Do you follow all your doctor's advice?

Amy - posted on 06/12/2010

No, I've been given some misinformed advice even from doctors I like and generally trust, so I don't take anything as gospel. I guess sometimes I know better before I'm given the advice, so on some subjects that makes the difference!

Respectfully disagreeing has left me at odds with doctors in the past, to the point where since I've moved I no longer have a GP - my now six year old daughter's had quality care for an allergic reaction at the after hours & for a suspected UTI, and other than that we very rarely see a doctor.

Most of the quackery I've heard has been from nurses, whereas the doctors have volunteered wrong or less than ideal advice based on a lack of up to date research.

Sherri - posted on 06/12/2010

I LOVE my kids pediatrician. They have always listened to me when I have said something wrong and we have always worked wonderfully together. So I am definitely not hesitant to listen to any medical advice they have for my kids.

I don't think we have had any parenting disagreements either. Solids at 4mo's, bottles gone by 1, car seats, helmets, proper foods etc.

Allison - posted on 06/11/2010

I just use the Doctor as ONE source of information, but I almost ALWAYS get a second (and often third) opinion on everything, from the most trusted sources I can find - including other doctors, nurses, midwives, family, etc. It is time consuming, though - I research everything to death ! I finally found a good pediatrician (on the fourth try) who I really trusted and could talk with. Then we moved :(

K - posted on 06/11/2010

I think what people sometimes forget, is that MD's go to MEDICAL school, for MEDICINE, they don't go to parenting school. Any parenting advice that is given by a doctor is just that, ADVICE and personal opinion.

Nikki - posted on 05/08/2010

I generally trust my GP with medical advice, we don't see a paediatrician. As much as I trust him and I have been seeing him for over ten years there has been one or two times with my daughter that I have taken her for a second opinion because I felt uneasy. I am very open with my Dr and by second opinion he will bring another Dr in from the practice to check for me, he is pretty great.
I am not one to really take one person's advice as gospel, especially when it comes to my daughter, the two times she has been on medication I have double checked with the pharmacist and then triple checked with my health nurse.

As far as things like breast feeding, sleep issues, general baby stuff I have definitely found the health nurses to be more up to date and practical with their information. When I went to my Doctor because I was having trouble latching on was...you made it 3 months, just get her a bottle!

I find it hard to believe that people don't question their Doctors, I have friends who have come to me with some of the most ridiculous advice. I am sure my Doctor sighs when he see's my name on his list, I always make him ring governing authorities for things like immunisation questions etc while I am in his office, because I don't believe that one person can possible keep up to date with all of that endless information, especially being a GP. On top of that he will regularly bring the nurse in to double check what he is doing, just because he knows it will put my mind at ease.

I think mother's need to trust their instincts, and don't be afraid to do your own research if you feel uneasy.

Holly - posted on 05/07/2010

I trust my doc, but to a point.

He says my baby has low iron, so I say "Okay, I'll up her iron in her food." He says "No, give her iron drops", I say "No way jose!" lol

Other than that one issue, my doc is pretty good at listening to me and helping me make my babies as healthy as possible. When I told him I wanted a more psread out vaccination schedule, he said he would work with me and he has done a very good job of it.

I don't think a doc should be put on a pedastal and looked at as someone who we should look up to. I see a doc as my partner in keeping my kids healthy and happy. I don't agree with everything my hubby (my life partner) says about the kids, just as I don't agree with everything my doc (my health partner) says about the kids. It's all about knowing when to agree and when to not agree, and what is best for your child. If you don't feel comfortable with your "partner" (aka doc), then you should find a new one that is willing to work with you as opposed to above you.

Teresa - posted on 05/07/2010

I trust the kids ped completely w/ medical issues. If it's a matter of a parenting issue I will listen to what he has to say, but if it doesn't follow my own perception than I'll disregard it unless my way isn't working. That doesn't come up very often though. I don't usually have a need to ask him about parenting things.



On a side note... I took all those Myth vs. Fact quizzes and only missed a grand total of 6 (3 in the nutrition one) and I'm a high school drop out. ;)

Brittiny - posted on 05/05/2010

While I do think that Physicians should be respected and are a valuable resource, I do not take every word that comes out of a Doc.s mouth to be the law when it comes to my own or my children's care. I am a firm believer that any smart kid off the street can go to medical school and get their M.D. (or D.O., if you prefer), it takes a very special person to be a GOOD physician (as I am a nurse, I have seen this up close and personal) I think the important thing is to have a good relationship with your child's Doctor, and to have good conversations with them. I switched my oldest daughter from a recommended Pediatrician to a family practice doctor, because he respects me and my opinions. Also, he is a father himself, which I think is a great trait in dealing with your child's care - they have so much more knowledge than just that out of a textbook. I also think it is important that my children's doctor is constantly reading and passing along research and continued learning that he has acquired.

Shavaune - posted on 05/05/2010

I love my family doc and when it comes down to immediate medical advice I listen to him. But for non-medical issues I just do what I think is best or whatever works for my family.
I had one quack once who tried to give me anti depressants for pain in my lower abdomen????? I told her to shove it and went to another doc who told me I had a small Ovarian cyst LOL

Jennifer - posted on 05/05/2010

While I love and trust my daughter's doctor, I do not follow all her advice. There are many things she has advised us on that I have blatently disregarded (co-sleeping, giving vitamin supplemets, CIO). It is important to remember that doctors are trained in medicine, not parenting or nutrition. Any non medical choices I make are researched from appropriate sources.

