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The problem is that you're doing a blind search which could lead you to anything. Without prior experience with a condition and a limited description of the symptoms, it is a crapshoot. There are home remedies for the condition. We also don't know what kind of cancer he previously had and whether it could be related to the stomach or intestines. You're better off going to an urgent care facility and getting the tests to determine the cause. You'll know better the next time.
Oh we did see the doctor, but hubby wasn't anxious to do, so I gave him a few days before he was ready and instead of just waiting i decided to try and find out what it might have be. I think, after a diagnosis it is fine to spend time learning more about the condition.
As for not knowing about his cancer history, of course you don't. I guess I have spend so much time on citydata over the years I just think everyone must know my life's history: silly me. and yes we did end up going to urgent care or a similar practice. We went to my doctor who sees walk ins from ;7am to 9:30am 3 days a week. The interesting thing, hubby own doctor was booked up, that is why we went to mine. As it turned out, we got an email, from his doctor yesterday that he is moving. So, the good news, he will now be seeing my doctor which he really liked.
Oh we did see the doctor, but hubby wasn't anxious to do, so I gave him a few days before he was ready and instead of just waiting i decided to try and find out what it might have be. I think, after a diagnosis it is fine to spend time learning more about the condition.
He has probably had it before. It is so common. He stopped eating. Don't eat at night several hours before sleep.
Before the internet, I would go to the library to research medical questions so I could have informed discussions with our family doctors.
But, I also thought I was the only person on the planet that got hives and strange swellings every night, doctors could never find a solution and kept me on prednisone for years. Then in the 90's I found an online support group for chronic urticaria and angioedema that changed my life.
I'm very thankful that we're able to research online and then have good questions for our doctors.
Before the internet, I lived with the bible health book Prescription for Nutritional Healing and subscribed for many years to Alternative Medicine magazine...both are still available, but I learned so so much and put my learning to work and then the internet has it all. And I don't BUY into everything believe me, but I've learned so so much to keep me going.
I'd say the doctors don't want us to know what we have learned about ourselves. I certainly haven't learned much at all from the doctors I've seen over the years. My integrative MD, yes, but otherwise nope.
My dear mother couldn't wait for her Prevention magazine to come to her monthly...she loved to read about how to help herself and her health.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 06-01-2018 at 11:11 AM..
There's an old saying in medicine that goes something like "when you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras".
The simplest answer is very often the right one.
I was taught that expression by my old doctor. I have had so much weird medical stuff in my life that she told me that expression and then said "but you are a zebra!" lol!
Quote:
Originally Posted by coschristi
Rule #1 for symptom-checker websites: Every symptom you could ever have or even conceive of; might mean a Brain Tumor.
yes, so funny but so true.
To me, the important thing is to use a few reputable sites that are regularly maintained and fact checked by medical professionals. There are more than enough of those out there, so no one needs to rely on the ones that are really just medical terminology word salad with advertising.
I was taught that expression by my old doctor. I have had so much weird medical stuff in my life that she told me that expression and then said "but you are a zebra!" lol!
Our granddaughter who is a nurse practitioner is always saying: don't depend on what you read about you health on many websites. In fact she would prefer we not even look up information but she knows we all do. Here is what why and now I understand;
As some of you know hubby is a cancer survivor, having more than one bout with cancer. For this reason, even though his cancers were 6,7 and 10 years ago, I still worry. Well, a few days ago he started feeling really weak after spending a while working in the yard. When he came in, he started throwing up blood. This continued for a few hours. That was Sunday. He didn't even feel like eating dinner. Monday the same thing and he again, didn't want to eat. So, of course I started checking on the net. All his symptoms spelled possible trouble. He was so weak, hadn't had a decent meal for 3 days and I had gotten no sleep. Well, yesterday, we went to his doctor: what does he have? Certainly not cancer or any of the other things it could have been. He has gastritis and since taking the meds he was given he has only thrown up once, ate a nice breakfast this morning and says he is fine. The only thing other than the gastritis he has is a huge hernia, which we knew about. He has an appointment with his surgeon to have it taken care of in a couple of weeks.
This is not the first time I have checked the web for answers and gotten the worst possible answers instead of a simple and not so scary answer. I know most of us will continue to look up symptoms and no symptom should be overlooked, but I am learning to not panic by what I read.
Wow, whether of not you check out the internet to find information on signs, symptoms, illnesses or whatever, there are some things that fall into a life-threatening category and as such warrant immediate medical attention, without waiting to check out what Dr. Google thinks it might be. Vomiting blood falls into that category, as do signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes, severe abdominal pain with fever.
I can understand why medical professionals are less than enamored by the thoughts of John Q patient playing his own healthcare provider based on often arbitrary information he stumbles on when he googles symptoms or illnesses he thinks he *might* have. Not only might this delay, or even prevent someone from obtaining lifesaving or needed medical care, there's such a plethora of good, bad, sometimes even inane information out there, with many people not able to distinguish which is which, and who lack the education or background to differentiate or to interpret what they read. I think this can make the healthcare professional's jobs harder, and may do nothing for the patient.
This reminds me I waited 2 years longer than I should have for getting my hip replaced. Because I read of so many problems, but then reading further, they had issues to begin with!
This reminds me I waited 2 years longer than I should have for getting my hip replaced. Because I read of so many problems, but then reading further, they had issues to begin with!
And I often think what if I hadn't done it at all...maybe I jumped too fast as I live with 3 major complications. And a very unstable body. If if if
I guess when you get a particular type of bone tumor that is less than 1/2 of 1% of bone tumors, you get to be a zebra!
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and yes we did end up going to urgent care or a similar practice. We went to my doctor who sees walk ins from ;7am to 9:30am 3 days a week. The interesting thing, hubby own doctor was booked up, that is why we went to mine. As it turned out, we got an email, from his doctor yesterday that he is moving. So, the good news, he will now be seeing my doctor which he really liked.
