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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Googling your symptoms: A DO or a DON’T?

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OK, I know you're probably going to think I'm going through a paranoid phase given yesterday's topic and now this, but I've recently become obsessed with Googling every ache and itch I (and Nick and Alex) have -- it's probably because I have a little more time on my hands now, which we all know can be dangerous. When I was first diagnosed the worst thing I did was get on the Internet.

In November 2001 Erin Zammett Ruddy was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a cancer that until recently proved fatal for most patients. She shared her daily experiences of dealing with the disease in this column.

I could read 100 positive things but all that registered was the negative. And, of course, there's always the inaccuracy thing to worry about given that anyone can say anything in cyberspace. (I tell all my newly diagnosed friends to resist the urge to surf the web (let your family and friends do it for you).

Take the two-minute cancer test!

When I was pregnant I couldn't control myself if I got within five feet of a computer. I had every " what to expect" site bookmarked and I don't think a day went by when I didn't Google something totally strange like "pregnancy and bug bite and cough." It's just so tempting. And if you're not crazy like I am or a hypochondriac like Melissa (every symptom she reads about, she gets) it can be reassuring. And you may even discover something your doctors are missing. One of my friend's just told me that her baby had an unidentified illness for a week and the pediatrician told her it was probably a UTI and they wanted to do all this invasive stuff. Well my friend got on the web and found out it was a totally normal rashy/fevery thing that kids get. Crisis averted.

"I have to live for him" Leukemia patient and Glamour editor Erin Zammett Ruddy on motherhood and cancer.

What do you think about playing Google doctor? What sites do you visit? Got any good cyberdiagnoses to share? --Erin


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Comments 1-9 of 9
  • Barachiel's Avatar
    Posted by Barachiel Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:03pm PDT

    Knowledge is power, but only within it's proper application.

    Most doctors I know don't have a problem with Google, Web MD, or any of the sites. The probelm is the application.

    My former roommate is a huge hypochondriac, every little thing was a tumor or some rare disease. So I think theses sites are great, just use some reason along with the research.

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  • mabcosmic's Avatar
    Posted by mabcosmic Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:26pm PDT

    I googled my symptoms and that's what got me to get to a doctor. I got a diagnosis that I wasn't expecting, but at least it got me up and doing something about it. Now I have the treatment I need to live a halfway normal life. Googling symptoms can be useful. Don't let the people who take it too far ruin it for everyone else.

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  • Melisma's Avatar
    Posted by Melisma Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:40pm PDT

    I've been Googling not only my symptoms, but also everything my doctors *think* might be causing my symptoms. And I always end up being right.

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  • D.D.G's Avatar
    Posted by D.D.G Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:14am PDT

    Only you yourself knows your body.

    If there is a problem or things are not functioning correctly,you feel it in more ways then one.

    I have used the web for a serious reason and now I know what to approach the doctor with.

    Hopefully I will not spend pointless,countless & money draing appointments just so they can tell me what I may already know is going on.

    Raised... unless your on your death bed...your fine!

    I rarely check into my health. That has become a major downfall. I believe it is ok to search,for anything that you may need to know.

    Too much? Possibly, but would you rather spend too much money or too much research time??

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  • Pemaliza's Avatar
    Posted by Pemaliza Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:31am PDT

    I do the same ,google it. You can find out a whole bunch of information,rather then friken out and running to a doctor.

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  • Jean Rose's Avatar
    Posted by Jean Rose Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:31am PDT

    Personally, I am more into googling symptoms because most of the time, I end up correct. There have been times when I knew I was misdiagnosed by a local doctor (because I live on a remote province with no access to modern medical amenities) and refused taking the prescribed medicine.

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  • S. M.'s Avatar
    Posted by S. M. Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:58pm PDT

    Googling my symptoms told me once that I had a kidney infection, which is always serious. I would have put off going to the doctor for at LEAST a few more days if I hadn't found out what I had beforehand, and then it would have been WAY worse. I think it's OK, so long as you don't obsess and become a hypochondriac.

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  • Straightfoward(lovely lady)'s Avatar
    Posted by Straightfoward(lovely lady) Mon Sep 1, 2008 5:57am PDT

    I google it all too. I google symptoms for me and my kids. I think it can be helpful and you can find tips of what to do for the fever and stuff before you get into the doctor. You are normal, lots of us do it.

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  • Caramel Cake's Avatar
    Posted by Caramel Cake Tue Sep 2, 2008 9:44am PDT

    I get online to diagnos symptoms only to see of I need to gog to the doctor or not. If it is warrant fo rme to go, then I leave work and go and see how bad it is. I get on sometimes just to see what the name of something is and what causes it. I don't take any advice from these online docs, I just try to see how serious it is to either go to the doctor or not.

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