News Feed Discussions Several consultations -> angry doctors?

  • Several consultations -> angry doctors?

    Posted by Alephy on January 28, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    Here is my experience with asking different doctors their opinion about my condition (inguinal hernia): they get angry when I tell them I spoke to another doctor already! One even answered me angrily via email that no further exchange would be allowed as I should have already enough information from my previous visits to the other colleagues, and that I should choose and trust one doctor.
    I just fail to understand how I can trust or choose a doctor without speaking to them in the first place….had I chosen and trusted the first doctor I would be now yet another patient in true pain, or to be in the future (he truly was bad, even some of the doctors I saw after kind of confirmed this…)

    Am I missing something? In a netflix documentary some US doctors commented that speaking to other doctors is also a good thing and that they encourage it: perhaps it is only in the US so and not in Europe?

    Alephy replied 4 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Alephy

    Member
    January 29, 2020 at 11:06 am

    Well I see your point….but as I was offered only mesh I thought I would try and be honest and explain why I think a mesh might not work for me and that I already spoke to other doctors about it…I guess I should have thought differently. Incidentally the first surgeon was just a big mistake as clearly the last person you want to trust your health to. The second one is clearly an expert and the third one impressed me also positively before turning very rude and offended….things as they are I will probably stay put and watch it until I really have to or the medical community puts some real science into the IH surgery. Besides I don’t have the money to try and find a good doctor out of the golden standards…and my health insurance doesn’t allow travelling abroad….

  • kaspa

    Member
    January 29, 2020 at 10:08 am

    Actually in Europe it’s unethical to discourage second opinions anyway. You can even demand a report to show another Doctor. But don’t expect Doctors to find it funny anyway, not even to be very aware of that.

    A confident Doctor won’t fear second opinions and will even encourage them.

    But don’t expect to find one, as they’re not that common.

    Just one question: why don’t you simply omit you had another opinion before? That’s what I do. Not just with doctors, but also with my car for repairing…

    • This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  kaspa.
  • Alephy

    Member
    January 28, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    That’s exactly my point…it seems in Europe there is still the assumption that patients should shut up and “trust the doctor”…

  • JamesDoncaster

    Member
    January 28, 2020 at 12:14 pm

    A good doctor would not get angry at you for getting multiple opinions. In fact, a good doctor may even recommend that you seek multiple opinions. Surgery is a major medical procedure and it makes sense for patients to get as much information as possible. If your doctor doesn’t understand this, then find another doctor.

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