Doctor's Orders

They are human and not omnipotent. They make mistakes and don't take into consideration my likes and dislikes or even my allergies. I always investigate something I don't know much about.

I learn so much from being on this site because I may always have a feeling the some question should be answered one way or the other but have no references for my opinion so I google the topic and research it.

I am not perfect either but do know my lifestyle and my body as well as I can.

I do not discount the doc, I just want to know what they have told me to do is what I actually need or want to do.

I DO NOT do EVERYTHING my doctors recommend and my doctors respect that. I do my own research and make my decisions based on what I think is best, with consideration of what my doctor recommended.

I do not have my Doctorate or a PhD but I do feel that I am my own best advocate.

It depends on what it is about. My dr wants me to go to a sports med dr for my back cause she does not belive in chriopractors. So I don't go into much detail with her about my back unless I have no other choice. Also when it comes to them wanting me to take sterios I will refuse them!!!!!!!! One dr tried to put me on them several times when I was sick and they might have helped but there was no way I know what they do to me. I know my body better than someone that does not know me at all or someone that I see once in a bluemoon!!!

Generally, I treat our doctors as an expert on illness, but not day-to-day living. I did not look for or want a pediatrician's advice on whether I should breastfeed and for how long, whether my baby should sleep in my bed, etc. I do take his advice on whether something is strep throat and how I should treat it.

My doc recommends more sleep, less stress, more intake of calcium, more exercise. I do not do all of these.

However, when my doc or my kiddos ped recommends treatments, vaccines, procedures for our health, I generally follow their advice. A lot of times the procedure is presented as an option. At this point I weigh all of the info and make a choice. Sometimes the procedure/vacc/whatever is simply presented as what we should do, and I give my doc/ped the benefit of the doubt that her years of experience, training, and education warrant.

Does that mean I don't ask questions? Heck no. I ask lots (and lots!) of questions. I had to warn my ob/gyn that if my hubby were there she would be bombarded with questions. This didn't mean we didn't trust her, it just meant that we wanted more information and then we wanted to get more info from other sources. (Hubby is a phd research scientist, so he is into data/info. Plus he knows a lot of docs to ask since his research is related to the medical field.) Some docs can't handle questions. I don't choose those doctors.

And I like Krista's answer.

I blindly followed everything that any doctor told me up to and including the birth of my first child, which ended in what I believe was an avoidable c-section. During my second pregnancy I was really focused on having a VBAC and started learning about all the choices I could have made and questions I could have asked during my first pregnancy. I definitely view the whole medical profession with a lot more skepticism now, and I do a lot of my own research. That said, it all starts with having a doctor you trust. I searched very carefully for my pediatrician, and I trust her opinion on many things though I do not always take her advice. I am still looking for a doctor for myself, but don't we all prioritize our kids' health :)

Amy:

This is VERY broad indeed!!! For me? There's a difference between a recommendation and instructions.

If the doctor gave me a recommendation to do something - i would do my research and see what I can do to fit my life.

If the doctor gave me instructions - I will make sure I follow them to the "T" and if I have questions - ask.

If the instructions are kooky and are to wake my child ever 4 hours for medicine - I will clarify....as most times the doctors recommend NOT waking children.

Always do your research.. always!

No, I ask a lot of questions and I'm honest with the doctor if I can't or won't do something so that we can come up with other alternatives.
I think having a doctor that is on your wavelength is key. For instance, clearly I would not get along with a doctor who hates being questioned.

I am very educated on healthcare/medical questions and you bet I will do my own research. I will generally follow a physician's recommendation, because I feel that I have a good relationship with my doctor (at least I used to have one with the last doc... with new insurance who knows about next time...) - anyhow I feel that he respected and welcomed my input and usually his recommendations would come out of a discussion of what possible treatments might look like (there is almost always more than one alternative!) and a mutual decision on how to proceed.

