Second opinion?
Jun 16th 2004, 3:24 pm
#1
my arm aches
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: the warm waters of Florida
Posts: 2,289
Second opinion?
Has anyone been facing a major procedure or op and decided to get a second opinion from another physician first?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Jun 16th 2004, 3:37 pm
#2
Maño-Americano
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: In the heart of the Ozarks
Posts: 10,216
Re: Second opinion?
Originally posted by ladyofthelake
Has anyone been facing a major procedure or op and decided to get a second opinion from another physician first?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Has anyone been facing a major procedure or op and decided to get a second opinion from another physician first?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Jun 16th 2004, 3:50 pm
#3
my arm aches
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: the warm waters of Florida
Posts: 2,289
Thanks for your reasurances. I'll do that.
Jun 16th 2004, 3:50 pm
#4
Not dead yet
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: In a world of my own where I know everyone
Posts: 15,042
I asked my Doctor for a second opinion he said ' You're ugly as well'
Jun 16th 2004, 5:35 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 920
Definitely ask for a second opinion. You could always go to your insurance company for specialists in your area too.
Jun 16th 2004, 10:11 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Dahn Sarf
Posts: 287
Originally posted by Thydney
I asked my Doctor for a second opinion he said ' You're ugly as well'
I asked my Doctor for a second opinion he said ' You're ugly as well'
Jun 16th 2004, 10:37 pm
#7
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,542
Always get a second opinion.
Or, as an old friend of mine said, "I go on getting second opinions until I get one I like".
Or, as an old friend of mine said, "I go on getting second opinions until I get one I like".
Jun 17th 2004, 3:46 am
#8
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
We got a "welcome to the practice" booklet from our paediatircians practise when we signed our kids up, and in that they actually recommended getting a second opinion! Said the doctors would welcome it, and would assist with recommendations if desired! Must admit my first thought was "jobs for the boys eh?" but my wife pointed out that maybe they saw it as a bit of personal protection for them, rather than us, because of the massive lawsuit potential for incorrect diagnoses/procedures..?
Jun 17th 2004, 3:55 am
#9
Winter hyphenator
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 660
My friend's adopted 6yo daughter just had surgery to remove scar tissue of unknown origin from her quadraceps (they pretty much removed one of the 4 muscles). The surgeon was actually someone who they went to for a second opinion, very highly respected and operated on my son when he broke his elbow. She's wonderful.
Still, my friend not only went for the second opinion and changed to that doctor, she also researched the proposed surgery and found a new paper suggesting that there was actually a better way to do it. She emailed the paper to the doc and she (the doc) postponed surgery until she could research it and eventually went with the new method. The girl is doing fantastically now -she can run and climb and all the other things she couldn't do before. If my friend had not gone for a second opinion and done research herself, the girl would still be in a right-angled full leg cast (6 months is the suggested time).
So the moral of the story is... go for the second and third and fourth opinion and research everything they tell you and don't be afraid to question and challenge. Any surgeon worth their salt will be able to answer your questions without taking offence.
Still, my friend not only went for the second opinion and changed to that doctor, she also researched the proposed surgery and found a new paper suggesting that there was actually a better way to do it. She emailed the paper to the doc and she (the doc) postponed surgery until she could research it and eventually went with the new method. The girl is doing fantastically now -she can run and climb and all the other things she couldn't do before. If my friend had not gone for a second opinion and done research herself, the girl would still be in a right-angled full leg cast (6 months is the suggested time).
So the moral of the story is... go for the second and third and fourth opinion and research everything they tell you and don't be afraid to question and challenge. Any surgeon worth their salt will be able to answer your questions without taking offence.
Jun 17th 2004, 4:38 am
#10
Howling at the Moon
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
Re: Second opinion?
Originally posted by ladyofthelake
Has anyone been facing a major procedure or op and decided to get a second opinion from another physician first?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Has anyone been facing a major procedure or op and decided to get a second opinion from another physician first?
Did it help or confuse things more? I am faced with this now.
The surgeon we are seeing is a good orthopedic surgeon, but when I first took my daughter to see him, I didn't consider things like which hospital he has privileges at, or the fact that he doesn't specialise in paediatric orthopedic surgery. I never foresaw we might end up in this position, having to shop around for a surgeon to do the op. Back at the good ol' NHS you just get who you're given, and never question if they're good enough.
Am I panicking too much, searching for for all background info, licence info and hospital records?
Have finally settled on having my op with Davis and feel satisfied that I have at least reasonably found the best people to provide a service I will be happy with.
Can't be too careful with your health, especially when it involves having portions of you chopped off