Sarah - posted on 05/05/2010

I trust my GP. If i had questions concerning babies or young children though, i would probably ask my Health Visitor rather than my GP.
I've no problem with any of the advice i've been given by my GP, he's very good! :)

Amy - posted on 05/05/2010

Nope. I had one pediatrician tell me to get rid of all the tv's in my house and even the dvd player in my van. He said that kids shouldn't even know what tv is and that it limits imagination. I'm always the one that doctors hate bc I bring my list of questions with me and make sure that they are answered before i leave.

Good Day! - posted on 05/04/2010

Tanya, I wouldn't trust a doc that told me that either. It's important to find a doc that has your same parenting/medical philosophy. I guess that's why my answer earlier is that I do what my doc says. I trust her, because we have similar viewpoints. And she always backs what she says with current research. And listens to what I say before making suggestions. It's all about finding the doctor that will work with you.

Tanya - posted on 05/04/2010

I had to switch my boys doc after his two week check up. Thats why I started the baby wise thread. HE was really into the CIO. He said that even though I was breast feeding I should move my child into another room and let him cry for 30-45mins before going to get him. Then he would learn to sleep thru the night. Also when we were at the hospital and he found out i was breast feeding he said 5 mins on each side should be fine but not to go more than ten. He also said no closer than 3 hours apart.

As with Suzette I had problems with a doctor when I was younger I had awful migraine headaches. I was out of school about twice a week. He put me on two meds for them and sent me to the hospital to get checked out. When the doctor there saw what i was on he took me off both and said they would have done real damage to my heart

Jessica - posted on 05/04/2010

I love my family doctor, and I love the midwife and one of the Docs I get to see on most of my prenatal visits to the low risk pregnancy clinic in the hospital for my pregnancy. That being said, the rest I have met in the prenatal clinic are useless as far as I'm concerned, I want a real doctor, not a walking text book. Sometimes feel likes docs today are there cause they could afford the school and pass the class but have no real love, passion or natural instinct for what they are doing. That scares me.

Lyndsay - posted on 05/04/2010

In my opinion, one or two misconceptions still counts as being misinformed, especially when you are supposed to be a specialist in the field of childhood medical care. I think that any doctor or nurse, or pretty much any person overseeing the physical health of another person, should make it their responsibility to stay current and up-to-date.

I'm not saying that pediatricians as a profession are wrong or misinformed, or people should stop seeing them or any such thing. I'm simply suggesting that maybe they are not the absolute alpha-omega as a medical resource, and parents should go beyond what they are told in the doctors office to make their own educated and informed decisions.

Jackie - posted on 05/04/2010

I do typically follow what my doctor says, but if he ever were to say something conflicting with the AAP or another body of intelligence I would question him for his reasoning first at least.

I also am a firm believer that there are doctors out there who say what their patients want to hear, not necessarily b/c they believe it, but b/c they won't stand up to the parents. i.e. prescribing antibiotics for colds, or condoning things that are not recommended guidelines.

And as with any study, you can't single out one tiny piece of it and generalize with it. Lyndsay, you say 75% of them are misinformed, what the article says is that 75% of them got one or two wrong, only 13% got 3+ wrong (while that's still high, its not the 75% your post makes it sound. I don't think that makes pediatricians as a profession misinformed...I also notice it doesn't say which statements they got incorrect. Some are significantly more important to get correct (i.e. safety related ones) than others.

Ashley - posted on 05/04/2010

Well, my son's doctor is just plain awesome, so I do listen to her.
I'm curious on the ages of the physicians tested? Some of the "old wive's tales" were common years ago, such as the aspirin and honey...

Alisa - posted on 05/04/2010

My baby sees my doctor and so far he hasn't said anything that qualifies as advice. He has told me that I could start solids but I don't have to. I do alot of research myself so that I can make informed decisions on my own. If something sounds like I might want to try it but I find conflicting information I ask him what he thinks. I then weigh all my options giving what the doc said a little more weight than everything else. He's an older gentleman and is pretty relaxed about how I do things and is willing to try anything.

April - posted on 05/03/2010

if i did, my son wouldn't be as healthy as he is, so no!! i used to take doctor's advice as gold...then i had a kid and now i know better!!

Suzette - posted on 05/03/2010

Not all of it. I have had some quack doctors before. One put me on medication when I first started having seizures without even running tests, it was a very, very bad experience. And another one (very recently, when I first found out I was pregnant) wanted to up my medication dosage from 250 to 400 without any reasoning - he could give me NO medical reason why I needed to jump that high. I immediately switched neurologists. (The first time I was only 14 - with the bad meds so it took a while to get a new one - long long story. The second time I switched immediately.)

Now, everything I am told by doctors I will question a thousand times over. When my new neurologist wanted to up my medication by 50 mg when I was about 4.5 mo. pregnant, I peppered him with questions, told him I was uncomfortable, and he sent me to see an expert in the field. The expert agreed with both of us, but he explained things satisfactorily and I researched everything I was told until I felt comfortable with upping my dosage. Since then I've only been upped another 50 mg. (From that startling jump of 250 to 400, the new one has only upped me from 250 to 350 - from 4 mo preg to almost 8 mo. lol)

I do the same thing with my OB, I question everything, and with my primary. I'm sure it gets annoying, I know they have education, but I won't be misinformed again... or ill informed either! =)

Good Day! - posted on 05/03/2010

When my doc does give me advice, she tells me her sources. She's one of those that is up-to-date with the latest research, always reading. I pretty much trust what she says.

LaCi - posted on 05/03/2010

Honestly, my son's doctor hasn't given much advice. He just checks him out, answers my questions, and tells me he's good, granted, he's not even two so there isn't much going on.

Lyndsay - posted on 05/03/2010

I personally don't even see a pediatrician, I just go to my family doctor for everything and he's pretty good about dispelling old wives tales. But it is a little scary to think that people who specialize in treating children can be so misinformed... 3/4 (75%) is a big chunk of the pediatrician population!