5 ms·

> they should always go see their doctor GPs often do not catch rare conditions or determine the underlying cause of milder symptoms.

ianlevesque 10y ago
The fact that these cancers go undetected until it's too late at present is evidence enough that GPs are not adequate for this purpose.
- Ralfp 10y ago
  The rule GP's are taught to follow is "when you hear the horses running, don't think of zebras". Symptoms are frequently either non-present or unspecific for such a long time that GP's stick to what fits and is most propable and only look further if current approach isn't working.
  - jstimpfle 10y ago
    This is Occam's razor. The horses saw is new to me.
  - barking 10y ago
    The squeaky wheel gets oil. I would say that people who are less acquiescent will get more tests, sooner, especially in a scenario where demand outstrips supply. Women tend to be better in that way in my experience, men are more easily fobbed off.
- dboreham 10y ago
  This is unfortunately a systematic problem with medicine that probably arises from the fact that the signal to noise ratio is so low. If you see 100 patients/year who have indigestion but think they have stomach cancer, then the 1 patient that really has cancer is impossible to detect (without also spending unreasonable resources on the other 99).
deleted 10y ago
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davidw 10y ago
I had a collapsed lung and went away from my GP with an inhaler for asthma (I've never had asthma). Luckily I went in after a few days and got x-rays and then got treated immediately, and I'm fine (I hope:-) 20 years later. Still though, it reduced my trust in doctors dramatically.
- chrisgd 10y ago
  My 4 year old was treated for asthma by his ped then admitted to hospital for pneumonia a few days later. Two surgeries and 30 days in hospital later, he is all better. It is frustrating how subjective medicine still is.
- jacquesm 10y ago
  You're a cyclist, so you probably have very good lungs. I was in a similar situation (saxophone player, avid cyclist) so too ended up with a misdiagnosed collapsed lung. If you're not showing the regular symptoms (such as very low oxygen levels in your blood) then they are bound to assume something else is the cause. Sharp pain in your chest is a good reason to suspect a collapsed lung or a partial detachment of the lung from the chest wall if you're otherwise in very good condition and should be taken very seriously.

ianlevesque 10y ago

The fact that these cancers go undetected until it's too late at present is evidence enough that GPs are not adequate for this purpose.

Ralfp 10y ago
The rule GP's are taught to follow is "when you hear the horses running, don't think of zebras". Symptoms are frequently either non-present or unspecific for such a long time that GP's stick to what fits and is most propable and only look further if current approach isn't working.
- jstimpfle 10y ago
  This is Occam's razor. The horses saw is new to me.
- barking 10y ago
  The squeaky wheel gets oil. I would say that people who are less acquiescent will get more tests, sooner, especially in a scenario where demand outstrips supply. Women tend to be better in that way in my experience, men are more easily fobbed off.
dboreham 10y ago
This is unfortunately a systematic problem with medicine that probably arises from the fact that the signal to noise ratio is so low. If you see 100 patients/year who have indigestion but think they have stomach cancer, then the 1 patient that really has cancer is impossible to detect (without also spending unreasonable resources on the other 99).

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

davidw 10y ago

I had a collapsed lung and went away from my GP with an inhaler for asthma (I've never had asthma). Luckily I went in after a few days and got x-rays and then got treated immediately, and I'm fine (I hope:-) 20 years later. Still though, it reduced my trust in doctors dramatically.

chrisgd 10y ago
My 4 year old was treated for asthma by his ped then admitted to hospital for pneumonia a few days later. Two surgeries and 30 days in hospital later, he is all better. It is frustrating how subjective medicine still is.
jacquesm 10y ago
You're a cyclist, so you probably have very good lungs. I was in a similar situation (saxophone player, avid cyclist) so too ended up with a misdiagnosed collapsed lung. If you're not showing the regular symptoms (such as very low oxygen levels in your blood) then they are bound to assume something else is the cause. Sharp pain in your chest is a good reason to suspect a collapsed lung or a partial detachment of the lung from the chest wall if you're otherwise in very good condition and should be taken very seriously.