Googling your Symptoms:

[Peter_Spaeth]

The internet is for the most part incredibly helpful in terms of making medical information available. The wealth of information out there is staggering. and if one is judicious one learns to weed out the BS. I cannot imagine having to rely entirely on a doctor.

[ALR-bishop]

You could just ask Siri or Alexa how you are doing

[Stonepony]

I'm a physician and a couple years ago my pregnant, paranoid daughter text me at 2 am. She'd been itching terrible since 32 weeks gestation. She text " I have
Cholestasis of pregnancy!!!". She'd been on the internet and was convinced. I text her a smart remark about being a nut and told her to stay off the internet about medical issues. I'd never heard of it but there is a high incidence of sudden late term death and the recommendation is preterm delivery. She saw her OB who hadn't really heard of it. She demanded blood test even though he thought she was a nut. 2 weeks later she was induced preterm with a diagnosis of Cholestasis of pregnancy. My granddaughter is beautiful!!
With that being said, the art of medicine goes a little beyond an Internet read, but always discuss with your Dr

[barrysloate]

Do you ever watch the endless commercials on TV for various pharmaceuticals, and then listen to the side effects: "this medication could cause blindness, deafness, heart attack, stroke, fallen arches, hysterical pregnancies, scurvy, madness, dry mouth, and may even lead to death."

It's usually along those lines. And yet the ads are apparently effective, and people who feel ill will go to their physicians and request those very same medicines.

[ALR-bishop]

....and always follow the directions

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Do you ever watch the endless commercials on TV for various pharmaceuticals, and then listen to the side effects: "this medication could cause blindness, deafness, heart attack, stroke, fallen arches, hysterical pregnancies, scurvy, madness, dry mouth, and may even lead to death."

It's usually along those lines. And yet the ads are apparently effective, and people who feel ill will go to their physicians and request those very same medicines.

People just tune that noise at the end out and focus on the happy people in the ads who are all better. As you point out, it's almost comical when the announcers read them.

[frankbmd]

John Moschitta could make a fortune doing pharmaceutical ads. He’d knock off the side effects in 10 seconds giving viewers more time to ogle the actors.

But the actors in the advertising should actually have the disease that the drug they are promoting is intended for. Before and after pictures of patients taking some of drugs advertised could adversely affect sales though.

Live longer ads for fatal diseases are deceptive because the increased longevity is sometimes measured in months (or even weeks) and often not many. Live longer ads imply that the medication has essentially no curative potential.

[Stonepony]

My favorites are crazy supplements with " years of studies and trials" that will treat your baldness, prostate etc but " are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any diseases ".... wtf!

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

People just tune that noise at the end out and focus on the happy people in the ads who are all better. As you point out, it's almost comical when the announcers read them.

It is indeed funny to see just how happy those people appear to be. They are running and jumping and dancing and laughing and having the time of their lives. It astonishes me that consumers buy into this, but apparently they do.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

It is indeed funny to see just how happy those people appear to be. They are running and jumping and dancing and laughing and having the time of their lives. It astonishes me that consumers buy into this, but apparently they do.

And there's always ten seconds or so showing the patient meeting with his or her sincere and concerned doctor, and nodding thoughtfully.