Never Google your symptoms!

[Drasticq]

You'll just end up fretting over nothing!

 

[mjkacmom]

The last time I did that I ended up waking DH up at 4 am to take me to the hospital, my appendix was removed about 5 hours later.

 

[PlainJane]

I’m sure there are positive anecdotal stories and bad ones. I’m our case, it was my husband’s doctor googling that led us to suspect our newborn had a dairy allergy. When we brought this up to the pediatrician’s office we were told it was highly unlikely because it’s so rare, but I could try an elimination diet if I really wanted to, but he most likely just had colic. Nope, he had a dairy allergy and other protein allergies on top of that one.

Switched from breastfeeding (couldn’t identify all of the allergies) to a hypoallergenic formula and we had a completely different kid.

We did involve his doctor in all of these decisions.

 

[DLgal]

I do it all the time and usually come to the right conclusion. I swear I was a doctor in another life.

I recently diagnosed myself with ECU tendonitis, purchased an appropriate brace on Amazon for $12 and looked up PT exercises online. 4 weeks later I'm all better. Saved myself a doctor's appointment, and numerous hours wasted going to PT, not to mention a couple hundred in co pays.

This is the most recent example, but I diagnose myself and my kids all the time. Saves a lot of time wasted at the doctor's offices. It drives my MIL crazy though. I'll tell her the kids have a virus, and she will insist they have to go to the doctor. They rarely ever need to, although I know how to make the judgment call on when they may need antibiotics and I don't hesitate to take them in when they are getting worse instead of better. She is the type to take kids to the doctor for EVERYTHING.

I usually go to the doctor knowing exactly what is wrong with me. I don't say anything to the doctor, though. I don't want to be THAT patient. I'm rarely wrong.

 

[disneychrista]

Oh I google and google and google. Any diagnosis I have, my mind goes blank when the doctor is telling me tests show blah blah blah. Thank goodness the results are online so I can get some idea of what is going on.

 

[tvguy]

My symptoms? No. My car's symptom's? Yes. It amuses my mechanic and on one occasion uncovered what was wrong with my car.

 

[Floridaman999]

That last time I did that I was sure I would be dead by the end of the week.

 

[Kitty 34]

Last time I googled my lung disease it had me dead and buried in 2014............

 

[ronandannette]

I always do it and I probably always will. I'm the type that needs to start with the worst-case-scenario and work backwards. It's actually very calming for me to sort out how I'm going to cope with even the most dire of circumstances. From there, anything less than total tragedy feels like the upside.

 

[Jennasis]

Google is not my friend. My mom had one of those Merck manuals back in the day that I used to grab to look up my symptoms on those symptom tree things...and everything I had would wind up pointing to CANCER.

Now I don't google SYMPTOMS. I Google diagnosis after I get one.

 

[Eeyore daily]

I gave up after googling my symptoms said I was pregnant when I in fact had gallstones. Happens every time I try to search for any abdominal pain.

 

[dish rag]

You'll just end up fretting over nothing!

Ok

 

[disneychrista]

I always do it and I probably always will. I'm the type that needs to start with the worst-case-scenario and work backwards.

I agree.
I just got back from a follow-up appointment (more tests) on what seems like one of the dozen of medical issues I am having lately. When I googled what the initial report said the results said it could be anything from a rare but aggressive form of cancer to nothing. The doctor said when he called not to worry that more often than not it is nothing. But I'd rather be prepared. Turns out is neither cancer nor nothing.

 

[low-key]

I will googles a lot, but after a while I just know what ever it is Im gonna beat it

 

[ronandannette]

I agree.
I just got back from a follow-up appointment (more tests) on what seems like one of the dozen of medical issues I am having lately. When I googled what the initial report said the results said it could be anything from a rare but aggressive form of cancer to nothing. The doctor said when he called not to worry that more often than not it is nothing. But I'd rather be prepared. Turns out is neither cancer nor nothing.

Not sure if it's appropriate to "like" this, based on the bolded, but I definitely get where you're coming from.

 

[disneychrista]

Not sure if it's appropriate to "like" this, based on the bolded, but I definitely get where you're coming from.

It is a good thing. What it is (or might be) is better than what it could have been.

 

[Kitty 34]

Why Google, when you have the DIS.

 

[Snowysmom]

Dr. Google is very rarely your friend. My DH used to google his symptoms and always thought the worst. I have banned him from Dr. Google. I do realize it can help in certain cases but not with DH. He just goes for the worst case scenario.

 

[Drasticq]

Mind you, I must admit that even actual factual doctors can get things drastically wrong. I know someone who broke their foot in four places but were diagnosed with, in order, Deep Vein Thrombosis, fluid on her lungs, fluid on her heart, a broken leg (in multiple places), multiple problems with her back and more. She was laid out for months. Recently she has tried to see a professional three times over the space of 4 months and has been cancelled on each time. The most recent diagnosis - the broken foot - assuming that it is right, comes a little late as they now say it has begun healing just in the wrong way

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Twice i have did that

1st time I thought it was a kidney infection andnit was a kidney stone that was very colse to neededing emergency surgery to remove it

2ed time i thought I strained my neck in gym class and it was the beginning of strep