I more often have a problem with the nurses, who are usually not present during the conversation I have with my doctor, are sometimes sloppy reading directions and instead prone to follow "the usual procedure" even if that is not what was ordered for me. I know that there are many great nurses out there, but I have had bad experiences with several.

All in all I am not shy about questioning "the usual procedure" and have done so for myself and my DD in the past...and if you really think that something doesn't sound right it never hurts to get a second opinion, especially in cases that are serious or require invasive treatments.
Good luck.

I would say no. Although I make a differentiation between "recommendations" and "instructions." The couple of times my kids have had to take antibiotics I give them "as instructed" because I understand the consequences of not doing so and believed that in those couple of cases the antibiotics were necessary. At my most recent annual exam my midwife recommended a calcium supplement and a multi-vit. I have added the extra calcium but not the multi-vit.
My family in general has very little contact with our doc, just a few well baby visits and a handful of sick visits for my 4 kids combined. So I don't have much opportunity to take or not take his advice, fortunately for the most part my doc and i are on the same page about a lot of things. But I base all my decisions regarding health care for myself and my children on doc advice, my personal and professional experience and education (I am an OB nurse and midwife), research, and advice from my mom (a nurse) and sister (a doctor). So I draw from a lot of resources. I think all people should. Even if you trust your doctor, everyone has a bias. The more resources you have the more you can reduce bias (but you can never get rid of it all together, if you could everyone would agree on everything).

Neither. Or both, perhaps.

I've moved around quite a bit... and come from both a medical background and family... so I shop.

The doctors I go with (GPs and specialists) I TALK with. We can discuss various forms of treatments, differentials, supplementary treatments (counseling, nutrition, etc... they'll send out to a specialist, but then work as a team with the specialist), probability, pathology... whatever.

So once I've selected my physician, I never go behind their backs, as it were. We discuss things right there in office, and if I come across something later on, I ring them up and discuss various alternatives over the phone -or if needed, come back in.

Once I've found that one great practitioner, I'm pretty much set. Because especially in medicine, birds of a feather really do flock together. Once I've found an intelligent, communicative, great doctor... they're friends with the other great doctors in the area in various specialities.

The ONLY specialty that I don't do this with is surgeons. Brilliant surgeons are often terrible people, or at least terrible WITH people. I don't care about who a surgeon is as a person, by and large. I care with their skill with a knife.

ROFL... Oh, my, goodnes though... I forget what being with a mediocre doctor is like. Every once in awhile I'll need to take an 'on call' whomever. Oy. After months of hospitalization with my son (and a crash course in pulmonology, Children's Hosp docs REALLY work with and educate parents to be part of the treatment team... I would get called in to look at new chest films and discuss various antibiotics, just like every. other. parent. with a long-term kiddo... in on every treatment, trained to do treatments at home -respiratory therapy, PICC Lines, vitals, etc.) we had an outpatient appointment with someone who not only didn't get my son's diagnosis correct... they went on (in very slow words) to tell me that asthma (which my son doesn't have) makes it difficult. for. him. to. breathe.

Blink. Blink.

I'd asked a simple question, that was completely ignored, and was then treated like I was 4 years old. Never went back to HIM again!!! (and scheduled a repeat of the "same" appointment with someone else). Sure enough, not only had the doctor treated me like an idiot, but had been an idiot himself... missing some really key things that had come up and needed to be immediately addressed.

So... for me... it's the working relationship that is the most key. If I don't have that, I don't stay with that doctor.

But, yes, I also do my own research. Asthma, for example, has over 80 differentials. Doing a crash course in the possibilities we were facing and looking at made it possible for me to have an intelligent conversation. But once I'm able to understand what's up, then we work together.

I always question the doctor's orders. Do your own research, be your own advocate as well as your children's.

It helps to have a doctor whe respects your thoughts, questions & wishes too.

