Getting a Second Medical Opinion

If you've just been diagnosed with a serious medical condition you're rightfully concerned about receiving the best medical care possible. Although you may trust and respect your primary care doctor sometimes it may be wise to get a second opinion. If you're dealing with a potentially life threatening illness, you need to be well informed about your options for treatment. When should you consider getting a second medical opinion?

1. When You're Scheduled for Surgery.

   If you're diagnosed with a medical condition requiring surgery, a second opinion is of paramount importance. You don't want anyone to take a knife to you before you know all of your treatment options. Certain surgical procedures are known to be over-prescribed, especially hysterectomies, back surgery, hemorrhoid surgery, cesarean sections, and coronary bypass surgery. If it's recommended you receive one of these procedures, seek out a second opinion to make sure the procedure is actually necessary. Frighteningly enough, up to sixty percent of all surgeries are thought to be unnecessary.

2. When You're Diagnosed with Cancer

   The diagnosis of cancer is not always as clear cut as you might imagine. When a biopsy is performed and cells are viewed under a microscope, the difference between normal and malignant cells is not always dramatic, leaving the results open to some interpretation. Unfortunately, there are cases where people have undergone disfiguring surgery only to be discovered later they were cancer free all along. Even when the diagnosis of cancer is correctly made, aggressive treatment may not always be necessary. For example, some prostate cancers are so slow growing that even without treatment the patient will die from other causes.

3. When You're Uncomfortable with the Level of Communication from Your Doctor

   Good communication between you and your doctor is extremely important if you've been diagnosed with a serious illness. If you're not satisfied with the information being conveyed to you, ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist for a second opinion. It's important you feel comfortable with your caretaker if you're going to need long term treatment.

4. When You've Been Prescribed Medications with Serious Side Effects.

   If you'll be taking chemotherapy or have been prescribed medications that could have serious side effects, it may pay to get a second opinion from a specialist. Some medications can actually do more harm than good and you need to be informed of other viable treatment options. Primary care doctors may not have ready access to the latest research and treatment options while a specialist would.

5. If the Diagnosis Is Questionable

   If your diagnosis is not clear cut or if tests are showing equivocal results, it's time to seek a second opinion. You don't want to risk undergoing potentially harmful treatments for a condition that's not well defined. This is another time the services of a medical specialist would be important.

If you have a serious illness, you need to be aware of your options .A medical second opinion can not only educate and inform you, it can also help to put your mind at ease.