Based on two anecdotes I've heard recently, an interesting question came up. When would you go for a second opinion after being given a clean bill of health after a test?
A friend of mine was talking to me about her brother. He had walked into his parent's room on Friday morning with half his face drooping and could barely talk. So his mother takes him to their GP, who says it's nothing to worry about and come back on Monday if it persists for a course of antibiotics.
However, she is a Jewish mother, and will have none of this. She forces her way into a rather expensive London clinic which they use from time to time for a second opinion. Thank God she did, because this doctor immediately realises what's going on and bluntly says 'if you'd left this another 48 hours, it would be untreatable and permanent: at least now he has a decent chance'. The poor brother is now on a massive course of steroids and anti-virals for a very serious condition.
So I ask Languish: at what point would you call BS on favourable verdict and go seek another doctor?
:blink: Their GP is retarded. I hope they never go back.
If I was a hypochondriac like Martinus.
I suppose if I were suffering serious symptoms, I'd want a second opinion.
Quote from: Caliga on November 02, 2009, 08:41:12 AM
:blink: Their GP is retarded. I hope they never go back.
Quite - I've told them to write a letter to the medical watchdog too.
I think it would depend on the symptoms. I wouldn't just for a few coughs and a slight fever... but if I had half my face paralyzed you can bet I would search a second opinion.
And if I didn't my mother would make me do it, at gun point if necessary. All Mediterranean moms are like that!
Well, my mum is a doctor so I pretty much always get a second opinion from her. She would force me to get the "real" second opinion if she didn't agree with what the doctor I went to said.
Sounds like Bell's palsy, which, it is true, usually goes away by itself, but it can take weeks. I had a mild version once. It and a related condition can be (but are not always) caused by a virus, the cold sore virus and the chicken pox virus respectively, hence the antivirals.
In answer to the question, I'd have already researched online and called NHS direct before I went to the doctor, so the doctor would be the second opinion :P
Quote from: Brazen on November 02, 2009, 08:58:00 AM
Sounds like Bell's palsy, which, it is true, usually goes away by itself, but it can take weeks. I had a mild version once. It and a related condition can be (but are not always) caused by a virus, the cold sore virus and the chicken pox virus respectively, hence the antivirals.
In answer to the question, I'd have already researched online and called NHS direct before I went to the doctor, so the doctor would be the second opinion :P
Antivirals have no benefit over prednisolone alone, from what I've read.
It's not Bell's Palsy but has similar symptoms. Can't remember the name of it, it a syndrome of some kind.
Do you guys have the ability to switch GPs whenever you want?
Last March I was bitten by one of our cats who had been attacked by a stray dog. We cleaned it up and bandaged it, but after a day it was getting worse so I went into the ED. The doctor on call prescribed oral antibiotics and valium and sent me home. The next afternoon I was in so much pain I went back in. Fortunately there was a different doctor on call this time. She took one look at it and hospitalized me. I was in for 3 days on IV antibiotics and morphine and narrowly missed needing surgery and possible amputation. Even as it was, there was enough damage done that I have nearly no grip in that hand when it rains.
I wish I had asked for a second opinion that first night, but you know. He gave me antibiotics, he should know what he's doing right?
Quote from: Warspite on November 02, 2009, 11:59:02 AM
It's not Bell's Palsy but has similar symptoms. Can't remember the name of it, it a syndrome of some kind.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome? That's the one caused by the chicken pox virus, basically shingles of the ear.
Quote from: Maximus on November 02, 2009, 12:17:17 PM
Last March I was bitten by one of our cats who had been attacked by a stray dog. We cleaned it up and bandaged it, but after a day it was getting worse so I went into the ED. The doctor on call prescribed oral antibiotics and valium and sent me home. The next afternoon I was in so much pain I went back in. Fortunately there was a different doctor on call this time. She took one look at it and hospitalized me. I was in for 3 days on IV antibiotics and morphine and narrowly missed needing surgery and possible amputation. Even as it was, there was enough damage done that I have nearly no grip in that hand when it rains.
:o What in the heck did you get infected with?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordestfm.ro%2Fimages%2FImage%2FTED%2520NUGENT.jpg&hash=9029dbd945ce4c4ebc31b102cab7715749109f90)
:lmfao: :punk:
I don't know the names. It is apparently fairly common in cat bites because it goes so deep and because of the bacteria present in their mouths. It wasn't a big wound, I had seven punctures between the knuckles of my thumb, but they went to the bone. The infection settled in the joints at the base of my thumb and in the wrist.
What happened to the cat?
:huh: nothing.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 02, 2009, 12:15:21 PM
Do you guys have the ability to switch GPs whenever you want?
It can be done if you switch the type of specialists your city is running or build a different great wonder.
Quote from: Caliga on November 02, 2009, 12:41:44 PM
Quote from: Maximus on November 02, 2009, 12:17:17 PM
Last March I was bitten by one of our cats who had been attacked by a stray dog. We cleaned it up and bandaged it, but after a day it was getting worse so I went into the ED. The doctor on call prescribed oral antibiotics and valium and sent me home. The next afternoon I was in so much pain I went back in. Fortunately there was a different doctor on call this time. She took one look at it and hospitalized me. I was in for 3 days on IV antibiotics and morphine and narrowly missed needing surgery and possible amputation. Even as it was, there was enough damage done that I have nearly no grip in that hand when it rains.
:o What in the heck did you get infected with?