I always research first, ask family members (after all many health issues & peoples reactions are familial so their experiences can often shed alot of light), and then go to the doctor (as long as it is not an emergency, then doctor comes first). That way I am armed with information when I see the doctor and can use that info to better judge the doctor's advice and counter it if need be. Also remember you know yourself and your children better than a doctor ever will.

Most of my doctors figured out quick I am not a good patient. I believe that is why I got a full out nerve block on my last knee surgery. If I can't talk her into staying in bed for 24 hours I will make sure she has no choice. :p

I do my research going in and discuss it with my doctor. I don't consider that questioning his authority so much as helping him understand where I am coming from.

Everything my Dr. says w/o question? Um, no.
In fact, DH and I usually leave the Dr's. office laughing. :)
I have followed some health advice. And tossed out what would not work for our child.

I definitely do not do exactly what one person (My doctor) says. I do my own research as well, read books, and talk to other professionals and get more than one opinion. I have back issues. If I listened to my doctor, she advised me to never run again in life. I began seeing a physical therapist who is an athlete and a chiropractor and they are having me strengthen certain muscles and then they are both having me go take postural strengthening classes from an expert in this kind of back injury. Wow, the difference is amazing - I am getting so much stronger. They both say definitely I can run again once these areas are strong and that actually, this will be much better for my spine than being more sedentary. I finally have no pain after 6 months and am really getting better. If I listened to my doctor I would be taking it easy and staying weak and exercising less.

I feel exactly the same as Krista P.

No, I do not blindly follow my doctors' orders. I live with my body every day, so I know things that a doctor won't. Doctors have studied other cases and have a good idea of how things generally go, so they provide a good compass. It's a partnership for my (or my baby's) health. My case adds to his knowledge just like anything that he's read in a journal.

I tell my doctors EVERYTHING--probably stuff that they don't care to hear--because I want them to be well-informed. There can be stuff going on that nobody even thinks might be connected. We're gonna put it all on the books and figure it out.

Depends on lots of factors. How much I trust the doctor, respect the decisions, outside influences like research etc and my own personal history. I generally go with what the doctor prescribes but if I have any doubt or second-guess feeling about it, I do what my gut tells me to. I for the most part agree with the diagnosis that the doctors give and have a medical background and am familiar with alot of the things that I have dealt with physically. But if I don't agree or am unclear, I don't leave the office until I am clear on what they are saying or planning on doing. Its all about communication and I am not afraid to tell my doctor what I agree with /don't agree with and find a compromise that we are all ok with.

If it makes sense I follow it, if it does not I question it research on my own and then discuss w/ our doc. I like to be involved in the descisions regarding my son and I do not blindly follow anyone - or I try not to!

I generally follow their advice and recommendations, especially if I don't know what to do. I am from from a family where the majority are in the medical profession, so I do get a lot of good advice. Usually though if I do see my doctor, I follow up with my parents and get their take on it. If it is something serious, I don't play around with that.

I also use common sense. That goes along way.

I follow the advice, but always follow up with my own research. There is a reason people get 2nd and even 3rd opinions. I watched my dad who had Leukemia go through some traumatic events due to following Dr's orders. Often times my dad had to do his own research (pre-internet days) and correct the Drs in order to save his own life.

I guess I'm in between. I do research, because I like to know what a situation is. But I also find conflicting opinions and conflicting reports in my research. Sometimes it's difficult for me to differentiate between fact and opinion!

However, I have a doctor I can trust. "Without question" is the sticker in this post. I always have questions! But questions don't necessarily demonstrate mistrust. I still trust him. Asking questions helps me learn and become confident. And my doctor doesn't mind questions in the least. He's very easy and interesting to talk to.

It helps greatly, I think, that we've lived in one location, and I haven't had to hunt for new doctors very often.

Somewhere in between. I know they are giving great advice, but to be honest, money is a factor. I don't have a lot of extra, and if it's the end of the month, hardly anything if that. I'm more on top of things for my babies, than myself, I will always take care of myself last. If there is money left on my spending account at the end then I'll go see my doctor.