[Thelma]

There are a lot of posts all over these forums where we are being very less than carefull with what we are telling people about their various symptoms and giving our diagnosis to them with suspicions of other diseases to look out for and to be tested for.

There is no way humanly possible to know who you are talking to nor what their upfront medical problems are.

You can help in that you relate what your own personal problems have been and how you related to treatment but it remains a black hole you are talking to to try and tell them what they should or should not do.

In my own condition to tell me to fall back on nutrients is to sign my death warrant. Nutritional supplements are in that same avenue of non usage along with even every day spices we use.

I know some here think that the patient is the one with the final decision and that is true but to instill in them the distrust of the medical profession and to insist they try anything without the consultation of their doctor FIRST AND FOREMOST is to take on your shoulders the responsibillity whatever the outcome will be.

The very fact that the various medical professions take years of medical training certainly should allow you the thought that they see the human being in front of them and know all the related facts pertaining to them while we see them on a screen and can not even be sure they have any ailment at all let alone the one they are asking for help with.

Yet we recommend various vitamins and supplements as fast as they ask.

This is not good

Think about it and realize it is a person behind that screen who may just need to go back to their doctor or see another one to find help.

It can't come from us.

Hints on equiptment yes

Personal experience yes

Advice on mineral or nutrients or even the most one seen here B12 are a no no

Sorry but if only one is hurt with loose advice it is one too many for me.

[CoolAngel26]

I have to agree that we should only talk about topics in general terms,and not share personal info.I often wonder if we are protected enough...

[Thelma]

It is only ourselves that can protect us although I don't see the dangers here.

It is our protecting others that are new here that has me concerned.

Do you think we are worrywarts lol

[CoolAngel26]

Originally Posted by Thelma

It is only ourselves that can protect us although I don't see the dangers here.

It is our protecting others that are new here that has me concerned.

Do you think we are worrywarts lol

Naah...now I know several worrywarts,and I don't think we fit that category,Thelma..At least,not yet.

[Chemar]

Hey Thelma

I absolutely agree with you that everyone should always be very careful about not converting personal experience and knowledge gathering into making diagnosis or assumptions about other people's conditions.

Where we share info and experience here and on whatever other health forums we participate in, yet it can never take the place of consulting personally with a qualified healthcare professional.

And yes, we should all be very careful in not allowing sharing of personal information to become an attempt at diagnosing someone else or dispensing medical advise to them.

A very fine line, and one we do always need to be reminded not to cross!
I personally think the members here are generally very respectful of this

I do think tho that sharing our experience and knowledge is nevertheless a very valuable thing....because sometimes it can provide someone with a nugget of information to take to their physician to consider, and that in turn can make a pivotal difference in their health

That was true in the case of my own son...where his intolerance of every medication that the docs tried him on meant that we had no viable treatment options for him, and his prognosis was not good. If I had not come across someone sharing info on nutritional methods that had helped her child, I shudder to think how different my son's life would be.

However
the CRUCIAL issue is that I took that information to our doctors and sought their advice and guidance and in that way we were able to bring a turnaround for my son.

So where we should be very careful, yes, not to attempt to "diagnose" others nor to "prescribe" treatments for them, still we should also not feel stifled to share personal experience as that too can be valuable to someone somewhere, provided they use that information wisely and filter it through the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional!

Definitely a fine line, but one that we do need to be frequently reminded of, that sharing experience and knowledge and ideas and opinions does not equate to making diagnoses nor prescribing medical advice

[Curious]

why is advise on minerals or supplements a no no in your opinion thelma?

lack of potassium almost killed my mother.

[Wittesea]

I just went out for a smoke and I had another thought 9I do my best thinking while I'm outside smoking because there are no distractions)

Anyway, it occured to me that a lot of times my own advice and the way I word my suggestions to people have a lot to do with how well I know the person and what I know about that persons personality.

For example, there are some members and I know that they are very research-involved. So for those members if they post "I have a problem A" I know that I can just say "why not try drug Z" -- and I know that the member will look up drug Z, find out what it is and what it does, check for interaction with their current meds, look up how well drug Z works for problem A, and then if they feel it might help, they will go to their doc and ask about possibly trying drug Z.

On the other hand, I know that there are some members who if they post "I have problem A" and if I want to suggest drug Z, I will provide a lot more info and word it more like a suggestion, because I know that some members are the type that will see "why not try drug Z" and without even looking it up or knowing what it is they will go to their doc and say "I want to try drug Z" -- so for those members if I make a suggestion I word it differently, provide more information, etc.. and I do the same thing (providing more info, wording more carefully) with members who I do not know very well.

So, I may sometimes give advice that looks quick and looks like it has no information to back it up, but in those cases it is because I have known the member for a while and know that they will do their own search for info whether I provide info in my post or not.

It's something to take into account anytime we might see a post that looks like it's less responsible in terms of offering information to back up a suggestion/advice. The person giving the advice might know the other person well enough to know that they will be responsible about seeking out information.

[Wittesea]

Doody,

I think that the concern is not about sharing personal experiences, but rather the concern is about giving advice that has no personal experience or information to back it up.

I think the concern is not about posts that say "Oh, I had problem A once and I tried drug Z and it worked very well"....

I think the concern is about posts that say "you have problem A, so you need to take drug Z".... (no personal experience offered, no information offered, and it's worded to sound like an instruction instead of sounding like advice or a suggestion).

That's my understanding about what the concern is.... posts that sound like instructions instead of sounding like advice, suggestions, personal experience, information, etc...

Of course, I could be totally missing the point and misunderstanding the intentions and concerns... I'm a blonde, so I've missed the point and misunderstood things int he past

[Curious]

when i offer brownies does everyone take one?

advice is offered. no one has said do this, take this, eat this or else.

lots of valid points. this is a forum. a message board to share information and offer support. this is not an ask the doctor or call a nurse site.

thelma or any and all members, if you see any posts where you suspect somebody is trying to practice medicine...report it asap!

so if this thread was started with any particular thread in mind...i hope it is reported.

[dahlek]

No one is forced to eat a brownie!

One has to use the brain power left in us to try and decide for ourselves. Seems as if many in this world have been conditioned otherwise...Tis scary! -j