Do you trust Doctors?

@miamilady (4910)
United States
June 5, 2007 10:33am CST
How much faith do you put in doctors. As I get older I have become more cynical about doctors. I'm not saying they are ALL bad, but I get the feeling many of them are becoming salesmen for the drug companies. It seems that they often overprescribe medication and order uncecessary tests simply to run up the medical bills to collect from the insurance companies. Do you agree or disagree?
17 people like this
39 responses
@Kythe42 (1412)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I really don't trust doctors much anymore. I will listen to their advice, but I will do my own research because doctors have proscribed so many medicines for me that I didn't need. I was able to treat my hypothyroidism naturally and get off of my thyroid meds and my doctor refused to believe that my natural remedy helped. She insisted my thyroid got better on it's own. Yeah right! ~Kythe42 http://lemurianphoenix.blogspot.com
2 people like this
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
5 Jun 07
Thanks for your response. I think I handle things the same way. I will consult with a doctor but I don't always think he or she is the final word on how to handle things. I also believe in alternative medicines as well. I think it's interesting that some many doctors turn their noses up at alternative medicine. I think they want to scare people from using this option simply because it would take money out of their pocket.
3 people like this
• Philippines
6 Jun 07
these doctors know the efficacy of traditional medicine. some of them even practice them themselves. those who do not divulge these to their patients are those who are into teh habit of fishing out for more money from their clients rather than seeing them getting cured within reasonable time and expenses. i have known some doctors who are also resorting to herbal cures and water therapy who never share this knowledge with their patients. their assistants who uncover these practices in them are the ones who reveals the doctors secrets.
1 person likes this
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
6 Jun 07
I learned the hard way that you can't trust a doctor. When mt daughter was a baby she had a doctor prescribe her a medication that was suppose to help her bladder grow. I trusted what the doctor said to me and gave my daughter the medicine. I found out about 3 months later from another doctor that there isn't a medication to make the bladder grow. The medicine she gave my daughter did damage to her kidney and bladder instead. I know get second opinions about everything. I sometimes will get a third if I am not sure. I look up every medicine that is prescribed to make sure I know what it is for and the side effects.
2 people like this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
6 Jun 07
No at all do I trust a doctor. With my babies they did not know when they would be born and I did. With my hubby they almost killed him after gallbladder surgery when they killed all the good bacteria in his body. Thank God I gave him yogurt and saved him just in time. Took a while for him to recover from that. He never had the trouble with the removal. Doctors are not diet based and how we eat and how much we move dictates along with some genetics how our health is. I must prefer to know my own body and seek out help when I need it and ask very intelligent questions and allow nothing to occur without full understanding. Herbals are my thing and fortunately that field is growing healthily.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I am to the point where I can't hardly trust anyone these days whether it is a doctor or lawyer, family or friend. I think most everyone these days are just looking out for them selves andthey do not care who they hurt ot what it costs someone else. I miss the good old days when it wasn't as hard as it is now to find decent people and business people.
1 person likes this
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I hear ya. It's a shame. I do believe there are good people around too, but so many people are motivated by money and they lose sight of integrity and caring these days.
1 person likes this
@whywiki (6066)
• Canada
5 Jun 07
I don't trust doctors but that is because I have a fear of them. I live in Canada and our Health care is pretty cheap and once you pay the premiums then it doesn't matter how many times you go it is the same price, so I don't care if they run the test or not as long as I am healthy. I bet that there is a lot of cheating doctors but my family doctor is great and even when he should charge me for some things he doesn't. Too bad he is getting close to retirement.
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
5 Jun 07
You're lucky to have a doctor that you trust. It is too bad that he is going to retire. Good luck when it's time to find a new one. Take Care
1 person likes this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
5 Jun 07
My dog - This is one of my all time favourite photos of my dof. He looks so innocent sitting there, as though I am not going to notice he is sitting on the human bench. The funny thing is, that isn't what he is oging to get in trouble for. Right before he hopped up on the bench he had been digging thorugh the garbage, the little devil!
I din'[t trust doctors as far as I can throw them. I think they are over worked nd a lot of them are very burnt out and I don't think there is any way they can keep up with the medical journals. Therei s such a constant state of advance, it just seems like it is too much. I would be worried to have any doctor who was too young and inexperienced, as much as I would to have any doctor who was too long graduated from medical school and internship. As far as how the deal with the pharmas and HMO's I thought they were more constricted in how much they could order because they were scolded if the ordered too much. I guess it depends on which system you are in?
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
5 Jun 07
Yes, overworked doctors in a problem as well. I think this is more the case for emergency room staff and for doctors in certain specialties. As far as the other problem. I think the services that the doctor provides and how much they will try to take advantage of the insurance company, depends on the insurance company.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Jun 07
Sometimes I do trust doctors, but sometimes I do not. It depends on the doctor and the situation. Best thing is to go with your gut sometimes, trust your instincts, as Obi Wan Kenobi says, "Use the force, Luke!"
