Do you look for second opinions

xxtattyberxx

Hands up I never do when it comes to Dental / Medical / Mechanics I always take people for face value and accept what I am being told. Recently I have learned this is a very naive way to be.

My step father went from big strong guy to wheelchair bound in the space of a year and a half. Hes travelled from Dublin- sligo - Cavan - Droheda being referred to different doctors looking for help / Pain relief. He got nowhere and was getting bi weekly epidurals for the pain. Doctors wouldnt touch him because it was his back and not worth the risk.
However he had heard about a back specalist in Merlin Park Galway and got a referal to there. In the one day the Doctor found the cause, went through the risks involved in the operation, helped him weigh up the pros and cons of the operation and he is now scheduled for the operation next week.He is delighted and looking forward to not being in pain and having more movement.

This really opened my eyes that seeking more opinions can be a make / break situation. I am curious to see how many people actually do look for second opinions and have success stories from it.

chin_grin

I'm not sure whether to go sarcastic or just out and out After Hours, I may need a second opinion.

Oranage2

I use to never use a second opinion - now I come on boards to find out about something before I make a decision -

Absurdum

chin_grin wrote: »

I'm not sure whether to go sarcastic or just out and out After Hours, I may need a second opinion.

don't do it man!!!!!


OP best of luck to him:)

smash

I always check my own lotto tickets!

nicechick!

xxtattyberxx wrote: »

Hands up I never do when it comes to Dental / Medical / Mechanics I always take people for face value and accept what I am being told. Recently I have learned this is a very naive way to be.

My step father went from big strong guy to wheelchair bound in the space of a year and a half. Hes travelled from Dublin- sligo - Cavan - Droheda being referred to different doctors looking for help / Pain relief. He got nowhere and was getting bi weekly epidurals for the pain. Doctors wouldnt touch him because it was his back and not worth the risk.
However he had heard about a back specalist in Merlin Park Galway and got a referal to there. In the one day the Doctor found the cause, went through the risks involved in the operation, helped him weigh up the pros and cons of the operation and he is now scheduled for the operation next week.He is delighted and looking forward to not being in pain and having more movement.

This really opened my eyes that seeking more opinions can be a make / break situation. I am curious to see how many people actually do look for second opinions and have success stories from it.

When it comes to your health & well being absolutely!

mattjack

Mrs Mattjack told me I was drunk the other night...so I went to the couch for a second opinion.

smash

mattjack wrote: »

Mrs Mattjack told me I was drunk the other night...so I went to the couch for a second opinion.

should have gone back out to ask the barman.

Orando Broom

Do I look for second opinions?

tfitzgerald

smash wrote: »

I always check my own lotto tickets!

Me too

Absurdum

smash wrote: »

I always check my own lotto tickets!

I don't trust them machines they have

mackg

I have an cousin who is a doctor and when me and my family ever got sick we always went to our own family GP and the cousin, makes sense to me to do this if you have the option. Saying that medical care ain't free.

im invisible

Went to the dentist the other week, she told me i needed two teeth pulled and five fillings, i said i wanted a second opinion,, and she says 'your breath stinks too'

Chuck Stone

I go to my GP with a consumer mindset.

Saila

xxtattyberxx wrote: »

Hands up I never do when it comes to Dental / Medical / Mechanics I always take people for face value and accept what I am being told. Recently I have learned this is a very naive way to be.

My step father went from big strong guy to wheelchair bound in the space of a year and a half. Hes travelled from Dublin- sligo - Cavan - Droheda being referred to different doctors looking for help / Pain relief. He got nowhere and was getting bi weekly epidurals for the pain. Doctors wouldnt touch him because it was his back and not worth the risk.
However he had heard about a back specalist in Merlin Park Galway and got a referal to there. In the one day the Doctor found the cause, went through the risks involved in the operation, helped him weigh up the pros and cons of the operation and he is now scheduled for the operation next week.He is delighted and looking forward to not being in pain and having more movement.

This really opened my eyes that seeking more opinions can be a make / break situation. I am curious to see how many people actually do look for second opinions and have success stories from it.

thats all great but I thought you were going to make the case that its worth it because he's now 'cured' or whatever, wait until he's had the OP if it goes tits up you will be back here slamming that doc Id say.

mackeire

my missus told me that i was crap in bed so i went to her sister for a second opinion.

ejmaztec

Orando Broom wrote: »

Do I look for second opinions?

Do you think I'm qualified to answer that?

Saila

No, if Im in a place where specialists are supposed to be working Ill accept their views not basically tell them "I dont believe you :mad:" by getting a second opinion, wreaks of denial

stupidusername

I don't really, oddly enough. My mam was misdiagnosed for months, by at least two different doctors before bringing herself to A&E where she was diagnosed with cancer. Considering if she'd been diagnosed earlier she'd still be alive, you'd think I'd automatically be less accepting of what a doctor says, but for the most part I would believe them.

xxtattyberxx

Saila wrote: »

thats all great but I thought you were going to make the case that its worth it because he's now 'cured' or whatever, wait until he's had the OP if it goes tits up you will be back here slamming that doc Id say.

The op could go either way at the end of the day its his back and were all aware of the risks and its a decision he had to make. My hats off either way to the doctor, he gave a full explanation to why / how this has happened and what solution is avaialble.

My post was asking do you look for second opinions, not silver lining.

Novella

When it comes to mechanics, it isn't really a second opinion I'm interested in, more so just price comparisons. I shop around for that reason, as opposed to who'll do a better job. I mean, I know nothing about cars so it's all just mumbo jumbo to me. If it works, that's all I care about.

Healthcare wise, I have had opinion after opinion after opinion. :pac: If you're not feeling well, you want to feel well so yeah, it's pretty normal to go in search of that. In my opinion anyway. If you don't have your health, you have nothing.

Giselle

xxtattyberxx wrote: »

The op could go either way at the end of the day its his back and were all aware of the risks and its a decision he had to make. My hats off either way to the doctor, he gave a full explanation to why / how this has happened and what solution is avaialble.

I really hope his op goes well. I hope this doc gets the job done.

As for the other docs who couldn't/wouldn't help, I don't want a doc who thinks he/she isn't capable or doesn't have the skills or training to mess around with my back.

If they say they can do nothing its better they admit it than leave him paralysed or worse by messing up an op.

Good luck to your stepdad

orourkeda

It very much depends on the issue.

Azureus

Saila wrote: »

No, if Im in a place where specialists are supposed to be working Ill accept their views not basically tell them "I dont believe you :mad:" by getting a second opinion, wreaks of denial

So you'd accept one persons opinion, at face value, even if you didnt agree with it/didnt think it sounded right, just because they are a specialist?
People are fallible. I dont really give a damn if I 'wreak of denial' I trust my instincts.
Considering I trusted my GP for years with a problem because he knew what he was talking about, yet ended up going to the hospital and being told by nurses that the problem that causes me to have only one working kidney was preventable, I *always* ask for a second opinion if I dont feel something is right.
Read newspapers-there are many medical cases where doctors/specialist screw up and end up injuring or even killing people, just because they are highly educated doesnt mean they cant make mistakes.
Same goes for mechanics etc-everyone has an agenda (whether its to genuinely fix your car or rip you off) so I wouldnt blindly trust someone just because they tell me to/have a bit of education on the subject.

In short, if Jimmy the specialist jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?!