Dr Google, Dr Oz, and other bad resources

I often tell people to step away from Dr Google. But sometimes he sucks you in and you can't help it. Then there is Dr Oz who will be happy to get you to buy green coffee beans or something that someone supposedly believes will cure cancer. Well maybe Dr Oz isn't that bad but I think he's smarmy (definition: excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.)

Finally we have those online symptom checkers to help us figure out what's wrong with us instead of going to the doctor. But they are usually wrong as well.  I admit to using online symptom checkers to see if I can figure out what is wrong with me. But since I have so many other things wrong with me, I usually ignore them too.

Now new research shows how bad the symptom checkers can be. There are many good health websites, such as WebMD, maybe even your hospital. But the symptom checkers where they try to diagnose what you have when you select your symptoms, they are not so good. They aren't so great at figuring out what is wrong with you. And they don't always send you to the doctor when you should go and sometimes send you to the doctor unnecessarily. Use your common sense instead. Or if you aren't sure on your common sense, phone a friend.

Stepping away from Dr. Google

I did it again. I asked Dr Google about symptoms. What the hell was I thinking? I had myself mentally on the way to the Emergency Room to get some help before I died overnight. Then sanity prevailed, I shut off the computer and went to bed. I am still alive. But I have increased the list of questions for my doctor on Wednesday or whatever day it is that I see her.

Why do I ask Dr Google any questions any more? I have no idea. I should know better. I mean with my medical history, blah, blah, blah, I am always a special case I think. I am not normal. I need to accept that.

But the real question is what is normal? What is this damn new normal all cancer people are supposed to achieve anyway? I am not sure Dr Google would know anything about the fictional new normal in the first place. Maybe I need Dr. Oz instead.

Crap. I'll just go to real doctors for answers to real questions instead.