People would have to be quite silly not to because the Doctors these Day’s sort of leave a lot to be desired. Extremely Difficult to find one that you can Trust.
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Some years ago I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. With the assistance of my ever-patient GP, I consulted 3 specialists and was advised to have a various treatments ranging from neurectomy to nerve ablation. All would have resulting in partial facial numbness and paralysis. I was finally referred to a neurosurgeon who operated to lift a blood vessel from resting on the trigeminal ganglion. The result has been freedom from pain for over 15 years and no neural deficit.
The morale is don’t accept the first diagnosis or the first recommended treatment if you are not comfortable with the risks and/or potential side-effects. A good doctor won’t be insulted if you ask for another opinion.
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Any number of times - perhaps “they” might argue that’s a reflection on the fact I’m 75 - I’d rather assert that the fact I AM 75 is a reflection of the fact that on all of those occasions I DID seek a second opinion.
I’ve also changed two doctors because their behaviour was unprofessional, and two others because they were incompetent & a complete waste of time & money. I’m not sure how the majority of the population is expected to cope with such things, I have the advantage of coming from a medical family - although I don’t have a medical degree, it’s a lot easier for me to handle such situations than it would be for most people.
On the plus side - by being choosey, having a GOOD GP at a GOOD clinic, with plenty of backup from other good doctors in the same clinic and proper facilities, as well as a regular health care plan, I’ve managed my health fairly well. It’s a partnership between patient and practitioner, and for me, it works. It’s kept me out of hospitals most of my life, and saved a bundle in medical expenses by doing so. And kept me healthy and active.
People who only ask for help when they have a medical crisis are begging for trouble - and a lot of them get it. The incremental costs (after Medicare) of perhaps as many as half a dozen visits a year is peanuts, compared to what it costs to spend a fortnight in a hospital.
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Never had any real medical problems till I was diagnosed as diabetic sent to hospital for 3 days and discharged after being taught to inject myself with insulin four times a day. This was about 1998 and things have gone reasonably well since except a couple issues with medication which wasn’t obvious to me for some time. My doctor who I had been seeing for about 5 years prior to him diagnosing me as diabetic, quite correctly and my only doctor till early this year when I sold my home and moved to Campbelltown from the south coast. One of my main problems for selling and moving was because I would get light headed and sometimes black out when I exerted myself. Examples of this was my favourite pastime of bushwalking which became more and more difficult over a long period of time and what I put down to getting older - now 67 years old. Other examples were several hours of mowing during summer (about 1/2 acre) which became extremely difficult and the reason I sold.
I spoke to my doctor about the problem and he reduced the dose of my blood pressure tablets which I suggested after looking online about the affects of the medication, unfortunately with no obvious change. I carried on respecting his advice till I sold and moved at which time I needed a new doctor so chose my dads old doctor as I moved back to my old home town. I explained my situation to my new doctor and he immediately changed my blood pressure medication to a different type which I hoped would help.
Well help it did as I am now able to carry on bushwalking and my exertion levels are fantastic compared to recent years. I have not mentioned brand names of my medications as they may have different reactions on different people.
My suggestion to people who feel they need a second opinion is to do it as it worked for me.
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I just Wish more people had a “Sick” Sense of Humour these Day’s instead of all the Idiotic, Mindless PC Crap. Loved it.
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Yep, it looks like most types of humour have been banned by our new social media overlords.
Deviation from their po-faced self-regard may mean mass flaming - which can be amusing. 
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NEVER Trust anyone in the Medical System…EVER. I Refer to them as the Medical Mafia and the only Difference between them and the Italian Mafia is that the the Medical one Kills far more people then the Italian Mafia ever could. You know the Old Saying…Doctors Bury their Mistakes.
