General Practitioners

[Dom Tuk]

Is there anything that a GP in a surgery diagnose. I am thinking of common ailments. All they can do is make calculated guesses as to the possble ailments but cannot tell you what the problem is without further tests. Personally i dont go to them anymore as I can judge for myself what the problem is without their help. In fact recently when i had a stomach pain for half a day i correctly judged it to be an appendix problem and went staright to the hospital. does anyone feel the same.

[SpecialAgent]

I do find it easier to diagnose myself than visit a GP. Although i am a GP myself so maybe that doesnt count.

[SteveD]

So you dianosed yourself as suffering from acute appendicitis requiring urgent attention?

 

What treatment did they give you in the Accident & Emergency Department of the hospital?

 

[SteveD]

diagnosed

 

[sammy snake]

Have youever thought of becoming a GP yourself?

I would be slightly worried that one time your self-diagnosis may not be correct and you may have some serious problem that may go undetected due to your belief that you know better than a doctor!

[brachiopod]

Seems that GP's can't win. If they fail to diagnose something, it's malpractice; if they take extra precautions by 'getting it checked out', it's unnecceaary scaremongering. Either way it leads to bad publicity or a lawsuit.

 

As for the 'self diagnostics' - how many of those do you think A&E departments receive every week - insisting they see someone "NOW!" because they believe they've got some condition that they read about on t'internet. And in their wisdom, they believe they are somehow more qualified than someone with medical training.

 

And before the backlash, yes, I know there are examples to the contrary - but let's get it in perspective!

[Dom Tuk]

When i correctly diagnosed my problem as appendicitis, i was made to wait 36 hrs in a hospital corridor on a trolley and eventually the appendixx taken out. However the reason for the question is this. GPs cannot tell you what the problem is when you go to them. Lets say you have got a headache and go to the GP (some do). The GP cannot with the tools that he has tell you what the cause of the ehadache is. Surely he can check the BP and if it is high he can tell you that but that does not give him a reason for the symptom. the reason for the headache can be many and the GP is in no position to solve the problem. In most cases the headache will go away but when it does not the GP still cannot narrow it down and requires tests to answer the question. This is the same for all symptoms. The GP just does not have a clue and he can make an educated guess which many experienced housewives can do...make calculated guesses. So from a cold, sniffle, stomach ache, vomitting, diarrhoea to chest pain a GP can do sweet diddly. He can ask you to do tests and that will give some pointers but the GP can do diddly squat. So what is the GPs use at all.

[brachiopod]

You said it - "...he can make an educated guess ...."

 

The operative word being educated. This is the diagnostic process, where, based upon a series of observations, tests or questions to the patient, the doctor will deduce the likely cause of the ailment.

If it was so easy we'd all be doctors. Then again, some of us already think we are....(or know better)

[Dom Tuk]

The operative words being educated and guess.

I am an educated person, got a Phd in pharmacology and genetics. So i reckon i am in a position to make educated guesses about what is wrong with my body and can also make guesses about what needs to be done. But the real point is that you dont need degrees to tell you what is probably wrong. Like i said a savvy worldly person can do the same as the GP. and you wont need to pay them starting salaries of 45 K to do it.

[morg_monster]

well i for one am glad for GPs, where else would I find out what exact bacteria I've got living in my tonsils / bladder etc so they can give me the right antibiotics to sort it out.  And where would all us poor souls without a PhD go to find out what is wrong with us!  Where would we get our vaccinations?  Your example of headaches was I'm sure intentionally vague - if someone's having serious headaches of course there's no way a GP can diagnose the cause without further investigation.  That is what specialists are for.  GPs are a vital first port of call for the community, it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise.  Of course we can make guesses about what's wrong with us - and yes we might be right if its flu, or tonsillitis, or cystitis, or thrush. But there are plenty of illnesses that we haven't heard of, that we'd never guess we might have.  What if we are depressed?  Hearing voices in our head?  Got permanent pins and needles?  Peeing blood? (sorry that is a bit gross).  But you get my point I hope.  Doctors can diagnose the more common / simple ailments and send us off with a prescription or advice, and they can tell us if more investigation is needed and where it can be undertaken.  Hospitals would be swamped if we all turned up with a sore throat!

[Dom Tuk]

But that is exactly what i am saying. the doctor does not know what bacteria is in your tonsils. He does not know if it is bacteria or virus. he wont know what is the best antibiotic for you or if an antibiotic is required. he does not know why you have blood in urine. there could be many many reasons but he by looking at you or examining you cannot say what the cause is. That is my whole point of starting this thread. A nurse can tell you what the doctor can and the nurse does not get paid as much. why a nurse, even a layman without a phd can tell you what the doctor should tell you and that is I dont know what is wrong with you unless someone does tests to find out why.