What’s wrong with me?
When you’re sick, that’s the million-dollar question. Successful treatment begins with the correct diagnosis. A medical misdiagnosis, on the other hand, may complicate and extend your illness. By becoming an active patient rather than a passive patient, you can reduce your chances of needlessly suffering from a medical misdiagnosis.
Medical misdiagnosis is the main cause of medical malpractice cases. An autopsy study published in the medical journal Chest in 2001 found misdiagnosis rates as high as 40 percent. Other studies confirm high rates of misdiagnosis. This research suggests that you’re at risk for misdiagnosis every time you see a doctor.
Why are rates of misdiagnosis so high, especially now that we have so many modern diagnostic testing methods? In a 2006 New York Times article titled “Why Doctors So Often Get It Wrong,” journalist David Leonhardt suggests, “Under the current medical system, doctors, nurses, lab technicians and hospital executives are not actually paid to come up with the right diagnosis. They are paid to perform tests and to do surgery and to dispense drugs.”
To be a smart patient, you need to understand the flawed business model of our current healthcare system. Pharmaceutical companies run the show, and unfortunately, doctors don’t get rewarded for correctly diagnosing diseases. In most cases, doctors actually make more money off misdiagnosis!
“Even though doctors can have the best intentions, they have little economic incentive to spend time double-checking their instincts, and hospitals have little incentive to give them the tools to do so,” wrote Leonhardt.
Among the best solutions to medical misdiagnosis: You have to double-check your own instincts! Your doctor may not have the incentive, but you do.
Symptoms: The Key to Diagnosis
A symptom is a clue. Many times, symptoms can be confusing. You may have more than one illness with overlapping symptoms. Your medication may be causing symptoms. And symptoms may be mild, vague, gradual, and hard to detect.
Commonly misdiagnosed diseases with mild or vague symptoms include diabetes, hypertension, lupus, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, and hypothyroidism.
Misdiagnosis of Thyroid Disease
Thyroid disease (both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism) is commonly misdiagnosed. In the case of hypothyroidism, the main symptom is often a feeling of sluggishness of fatigue. However, this is also a symptom of fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders. The symptoms of thyroid disorder often appear gradually, making diagnosis even more difficult.
How to Correct Medical Misdiagnosis
Follow these four steps to decreases your chances of suffering from misdiagnosis:
1. Keep track of your symptoms. Remember, your symptoms are clues, and they are the key to correct diagnosis. Start a symptom journal, and be as specific as possible. When do symptoms begin and end? What did you eat that morning? Where were you? Keep a written record of your symptoms so that you and your doctor can look for patterns.
2. Choose the right doctor. Find a doctor who is willing to work with you in determining the right diagnosis and treatment. Your doctor’s opinions should also make sense to you. For example, if your doctor accuses you of abusing laxatives when you know good and well that you haven’t (as in my case), then it’s time to find a new doctor.
It’s a good idea to seek a second opinion in general, especially when seeing specialists (who tend to be somewhat nearsighted by nature). For example, if you have pain in your wrist, it could be a bone problem, a muscle problem, a neurological problem, or an immunological problem. Don’t rely on the diagnosis of just one specialist, especially if the treatment based on that diagnosis doesn’t seem to be working.
3. Become an active e-patient. The Internet offers so much free, valuable information! You can learn about any medical condition online, and you can also interact with other people who have similar symptoms. Don’t let this opportunity go to waste. Become your own health detective! By performing your own research, you’ll likely discover alternatives that your doctor did not consider.
4. Work with your doctor. Please do not attempt to diagnose yourself! That’s not what being an e-patient is about. Work with your doctor; provide detailed notes of symptoms and ask intelligent questions. Pay attention, and do not be afraid to speak up when you don’t understand something. This is your health we’re talking about!
It’s time to learn how to be an active patient. Start with 10 Tips on Getting the Right Diagnosis. If you're ready to become your own health detective, sign up for your FREE Discovery session.
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About the Author: This article was written by Verria Kelly, the Good Health Coach. Verria has over 15 years of experience battling mystery symptoms, misdiagnosis and chronic illness. Verria helps those that are frustrated with health challenges take control of their health and regain freedom in their lives. Her web site is a comprehensive resource with free articles and valuable information for those suffering from mystery symptoms, misdiagnosis, chronic illnesses or those that are simply sick and tired of being sick and tired. Visit her web site at , or email her at verria.kelly@goodhealthcoach.com
Solutions to Medical Misdiagnosis© Verria Kelly 2009. All rights reserved.
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