How much do you generally trust doctors' diagnoses/prescriptions?

Most of the time, but sometimes they just want to rush you out without really getting to the source of the problem.

for the most part, but I have gotten second opinions

I don't have a doctor.

I trust my doctors or else I wouldn't go to them. However, I don't believe what they say is the word of God or anything. If it's just something minor, then I'll most often take his word for it, which usually involves taking antibiotics. If it's more serious, then I'll generally do my own research into it, finding out all I can. If I don't agree with the diagnosis, then I'll call and talk to them about it and possibly get a second opinion.

Usually.

It's not so much about trust. I recognize that doctors are just people and are put in a position where they have to make a decision. This can lead to some bad decisions. What I try to do is to be as knowledgeable as possible and work with them to find a good solution to whatever my problem is. I ask questions and I tell them if I'm not happy with a prescribed treatment. I push back on them to see if there's another way to do something if I don't want to do it. Most doctors seem to like this approach as well.

I've had some bad experience with misdiagnoses. I have a spine problem and the first surgeon wanted to stick rods in my back because he thought it was just bad scoliosis. Luckily I got a second opinion and turns out the first surgeon's diagnosis might've killed me. I still had surgery, but to correct an extended vertebra the first surgeon didn't catch.

My doctor listens to me and we actually DISCUSS various issues... we can go right to the computer and search out the various aspects... like when I mentioned I wanted to go more "natural" methods, had the results right there, and she agreed with my analysis!

I have a lot to say about what medications I need, and we are continuously checking blood work keeping dosages correct. Basically, my doctor LISTENS to me when she asks how I am.

I go to the Roosevelt clinic of University of Washington Physicians, so have the most up to date help available. I am most fortunate to have this opportunity to help manage my health concerns.

Gingersnap, good thing you got that second opinion. My nephew has been a Surgical Technologist for 20 years and he specialized in orthopedics. I know tons on back surgery. He always suggests a second opinion, and he doesn't have a lot of respect for a lot of surgeons, so everyone, please check the qualifications of anyone gonna cut on you. BTW, a Surgical Technologist is the doctor's right hand man, handing him the instruments & assisting. I am very proud of my nephew, he's one of the top techs in the nation. When doing "agency freelance" he had hospitals from across the nation after him!

I mistrust my Doctor. They have consistently managed to misdiagnose the last three ailments I have presented to them. Unfortunately, the midwife at my doctor's is very good, so I don't want to change surgeries just yet.

I mostly trust my doctor, but do back it up with research.

You never know, this poem shows that:

The Dead Puffy Bird Poem

A puffy bird was suddenly sick
He had to go to Dr. Lick
His doctor prescribed Sied (a made up drug)
Then the puffy bird died
He had a funeral next to his dead brother
He was remembered like no other
The doctor attempted suicide with the drug Sied
The doctor hadn't died
He had to remember how he killed the puffy bird
But the FDA killed Dr. Lick
He was buried next to the puffy bird

Somewhere between usually and always. I tend to trust the diagnosis (allthough I am aware of them potentially being biased in saying I am really am, but its better not to take the chance in case they're right). Also I tend to trust the diagnosis but the prescription propbabbly gives the doctors some kind of commition so I would questiong that a bit more.

Let's just say I trust my GP more than I trust the adverts for Human Growth Hormone therapy that I end up in my spam folder. I know that doctors are fallible, but they're better than the alternative.

I usually trust him, but with the HST thing--that Amanda luckily told me about, I am a little pissed off about. This doc is too overwhelmed. In this state we have a severe shortage of docs and nurses.

my husband has rods in his spine. He had what was called the Edwards Spinal fusion in 1996. That was his 3rd and final back surgery. His doctor, orthopedic surgeon is highly qualified and he never cuts anyone if he does not have too. The first two surgeries they tried to correct the damage to his spine. He has had work done on S-1, L-4 and L-5 of the lumbar region. He tried everything, physical therapy and all before. He is 100% disabled, but luckily he can still walk. As a matter of fact, yesterday, he was prescribed a walker to use in place of the cane, because of falling spells. He has other problems though, has had 3 heart attacks and has other orthopedic problems. I am thinking he will end up having hip replacement surgery soon.

I don't know: I've only been to the doctor's once in my life, and it wasn't in this country.
I think I would probably trust a doctor, though, as they would have been through 6 years of university here, if not more.
My girlf had a bad experience where she was treated for the wrong thing, but I think those sort of incidents are the exception and not the norm.

I usually trust them........................... Unless I really feel they are way out or not taking my pain seriously enough.

e.g I think I have broken my arm ........ and the doc wants to send me home with two painkillers and tells me to get rest????

It depends on the doctor, but I usually trust the doctor ....not always the prescription. Sometimes I won't even go pick them up if I don't think they will work for me b/c I don't want to waste the money on them.