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
6 Jun 07
I trust my doctors because mostly I don't have any choice. I have so many ills and need so much medication, I have to trust them to know what they are doing. I do as much as I can to learn about my meds and my ailments. There have been times I caught errors. Doctors are so busy, you have to watch them. I don't trust certain doctors who I know have a reputation for making mistakes, but I usually have no problem with them.
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
6 Jun 07
I feel the same way and I dont like Docoers at all I only go when I cant cure myself like froma nose bleed that wouldnt stop for 7 hours I was in ER with a clamp on my nose!
1 person likes this
• Canada
5 Jun 07
I don't have a lot of faith is doctors as they have messed up different times with my children and myself wich could have led to something bad but luckily didn't . They too often want to prescribe something without checking to make sure what the problem is and are too quick to rush you out of there office to get others in . The price of medication is ridiculous and if they diagnose you wrong and you go back in and have to get another prescription they make more off you for more then one visit and we are down money for buying what they told us to get the first time and then having to go back because they were wrong . I agree with you completely !!
1 person likes this
• Switzerland
5 Jun 07
You cannot generalize about all doctors. Some of them might do it that way, but, there are still many others, who treat it as a service and not as profession. We need to leave out the others and go for the good ones.
1 person likes this
@aprilgrl (4460)
• United States
6 Jun 07
Normally I don't trust any doctors until one day I had a stroke and found a good doctor. I have known some doctors takes advantage and order some test that isn't nesecary Some wants money or just don't care and the one I have cares and knows me everytime he sees me he would always asked about my daughter and hubby so I like that because he knows who I am and some don't know who you are even if you see thenm for certian of times.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
5 Jun 07
Well at the moment I trust my family doctor when it comes to my son. As for me, I was referred to a neurologist when i hurt my lower back (herniated disc) and I was surprised to hear that thew only option he gave me was to have surgery. He did not give me any other alternatives (non surgical ones) other than telling me that I should have the operation very soon. I went away not a happy chappy and thought that all he wanted was $$. So I turned it down and took up physio. I am 99% better since having physio and am so happy that I did not opt for surgery.
1 person likes this
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
6 Jun 07
Having been a nurse for many years...I feel that I have a faorly good understanding of the system...so, yes I trust my physician completely...she has never lead me wrong...and my son loves her..... I have seen emergency room doctors otder things because of our insurance that I did not feel was necessary...but no too extreme or I would have said something about it...LOL
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I only go to doctors when I absolutely have to, generally about once or twice a year for prescription renewal. I consider them to be a necessary evil, and try my best to avoid them.
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
5 Jun 07
Hello miamilady. I think doctors nowadays are more commercialized than before. I don't trust any doctors provided I know what kind of a doctor I'm visiting. I rarely go see a doctor and hate seeing all the heavy prescription they are giving us. I learned a very hard lesson here when a doctor prescribed some medications for my girl before. It didn't cured her and I immediately resorted to homeopathy medicines instead. Its safer and more natural plus the fact that my girl was cured of her illness right away.
@lillake (1630)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I have a hard time trusting doctors the way that many people seem to. They forget that doctors are human and make mistakes, have biases, and are subject to temptation as much as the rest of us. Too often I have heard of people getting horrible advice because the doctors gave their personal feelings rather than medical fact. Or they were more interested inmake more money from the big pharm companies. Is your doctor giving you the right advice?http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/163316/is_your_doctor_giving_you_the_right.html
1 person likes this
• India
5 Jun 07
Upto a certain level i do agree.I too don't entirely trust on them. Also I don't trust them when they prescribe multitudes of tests when they are not sure of the illness. I would like to share my experience over here.Lately my husband was suffering from Bronchitis and we went to a well known doctor in our area and also the said hospital being under our medical insurance coverage as we are working with an International company,that is IBM.Initially the doctor said that it wasn't serious enough,but still he gave us a huge list of medicines.My husband had to take 5-6 pills 3 times a day.I could see that his health deteriorated due to the heavy doses and also bronchitis not cured completely.We visited him again and this time again he gave us a huge list of medicines to be consumed.Well,no option as we were completely dependent on the doctor,my husband had to take them.It took its own time to get cured and we ended up spending huge amount on the medicines rather than the consultation fee that we paid him. secondly, I would again share an example when again my husband was suffering from jaundice which was not that severe as we had already suspected it and we had started taking care of it.Now the abovesaid doctor again gave us a huge list of medicines along with the tests to be carried out.Now Jaundice is such an illness that it takes its own time to cure.The doctor forced my husband to get hospitalised although that was not a necessity.But yes he still did it,as he had to run up the medical bills to collect from the insurance company. I think, "Prevention is better than cure" that we should strictly follow. I would suggest lets take that extra care about ourselves so that we dont have to go such doctors and pay huge bills.
18 Sep 07
Here in Ontario, Canada Health is one important aspect. I hope it is where every you may reside infact I hope it is the top priority in every country across the world. Docter's are an important part of the health of your area and if you can't trust the people that work to save your life that who really can you trust. I know sometimes it can be hard to trust them but remember it may be our lives at their hands!
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
18 Sep 07
I trust my doctor. He's very friendly and he's never lied to me. I've had emergency room doctors lie to me to get rid of me, they're the ones I don't trust.