Mature Life Features

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Second Opinion Always Helps

Getting a thoughtful and valid second opinion is becoming increasingly important in our fast-moving world of medical testing, innovation and disease control. Too many patients follow doctor’s orders without question regardless of the diagnosis.

After a series of tests and X-rays, a late relative’s primary care physician diagnosed spinal pressure as the cause of severe neck pain and numbness in the patient’s right shoulder and arm and referred him to a surgeon. The surgeon inspected the medical record, examined the patient and recommended a procedure that would fuse a handful of vertebrae to solve the problem. The operation was performed and, while the pain disappeared, the patient’s right hand became almost useless because of nerve damage caused either by the spinal pressure, the surgery or both.

The relative moved to a different city and, after arranging an introductory appointment with a local doctor, had his medical records sent to the physician. During his first visit, the patient was dumbfounded to hear that he might have a combination of some serious and complicated disabilities and disease, including Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), lymph cancer and neurological damage. His new doctor recommended a series of tests and referred him to a handful of specialists.

As it turned out, he did have cancer and ALS, both of which should have been unearthed during the process that led to his surgery just over a year earlier. Consensus at this stage was that the surgery was unnecessary and the cancer might have been curtailed. A second opinion at that time might have added years to his life.

It’s up to you to seek out a second diagnosis whether your primary care physician likes it or not. The situation doesn’t have to be life-threatening. It may be a change in your medication, the possibility of expensive surgery, or the feeling that you’re symptoms are being given trivial treatment. When you do face this issue, check with your health-care insurer to determine what they cover. You can ask your doctor for a referral as well as talk to family and friends about doctors they’ve seen.

When you’ve arranged to meet with another doctor, have your medical records sent to their office and prepare a list of questions you want answered. Your family doctor might have some questions to add. What happens if the new diagnosis differs drastically from the first? Then look to getting a third and fourth opinion.