Re: about having cystoscopy


Robert CLS, MT(ASCP) wrote:
marcia wrote:
I didn't respond to the blood sugar message until after Robert did
because I didn't have any knowledge that would help the poster, either.
However, when he returned after Robert told him his blood sugar was
dangerously high, I didn't feel under-qualified in pushing him toward
the hospital when he seemed reluctant to go.

Don't really know if that was a bogus post or not but if it wasn't then
I hope he is OK.

Good question. I pulled his profile this morning and noticed there was
about an 11-hour gap between his last post (which was right around the
same time as his last post here) and his next post, so hopefully that
means he got treatment if he was telling the truth. He was definitely
still alive and posting on alt.hard.drugs (hmmm) about 16 hours ago.


I have trouble posting to people here who will say something like I
have a blood on the side of my head after I had a car accident and made
it home and wants to know what to do or what could it be.

Understandable. Since I don't have a medical background, it's
especially hard for me to tell who's making things up, who has a
legitimate concern, and who is just uncommonly stupid. I would tend to
want to err on the side of caution, but you're under no obligation to
respond to any of them, so your own judgment is your best guide.

FWIW, people with "Munchausen by Internet" (which is really just
factitious disorder) tend to present very dramatic symptoms with the
hope of engaging you in care-taking behavior. They're trying to get
basic needs for nuturing met, and probably gravitate more toward
support groups than places like this (although I'm sure they pop up
here on occasion, too). If you ignore them, answer their questions in
clinical way, or point them toward a doctor or hospital, they're
unlikely to stick around because you're not meeting their true,
unstated need.

I'm no psychiatrist, but my degrees are in psychology and sociology,
and I have a special interest in Munchausen, factitious, and somatoform
disorders, so I'm on a little safer ground with this one.


Imo, you can usually say, "see a doctor, see a doctor, see a doctor,"
with impunity, because that's often the obvious appropriate action. And
if someone's symptoms sound alarming (one side of my face is paralyzed;
my blood sugar is still 550, etc.,) there's little harm in saying, "go
to the ER." It seems people sometimes post here hoping to avoid doctors
and hospitals, so empathy and encouragement is usually a safe response,
as well.

So far, I haven't encountered any of those "net cops" you mentioned,
but I'll definitely be on the lookout. If I were you, I'd go back and
attack that lab tech's manhood. ;)

There is a difference when I post here and when I am at work. I have
received many phone calls from outside the hospital asking specific
questions. I have seen patients coming out of doctors offices and they
have asked me very specific questions about their care or understanding
of their condition. I have seen very angry patients wanting and
demanding their lab results and when given those results want to know
what they mean. They assume the lab results are stated in plain English
as to "you have this or that". I can not say one single word about
interpretation or meaning.

Understood. I can recall the frustration I felt watching watching the
ultrasound tech's face while reading the screen when I went into early
labor with my first child. I could tell she was concerned about
something, and I badgered her unmercilessly, but she wasn't allowed to
tell me anything, either. (Placenta previa; everthing turned out fine).

It does amaze me that people leave their doctors' offices with
questions unanswered because, I suspect, they went unasked. Maybe that
does speak to the quality of the doctor-patient relationship, although
I think the patient bears a responsibility for developing that, too.
It's not a relationship unless both parties participate.

When a doctor calls and wants help then we have more room for
interaction.
This is not a medical setting and it's pretty much a free for all and
anyone can voice an opinion and the buyer beware on who they believe.
It is very difficult as a medical professional to remain silent when
things are posted that one knows is wrong. That is the area of
contention here.

I think everybody needs to know that people with a wide background will
comment here and the net is the great equalizer on opinion. If the
person wanted solely a medical opinion then he would go to a doctor and
he wouldn't be here asking questions. I think people want a patient
advocate or info in which to evaluate the medical opinion. Again I say
that one needs a strong doctor to patient relationship based on trust
but verify. Get second opinions or third.

I'm not sure everyone *does* understand that caveat emptor applies on
the internet, or perhaps most strongly on the internet. Some people may
come to this NG expecting an expert opinion, and may be inclined to
believe anything they read. That's a little scary. And you're right,
there are no restrictions on who can participate or to what extent...
any given post could be answered by an expert, a well-meaning but
misguided lay person, or a total kook.

From the perspective of someone not working in the medical field, I can
say there are a lot of people out here who are reluctant to see a
doctor when they need one, or first need to be thoroughly convinced
they have a problem they can't solve themselves (I'm guilty of this
one, myself), especially if they feel there's something embarassing
about their situation. People who are comfortable seeing doctors don't
need to ask for confirmation because they're already sitting in
someone's waiting room. They may post later, asking for clarification
or further information on something. That's my take on it, subject to
revision as I learn. :)

I agree with you about the need for a strong doctor-patient
relationship, and I also understand why you might post to correct
misinformation. That's responsibile behavior, imo, and not something
you need apologize for.


Not a net cop here but do voice an opinion like everyone here.

Never suspected you of being a net cop. My observation has been that
you respond to what you know about, refrain from undue speculation, and
correct misinformation in a way that allows the ...er... "misinformer"
to save face.

I've never seen you deliberately humiliate anyone, which I believe is
the concern of the person talking about net cops. Some people are more
sensitive to criticism than others and it's hard to tell how any given
person will respond to (or feel about) being corrected. Personally, I
don't mind being criticized, but am mortified by my mistakes. lol.

.

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