The S1, L4, and L5 vertebrae are what I had fused, as well.

It depends on who the doctor is. If it's Dr. Nick Riviera, I might be a little uneasy.

I know when the time comes he will pull out my feeding tube so my euphoric death by starvation can begin.

Whatever it is that you're doing is in really poor taste.

I don't have a doctor, as I nearly never go to them unless I need antibiotics, or need something fixed like a bone or stitches. I don't believe in pain relievers, etc as they don't do us any good.

Would it be more tasteful to say I'll never trust another doctor again after what happened to Terri Shiavo? She was diagnosed as brain dead by some doctors and now she's being starved to death. I am absolutely outraged that the medical community hasn't attempted to save her! Where is the talk about the miracles of modern medicine now? Where are the stem cell researchers that swear they can cure anything if only they are allowed more human embryos to work with? I thought you went to Doctors to get better, to be healed, and cured, to be taken care of. Terri got a death sentence. I guess it would have been better if Kerry were president. Didn't Edwards promise that if he were Vice President Superman would walk again? Maybe I am tasteless. My absolute disgust with the "medical community" must have knocked my tasteful banter tube out.

I have enough of a science background to be capable of disagreeing with my doctor at times. Generally, i would trust a doctor, but there are times when I have not been happy with what they have said.

Not much.

You and I are not on opposite sides of the fence on this issue. But to come here and make comment after comment, in what seemed to be a very disrespectful way-it got my hackles up. I'm sorry.

always get a second opinion, especially if you are diagnosed with a fatal disease...do not take the word of the first doctor

I live in the UK - there are no second opinions.

i think you should always trust your doctor, and if you don't then i think you should changed your doctor to some else!

Usually. But there have been instances where they don't listen to you properly and just want to quickly diagnose you and get you out. I've just moved to a different surgery, so I hope I din't have this problem again.

Disrespectful to who? You should have your hackles up! I can't believe that more people don't. It's awsome that you were even offended. My smarmy comments were ment to draw attention to the fact that a woman was being starved to death by some judges and a couple of "compassionate" doctors.

Oh my that is a hard operation. Are you doing better?

I still have sharp pains from time to time, but my condition is no longer threatening to my health. I don't wear a back brace anymore and am actually a featured dancer in a semi-professional musical! So yeah, I guess I'm doing much better!

That is great. My husband has numerous other health problems so things are not going so well with him. Dancing is probably a good workout for those muscles.

To an extent and I always do my own research to make sure the diagnosis is correct and that the medication is the safest available. For the most part I would rather not be medicated.

I usually trust my doctor at home. I have much less faith in the university doctors at my school, as they tend to diagnose everyone as either pregnant or having mono. Of course, they were right in my case, I really did have mono, but I was one of the few.

I don't take anything until I've asked about a million questions about it.

I always trust my doctor, but I always go into her office with a preconceived notion of what is wrong with me. She has to put up with my amateur diagnosis before she can explain to me what is really going on.

Why can't you get a second opinion? Is it a law, is it frowned upon, or is it part of the health plan you are under?

We have the National Health Service which is paid for by our taxes so we get free healthcare when we need it. It means that the health service is run as a health service not a marketplace - there's no picking and choosing doctors or making demands that are unreasonable.

I have a family doctor I trust, but when a sub comes in, sometimes, it freaks me out.

Oh, what a loser. He/she should know what they are doing before they suggest it.

They also had her on tubes for fifteen years. I would have wanted to just die, I wouldn't of been able to understand anything anyway. What was the point? Her husband wanted her to rest in peace. She didn't even know she was alive. It just cost money to keep her up. Personally, like i said before, I would just want to die, there wouldn't be any difference.

I suppose I would accept those terms for free health care. It doesn't cover elective procedures does it?

It can do if you can convince them that there's a need. Gender reassignment, breast reductions, abortions and a first round of IVF are all available on the NHS.

Obviously breast enhancement and cosmetic surgery would be hard to get for free, correct? What about liposuction if one could cite a health reason?

I'm not sure about liposuction - I think it's unlikely that it would be available directly. Stomach stapling is though, and I wonder whether they might do it for people who have that done. I really don't know.

They probably would. People who have their stomach stapled are usually extremely overweight. I am not sure if the excess skin is a health risk, however.

Probably not, but liposuction may ensure that the remaining fat is distributed more normally?

Possibly...I haven't researched it, and I don't know anyone who has undergone the procedure.

sometimes....but not always, they just want my money

No doctor has ever let me down. I tend to trust them. But then I would go back for a second opinion, not because I mistrust the medical profession and their diagnoses but because human error is a fact. I can be a little wary about taking medicine I'm prescribed.

Always. Fudge Baby P.