Beware - Dr Google: Slightly off topic... - British Heart Fou...

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Beware - Dr Google

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star
24 Replies

Slightly off topic but Dr Google can come up with out of date and inaccurate information. Caution needs to be exercised outside the mainstream sites like NHS and BHF. A friend recently got in a state about a biopsy as they read it was very dangerous. However, it turned out these days they use a very fine needle and imaging to ensure accuracy when carrying out the procedure.

So be very wary of Doctor Google as you can really scare yourself unnecessarily!

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MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJH
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24 Replies
Jinky07 profile image
Jinky07

As I did when I used Dr Google to look up side effects of my medicine 😂😂😂

mikeydt profile image
mikeydt

at my local hospital i have seen many nurses dr googling and when i went to my doctors on 2 occassions the doctors pulled information from google!

if it wasn't for google people wouldn't find support or forum groups and i only found bhf through google.

the only time people shouldn't do it is when they are trying to diagnose and then try to obtain medications from the net, very dangerous and has resulted in loss of life

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star

I absolutely agree.

Dr Google's consulting room is not the best place to go for a diagnosis.

NHS staff will Google NHS evidence and NICE guidelines and other sites such as the BHF, medscape and the American Heart Association.

I swap information and research articles with my Cardiologist which is invaluable when you have a rare condition.

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234

Also be very careful when reading about "studies" -- whenever you read the words "may" or "could" , you really need to silently also say "may - or may NOT!" . Also things like - a study has found that every person who has ever drunk milk has eventually died. So there is a strong association between drinking milk and dying!!! :)

jobe1968 profile image
jobe1968 in reply toBazza1234

Another good reason to go to plant based milk alternatives. Been holding a soy based product for a few days. Says it is foam-able for frothy coffee etc. still not got up the nerve to try it as I have a little real milk left! Now I am informed of its fatal side effects of real milk I shall quarantine it immediately!!!

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234 in reply tojobe1968

There's no doubt about it - it is almost guaranteed that if you drink milk, then you will eventually die.

jobe1968 profile image
jobe1968 in reply toBazza1234

Eventually is a better long term prognosis than immediately! therefore perhaps it’s the milk which is prolonging life.

Anya58 profile image
Anya58 in reply toBazza1234

Hi Bazza 1234..I’ve just read your text..made me chuckle..don’t usually get to have a laugh on here..as we’re all going through a ruff time..I don’t think everybody got it..doesn’t matter what we do..we all have a one way ticket ;)

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234 in reply toAnya58

I have read (on the Internet :) ) that people in the early stages of dementia lose the ability to understand sarcasm and believe anything you say to them word for word. :) If I ever get a bit down about anything, I usually watch this to cheer me up for a while youtube.com/watch?v=WdEoput...

in reply tojobe1968

If soya is so good for us, why were we not born a plant and then picked when ready to go home - Milk is the sustenance of life and for mammals, she knows best

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to

We have not had any milk products since March. My wife's asthma, hay fever and allergies have all cleared up. It doesn't mean that everyone should give it up but if you have asthma, hay fever and/or allergies, it might be worth a try.

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star in reply to

I have a soya intolerance so will stick to cow's milk and animal protein sources!

Mjd7568 profile image
Mjd7568 in reply toBazza1234

I’ve just found a study that proves everyone who doesn’t drink milk will die

Alison_L profile image
Alison_L in reply toMjd7568

They drink water instead - very dangerous.

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star

The. more we know about our bodies and how they work and can go wrong, the better. Makes for a better partnership with the specialists managing our heart problems. I’m all for the way the internet makes a wealth of information available to all...professionals and patients.

bee2 profile image
bee2 in reply toKristin1812

I agree Kirstin as does my GP who said my conditions have been misdiagnosed for years if not decades. Thanks to google I am on the right path. With everything though common sense prevails.

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star in reply tobee2

You’re right! Common sense in everything. Im glad you eventually got sorted.

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star in reply tobee2

Yes Google can lead us to find the information we need however it cannot replace the partnership we need to develop with our GP and Cardiologist.

I email my Cardiologist before my appointment and send him any new research articles published about my condition. He says I am his research fellow.

However I only use sources that provide upto date evidenced based information usually peer reviewed articles.

We perhaps could do with a list of reliable internet resources along with learning the art of surfing the internet with a sensible dose of common sense as bee2 says

bee2 profile image
bee2 in reply toMilkfairy

I agree I also don't take what I read as gospel but discuss with GP and Cardiologist.

in reply toKristin1812

I do agree with some reservations - too much so called knowledge can be a very bad thing in the wrong hands and can cause more harm than good. There was not much time between diagnosed and actually having the triple heart bypass and one visitor asked me whether I had googled the operation - they were quite taken aback when I said I knew what I was going to have done to me and had absolutely no intention of "Googling" it. It is actually the way GOOGLE makes their money and is just another US firm trying to colonise the Earth with garbage...........Purely my stand point. But please remember, just because someone Googles something, the results can be a huge step from the truth and thereby lies the danger

From the patient point of view, Google is just a myriad of collections of information and all of that mostly from the USA. Firstly, there are other search engines that actually support GB first like Bing. Google appears to have become synonymous with web searching which of course is tosh. Secondly, I cannot imagine any nurse or Doctor getting the required information they need from a Google search. In fact these people have their own intranet, supported by the hospitals and the NHS to find information. SO please do not worry about such things as Google - although if you do use it, your spam will increase by at least two thirds with garbage from USA. I would not touch it with a bargepole. The main point is we all need up to date, competent and relevant information which is why I only use the NHS web page and the BHF web site - all other do not exist...............furthermore, with using G- you get sites that like to frighten to suggest you need their product or are led to sites that show graphic images of surgery - and no one wants nor needs any of that sort of rubbish before or after a procedure or operation.........hope this helps

dunestar profile image
dunestar

I think googling can be very helpful but you have to keep your brain engaged and ask questions like who is saying this, does it stack up with other information etc etc. I'm sure the professionals use google because it's impossible for them to hold everything in their heads but they will know how to judge whether the info is correct or not.

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

My GP practice's intraweb's external access is pretty locked down to official medical and drug (and interactions) sites. Previously they had problems with admin staff using Amazon, reading about the Beckhams and similar minor celebs, and general misuse in working hours. This also led to a number of virus issues!

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star

I have to say I have enjoyed this thread .

I have laughed out loud as they say....still drinking milk in my tea with a smile.

Thanks everyone!

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