cervix that was causing the bleeding. If the careless nurse had let me come in the week before, the polyps would have been found out earlier and removed earlier. So imagine the anxiety I had after spotting but not being able to see my doctor. I would scour the web, including Yahoo Answers, to find similar situations in which the pregnancy was successful. Sometimes, people just want some reassurance on here, not necessarily medical answers. I agree that erroneous information is often given here, which is why I hope that most people who use Yahoo Answers are logical enough to confirm and verify themselves. I know, wishful thinking.

Answer 5

Im sure they dont JUST rely on our answers. That would mean there are way too many uneducated, not to mention sad people out there. Im sure they just want a load of advise and opinions from people who can relate and have "been there".

And I agree, if they REALLY are bleeding or think their water broke b/c they are standing in a puddle, they need to be in the hospital, not on Yahoo. Thats obvious. As to why they ask here before going is beyond me. But perhaps they dont have all the knowledge or information you have so to you they look ridiculous.

I feel you though, and I hope they dont take the replies we give as solid reliable medical information that they use to base their decisions on. That could be disastrous.

Answer 6

I totally agree! I have seen some UNBELIEVABLE questions and even MORE unbelievable answers, some of them from people claiming to be RN's.

When people call the ER for advice, we aren't allowed to give it. Pretty much the only thing we can say is...."If you feel that this is an emergency and you need to be seen by a Doctor, then you should come in" It's pretty much the same prinicple. People don't have enough common sense to take care of themselves, let alone children!
It's frustrating.

Answer 7

I understand where you're coming from, but there must be a reason they do come here. I think that in many cases, sad as it may be, doctors do intimidate their patients. So instead of calling the office and receiving a berating, they come here first. If they hear responses like "Call your doctor!" they will feel validated, and braver in doing so. It's sad, but many doctors (and nurses) out there still have an attitude. I had a doctor curse me out and hang up on me and cancel my services because I DARED page her on a Sunday for my comatose preemie running a 103 degree temperature (he turned out to have a kidney infection, but her Sunday was WAY more important to her!), so you just never know what a doctor is going to be like. I appreciate that they are VERY overworked, but some of them are just cold, hard people.

Answer 8

I agree...I am a NP. I can see asking a generalized question seeking info, words of wisdom, until you see a doc. But I hang here, usually under pet care, trying to dispel some of the horrible advice. Entirely too many people think they are pregnant. They want it so badly, get get fueled by those who want to help but provide inaccurate info.

Yes, many answers are very unsafe. I agree 100%. If people are going to ask, please look at the answers as to where did the source come from! And see your doc or just call the office for the best information!

Answer 9

Yes, sometimes. I can relate with the 'asking people who've been there'. I'd rather ask a couple of people on here (families are never objective and always know better) than going to the doctor everyday. I haven't been pegnant though, so no comment there. But I do agree that going to your OB is better and safer for your baby-to-be than asking us lot on yahoo, no offence guys! =)

Answer 10

I agree. Questions asking like "Has this happened to you?" or "What is your opinion on such and such?" are what this board is for, but the medical questions, I just shake my head over and wonder "Are you really going to risk the health of your baby over what a bunch of faceless strangers say?"

This really came home to me when someone posted a question listing all of the classic symptoms of preterm labor. Everyone else told her to ignore it and that it was normal. I told her to go the ER to be evaluated for preterm labor. She later posted that she had gone to the hospital, was indeed having preterm labor and the ER staff managed to stop it. She was only 22 weeks along and could have lost her baby. Unbelievable.