Pasteurella Multicida, or P. Canis?
This is pretty common in hand bites. If the cat manages to hit the joint or the sheath for the tendons, you get a nasty infection. The most common algorithm is:
1) Clean the would, most doctors prescribe a course of Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. WTF with the Valium?!?
2) If infection seems to spread to the joint or the tendon, patient comes back. Operating room, irrigating the wound, i.v. antibiotics.
I got a cat bite in the hand this year. Hurt like hell, and kept hurting for several days. Anti-biotics cleared it up but it took a while.
Quote from: Brazen on November 02, 2009, 12:34:01 PM
Quote from: Warspite on November 02, 2009, 11:59:02 AM
It's not Bell's Palsy but has similar symptoms. Can't remember the name of it, it a syndrome of some kind.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome? That's the one caused by the chicken pox virus, basically shingles of the ear.
Heh, I remember that one from ER.
Wouldn't half of face paralyzing/impairment of speech suggest stroke? I'd rush for help.
Quote from: Brezel on November 02, 2009, 04:15:00 PM
Wouldn't half of face paralyzing/impairment of speech suggest stroke? I'd rush for help.
There are generally other symptoms of a stroke.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 02, 2009, 12:15:21 PM
Do you guys have the ability to switch GPs whenever you want?
Yes, we can(TM) :P
Actually, the question is a bit puzzling. Why shouldn't we? My assigned health center probably has 6-8 GPs working at any given time, I could switch between them easily.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 02, 2009, 12:15:21 PM
Do you guys have the ability to switch GPs whenever you want?
Pretty much. You tend to have a personal GP at the practice but can chose to see a different one if he or she is not available, or if you want to see, say, a doctor of a specific sex for
down below problems. It's also fairly easy to move to a new practice, but some popular ones can get their books full.
Damn you and your socialized medicine GP-switching communist ways.
Depends on what my body tells me, not my doctor.
Quote from: Alatriste on November 03, 2009, 02:23:42 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 02, 2009, 12:15:21 PM
Do you guys have the ability to switch GPs whenever you want?
Yes, we can(TM) :P
Actually, the question is a bit puzzling. Why shouldn't we? My assigned health center probably has 6-8 GPs working at any given time, I could switch between them easily.
Cause our masters in the US tell us you can't.
Quote from: Alatriste on November 03, 2009, 02:23:42 AM
My assigned health center probably has 6-8 GPs working at any given time, I could switch between them easily.
Can you go to a different center if you want to? I didn't realize you had an assigned one.
I briefly glanced at this thread and thought it said "Metal Second Opinions".
Yes, you're right about "2 Minutes to Midnight" kicking total fucking ass. :hug:
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 03, 2009, 12:14:34 PM
Can you go to a different center if you want to? I didn't realize you had an assigned one.
I don't know about Madrid, but in here they are assigned by area. I'm not sure if you are supposed to be able to go to another one, but I do it nevertheless (my district got split in two a decade or so ago and I keep going to the same doctor and nobody has ever given me trouble about it).
Can you please say anything bad about the Spanish health care system, anything at all?
Quote from: Iormlund on November 03, 2009, 02:55:05 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on November 03, 2009, 12:14:34 PM
Can you go to a different center if you want to? I didn't realize you had an assigned one.
I don't know about Madrid, but in here they are assigned by area. I'm not sure if you are supposed to be able to go to another one, but I do it nevertheless (my district got split in two a decade or so ago and I keep going to the same doctor and nobody has ever given me trouble about it).
Sounds good. I'd imagine it works if you're traveling or something. That's why I asked. I always assumed you could just go wherever you want since it all comes from the same pot anyway.
Quote from: DGuller on November 03, 2009, 03:01:54 PM
Can you please say anything bad about the Spanish health care system, anything at all?
It's staffed by Spaniards? :P
Quote from: DGuller on November 03, 2009, 03:01:54 PM
Can you please say anything bad about the Spanish health care system, anything at all?
Of course. There are a thousand things wrong with it. Especially since Spain has received 10 million immigrants in a decade, plus has an increasingly old population.
The basic problem is a lack of doctors, both GPs and specialists. And nurses - their workload at the surgery recovery ward was shameful.
This lack of personnel increases inefficiency in itself (multi-million dollar machines idle because there is no radiologist, illnesses that go worse because a few minutes aren't enough to diagnose properly, etc).
Also, and this at least can be fixed, it is terribly inefficient in many areas due in no small measure to an outdated administration (coincidentally my brother works designing computer applications for patient cost management and similar stuff).
As a whole, though, I can't really complain that much. It could be much better. But it could be much, much worse.
Quote from: Iormlund on November 03, 2009, 03:53:09 PM
There are a thousand things wrong with it.
[GOPtard] That's all I wanted to hear. :) [/GOPtard]
:P
I'm pretty sure I could have had a much nicer experience in the US. After all, I had to wait 2 months for an OR, then shared the room with people that snored, yelled at the nurses if they closed the door (while I was freezing) or were so funny they made me laugh all the time (which is not a good idea when you've just got most of your abdomen stapled back together). :lol:
The surgeons also refused to give me more drugs to help me sleep which sucked big time, although that was about reluctance to give addictive stuff rather than cheapness.
On the other hand had I been one of the 30 or whatever million Americans without insurance (unlikely given my job I guess) I would ow over a hundred thousand dollars in medical bills, so ...